Action Research in Selected Teacher Education Colleges of Oromia: Knowledge base, Practices and Challenges
Abstract
The major purpose of this study was to assess teachers‟ awareness, current practices and challenges of conducting action research in two Teacher Education Colleges (TECs). Data were collected and analyzed from 67 randomly selected teacher educators and two purposively selected deans. Questionnaire and interview were used to collect the data. The study revealed that majority of the teacher educators had inadequate awareness about the theoretical perspectives and procedures of action research. The results also indicated that the notion of reflective practice is almost non-existent among the TECs. It is found that the culture of undertaking action research is not well established and developed. Lack of time, teachers‟ low level of commitment, lack of teacher professional development, inadequate teacher support systems and lack of incentives were reported as the major challenges the teacher faced to undertake action research.
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References
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Marsh, C.J. (1997). Perspectives: Key Concepts for Understanding Curriculum. London: Falmer press. Mc Kernan, J. (1996). Curriculum Action Research: A Handbook of Methods and Resources for Reflective Practitioners (2nd Ed.). London: Kogan page limited.
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Teshome Nekatibeb. (2006). Action Research in Primary Schools in Ethiopia. MOE, Addis Ababa: Academy for Educational Development (AED).
TESO (2003). National Curriculum Guideline for Pre-service Teacher Education Programs, MoE, Addis Ababa TGE (1994). The Ethiopian Education and Training Policy. MoE: Ethiopia. Wallace, M.J. (1998). Action Research for Language Teachers. Combridge: Combridge University press. Wallace, M.J. (1991). Training Foreign Language Teachers: A Reflective Approach. Cambridge: Cambridge university press.
Wragg, E.C. (1999). An Introduction to Classroom Observation (2nd Ed.) London: Routledge Falmer.
Published
2011-12-01
Section
Articles