Action Research

Senior teaching interns in the Baylor School of Education (SOE) conduct “Action Research” projects in the classrooms where they are student teaching. Through these projects, guided by mentor teachers and Baylor faculty, seniors are learning to improve their own teaching practice.

Each year seniors share their research findings through a poster presentation, the Action Research Symposium. Their projects are also documented in the official monograph.

Students’ qualitative and quantitative findings answer “the wondering” they experience while working in pre-K through 12 classrooms. The research is known as “Action Research” because it takes place in an actual pre-K-12 classroom by a practicing teacher. This form of research answers questions about specific classroom practices or sets of students Baylor seniors encounter during their internships. Teacher candidates pursuing all levels of certification conduct research and are supported in the data-collection process by onsite mentor teachers.

“The thought of conducting research can elicit a feeling of anxiety for students,” said Dr. Krystal Goree, SOE faculty member and Director of the Office of Professional Practice. “But action research does not have to be complicated or extensive. It can help teachers assess classroom practices and improve learning experiences for their students. It can be very rewarding, and the process is something that teachers can repeat throughout their careers to enhance their teaching practice and better serve their students.”