Editorial

ACTION RESEARCH, EMPOWERMENT, AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY

Tom Russell and Jennifer Webster

We see the beauty of action research in the power it imparts to teachers as they take responsibility for their own learning and development. They take this responsibility as educators and also as creators of knowledge about and understanding of the teaching-learning process. This empowerment translates into actions in individual classrooms, as in Christine Jamieson's venture into using computer technology to enhance learning in a Grade 2 classroom. It translates into group action in Jennifer Webster’s article about the literacy program in a primary division. And in Memee Lavell’s contribution to this issue, empowerment translates into the questioning of action research itself and of its place in a culture that values holistic ways of knowing.

Each writer takes a reflective stance on an issue that posed a personal problem. What is an effective, meaningful way to use technology in the classroom? What approach to literacy in the early years might support all learners as they strive to construct meaning from print? Is action research, with its act-reflect-revise format, suitable for all educators? In each particular context, a concern is raised that leads to a thoughtful analysis of the past and present in order to revise practices for the future.

As educators share their personal experiences and perspectives, using their voices confidently and clearly, readers are offered a place in which to compare and contrast their own ways of thinking, seeing and knowing. It is a place in which our beliefs and assumptions may be revealed and subsequently challenged or supported. Memee’s paper reminds us to be aware of the dominant culture and the constraints it places on the educational system. Christine reminds us, as she describes the enthusiasm generated by the Journey North project, that both teacher’s learning and students’ learning should be driven by their questions and involvement in authentic educational experiences. The enthusiasm of the teachers in Jennifer’s report is generated from their own initial questioning of the effectiveness of their individual language arts programs and from their desire to work together to provide a consistent program based on a thorough assessment of each student. In all cases, it is not the voices of authority from above but rather the voices of experience from within that are speaking. As Memee says in her conclusion, "Placing the power to construct knowledge about teaching into the hands of those who work in the field of teaching, especially in Aboriginal communities, is not just a revolutionary idea, it is a truly empowering one as well."