Using Collaborative Action Research to Improve Classroom Discipline

Author: Su-ching Lin(Teacher Education Program Center, National Taiwan College of Physical Education)

Vol.&No.：Vol. 48, No. 1
Date：April 2003
Pages：91-112
DOI：10.3966/2073753X2003044801005

Abstract：

This study of collaborative action research projects, conducted by one teacher educator and several classroom teachers, focuses on how action research improves the practitioner-researcher's own understanding of (her/his) educational practices. The goal was to help the novice teacher examine problems associated with her own practice and initiate strategies and techniques to attempt solutions to these problems, primarily problems of classroom management and discipline. The literature review for this study covers two areas: action research and classroom management. The key concepts and general design of this study are based on action research: the strategies or steps included posing a question, planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. The knowledge gained from each loop (cycle) was used as the basis for further planning, acting, and reflection. Three classroom teachers (one was a novice teacher, two were expert teachers) from the same junior high school participated in this study. Data were collected from a number of different sources: classroom diaries written by the novice teacher, seminars, and semi-structured interviews. Data analysis involved three stages: organizing data, coding data, and analyzing and interpreting data.
This study found that collaborative action research can give teachers a greater breadth and depth of understanding of their own pedagogical strategies and thus result in more intelligent teaching on their part. The novice teacher in this study became more sensitive to individual differences within her own classroom and tried to improve the effectiveness of her classroom management. Although participants in this study agreed that collaborative action research was a good way to improve classroom discipline and to support one another's professional development, there was also some consideration of the potential problems and limitations of classroom management action research.

Keywords：action research, collaborative action research, reflection, professional development, classroom management

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