Teacher responsive teaching and learning initiatives through action research

Abstract

Action research facilitates the participatory adaptation of professional development to the learners' needs in communities of reflective learning in the work environment. Research on professional development through action research (e.g. Reason and Bradbury in Handbook of action research. Sage, London, 2001a) provides strong evidence of teachers' and students' conceptual and actual shifts from distance to collaboration, participation and responsiveness, and a movement from teaching as content covering to teaching as reciprocal action and justified alternative decisions. The RELEASE project is presented as a good practice for teachers' empowerment, responsive teaching and learning initiatives through action research. The project indicated that students and teachers enhanced their learning, which resulted in new skills, strategies and communicative attitudes. Moreover, teachers enhanced their awareness towards the students' needs and students were encouraged to ask questions and reflect on teaching and their own learning.