| Statement of the problem. Through a process of inquiry teacher-researchers study problems and explore new approaches to teaching in their classrooms. Teacher research has important implications for staff development programs, but little is known about the ways teachers conduct investigations in school settings with peer support. The purpose of this case study of a teacher-researcher program developed by a school district teacher center was (a) to identify the characteristics of teacher research--the questions teachers investigated, their research processes, and the problems they encountered; (b) to investigate the ways teachers collaborated in support groups; and (c) to determine the effects that teachers perceived on their teaching and on themselves as a result of their investigations.;Study design. Data were collected from 17 teachers in one school district through participant observations, interviews, questionnaires, and the writings of teachers. Historical data were collected during two previous years of the program. Case studies of three participants were developed for in-depth study.;Results. Teachers informed their inquiries with current theories gained from in-service coursework. Flexible and manageable research procedures were strengthened by a year-long, reflective, experimental stance. Teachers experienced problems produced by insufficient time, unsettledness, writing, administrative disinterest, a fear of going public, and concerns about testing. Peer support enable teachers to cope with some problems.;The teachers believed that engaging in research had made teaching less routinized and more student-centered, fostered collegiality, and produced a heightened sense of excitement, challenge, and autonomy.;Conclusion. School districts must provide opportunities for teachers to engage in research. Recommendations for staff development policy focus on the establishment of a teacher-researcher program with provisions for peer support and role recognition. Additional recommendations concern the use of teacher-researcher practices for developing alternative ways to assess student learning.;Recommendations for the wider educational community focus on teacher-researcher grants, networks of teacher-researcher school groups, and the recognition of teacher research as a significant and different way of knowing about teaching and learning. |
