whose knowledge is it anyway dissemination of a practitioner action research project in east london. warren kidd

3. �The approach is only action research when it is collaborative, though it is important to realise that action research of the group is achieved through the critically examined action of individual group members.� (Kemmis, and McTaggart, 1988: 5-6) Kemmis, S. and McTaggart, R. (1988) The Action Research Planner, Geelong, Victoria: Deakin University Press.

4. Bassey (1998) defines action research as, ��an enquiry which is carried out in order to understand, evaluate and to then change, in order to improve [practice].� (Bassey, 1998: 93) Bassey, M. (1998) �Action research for improving practice� in Halsall, R. (ed.), Teacher Research and School Improvement: Opening Doors from the Inside. Buckingham: Open University Press.

5. Whereas for Reason and Bradbury (2001), �Action research is about working towards practical outcomes, and also about creating new forms of understanding, since action without understanding is blind, just as theory without action is meaningless.� (Reason and Bradbury, 2001: 2) Reason, P., and Bradbury, H. (2001) Handbook of Action Research: Participative Enquiry and Practice. London: Sage.

6. What is our collective story? Large multi-cultural urban east London college Structural reformation and change pre-inspection �Pockets of excellence� post inspection SLCs CDI � previous project

7. By the end of the project 51 participants in year one, and 45 participants in year two. In classroom with peer - Over 200 hours Individual classroom sessions visited - 180 Peer planning and resource development - Over 350 hours Meetings/feedback sessions with participants - 230 sessions

9. Research through doing Research through involvement in practice Reflection Democratic Introspective Transformative Active theorizing

10. Ways of classifying action research Carr and Kemmis (1986) Technical � outsider researcher Practical � collaboration lead by facilitator Emancipatory � participants own the social construction of ideas Carr, W and Kemmis, S (1986) Becoming Critical: Education, knowledge and action research. London: Falmer Press.

11. What was our location within the story of this action research project? Na�ve pragmatists Actively theorizing Inside Outside Inside and outside at the same time Ambiguous roles and relationships Authenticating and validating knowledge claims

12. Action research � it is both knowing and doing�

13. � �There is nothing so practical as good theory� (Kurt Lewin, 1951: p169). Lewin, K. (1951) Field theory in social science; selected theoretical papers. D. Cartwright (ed.). New York, Harper & Row.

14. The story of the project

15. What were our challenges? Can you identify possible challenges? Practical/logistical�? Ethical�? Pedagogic�? Dissemination/research documenting�?

16. Problems for AR in FE Culham (2001) Lack of time Lack of funding No pre-existing/active research culture Research not seen as having �value� Few dissemination opportunities Culham, A (2001) Practitioner-based Research in FE: realities and problems, College Research, Summer, 27-28

17. What did we do? � pre-support Series of team discussions on nature of teaching and learning � individual and group Wrote �adverts� and �contracts for/of support� Built up a list of interested colleagues Interviewed each one and target-set/ negotiated support

18. What did we do? � during support Observation Further negotiation Ideas generation Team teaching Collegiate interference Mutual planning

19. �The most exciting aspect of the researcher role has been being able to work alongside colleagues whom one would not ordinarily come into contact with. To discuss, share and team teach and peer observe with a much wider group of people from outside of the teams I currently work within.� (Researcher reflection)

20. �Participation in the project has provided me with open ended time to reflect on different approaches to old materials.� It has been very helpful to have a non-judgemental forum in which to do this.� It also helps to have another teacher�s perspective on how to approach delivery of certain materials. I am now enjoying the teaching of a specific unit, far more than in previous years.� In fact this unit has now become my favourite unit to teach.� Working with the team has enabled me to discuss ideas and take time out to create new materials.� It is very useful to have someone to �bounce ideas� with.� Many of the ideas and materials I have been able to translate into use in other aspects of my teaching.� (Participant)

21. �At the start of the Project we tried to interview and meet with all participants as quickly as possible � to develop a relationship and to build rapport. It seems that this initial, early meeting was as welcome from the participants� viewpoint as it was valuable from mine. It was good to establish a working relationship quickly, productively and to be able to reassure colleagues about the more sensitive and confidential aspects of the support on offer. More than this, quite simply it was interesting. We do not spend enough time as professionals talking about teaching � about what we think about learning, what we see as the challenges, what we are trying to achieve in our own classrooms. It was also nice to have the opportunity to share, reflect and bounce ideas off others, in the same way as my role was to act as a point of reflection for them.� (Researcher reflection)

22. �The project has been very useful in moving my own practice of student centred learning forward and in trying new avenues of exploration in my teaching. One of the best aspects of the project has been trying new ideas and having another objective voice in the room to help me reflect upon the efficacy of the techniques used at the time� meeting with another teaching professional from a different academic discipline has been a good way to reflect, share ideas and different approaches to teaching, and �most importantly to take my teaching practice forward.� Overall I feel the project has been a major success and I have enjoyed it.� (Participant)