8/6/2019 Example of Personal Engagement in Literature Review

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Example of Personal Engagement in Literature Review

The next issue is that ofpower. Who should carry out inquiry and research in classroom

teaching and learning? Should we leave it to the experts? Or can the regular classroom

teacher have a go at it too? (Assuming, of course, that he/she has the time and inclination for

it). Who are the experts, anyway? The outsiders, i.e. the university professionals? Or our

resident research personnel? Johnston & Badley seemed to feel that reflection in practice is

the task of the expert, not of the novice. To them, reflective practice, and reflective

knowing is a process wrought with difficulties and problems and is not something that can

be easily taught. My impression from reading their article is that reflective knowing is like

divine knowledge - and only a privileged few have that sight. Actually, in most of our

schools where research resource persons are scarce, I can understand such sentiments among

regular classroom teachers. It is no wonder then that they regard inquiry and research as the

field of experts only. But it is our duty to dispel such misperceptions. The generation of

knowledge about good practice and good institutions are not the exclusive property of

universities and research and development centres (Zeichner, 1993: 204). Allwright

demonstrated how the classroom teacher can integrate classroom research into the pedagogy

of teaching. Zeichner persuades us that the little difference the classroom researcher makes

within his/her domain can impact the broader social and political context. And Lawn tries to

convince us that schoolwork research frees us from the confines of classroom bonds and

permits professional development. The teacher is the one who knows best what goes on in

the classroom and is the best person to initiate action or change when the need arise. As

Zeichner (1993: 204) stated, practitioners have theories too, that can contribute to the

knowledge that informs the work of practitioner communities. Research and inquiry should

therefore be a ground up process, with classroom teachers generating the knowledge and

experience most pertinent and relevant to our conditions (Zeichner, 1993: 204). But of

course, I am not advocating displacement of external guidance. Reading around the subject

has allowed me to see exciting possibilities in collaborative action and research with my

learners the student teachers - and even with our primary school teachers. But two issues

need to be addressed: first, in schools and even in colleges, we badly need guidance to lead

and formats to follow, and second, teachers need to be convinced that they are capable of

carrying out research. And I believe facilitation from universities and higher institutions of

learning will be greatly welcomed. In fact, I see the universities and teacher institutes

partnerships with schools in the teacher education programme as groundwork for such

partnership in research efforts as well.