Critical Participatory Action Research in a Rural Community Committed to Peacebuilding in Times of Crisis

Conducting critical community research during the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unexpected challenges to academic communities. In this chapter, the authors analyze the obstacles faced in a Critical Participatory Action Research (CPAR) education project with a rural community of former guerrilla members in the Amazon piedmont in Colombia. After this analysis, the authors present four CPAR principles to support critical community work during difficult times. The authors argue that communicative action, horizontal community participation in all the stages of the research process, time commitment, and the leverage of other competing needs should be guaranteed and maintained during times of crisis. CPAR offers opportunities to advocate better conditions for the most affected communities in moments of increasing inequality.

Between Two Crises

The purpose of this chapter was to critically examine the reconstruction of professional identity between two crises: The Great Recession of 2008 and the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. Using a critical participatory action research self-study design, the author deconstructs the transition from for-profit behavioral health care business leadership to adjunct professor. Data sources include U.S. government job classification profiles, syllabi from courses taught, and the university's corresponding student surveys to answer the primary research question: How can teaching action research contribute to the reshaping of professional identity? Data analysis revealed that iterative cycles of reflection and action in teaching action research supported the development of identity as an academic across time. The knowledge, skills, and abilities required for a career in business supported, and also interfered with, career transition. Lastly, the author understood that the problem of practice stemmed from lack of recognition of her own privilege.

Assessment of Case-Based Instruction in a Graduate Educational Psychology Course

This chapter showcases a teacher educator's assessment of case-based instruction in an advanced level educational psychology course. First, action research, self-study, and reflective practice are explained as constructs of practitioner inquiry. Then, case-based instructional models related to teacher candidates' classroom management proficiencies are reviewed. Next, the teacher educator's examination of own teacher preparation practice is described to highlight development, implementation, and improvement of the target educational psychology course geared towards advancement of teacher candidates' classroom management capacities. Thereafter, solutions and recommendations for promoting teacher candidates' P-12 grades classroom management expertise are discussed. Finally, future research directions are proposed for ascertaining effectiveness of case-based instruction as evidence-based pedagogical approach for strengthening teacher candidates' P-12 grades classroom management aptitudes.

Transitioning the Elementary Mathematics Classroom to Virtual Learning

In this chapter, the authors explore the experiences of K-12 teachers as they navigated an abrupt transition from a traditional face-to-face mathematics classroom to virtual learning. The authors used a survey to ask teachers to explain what effective mathematics instruction meant for their classroom. Their responses most closely aligned with four of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) effective practices. The survey continued to prompt teachers to share their concerns for the transition, the most effective virtual tools they implemented, support they received, how their virtual classrooms would influence their return to face, and where they needed more support. The authors offer recommendations for supporting teachers as the virtual classroom currently remains in place for many and for transitioning back to the traditional face-to-face classroom. Technology use and digital competence continues to expand in K-12 education.

The Potential of English for Social Purposes and Cooperation for Emergency Remote Language Teaching

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to explore new practices in language teacher education. English for Social Purposes and Cooperation, a socially-responsive and technology-friendly approach to English language learning, may help students around the world continue learning from home. This chapter analyzes the perceptions of a group of pre-service teachers after designing socially responsive materials specially created for the COVID-19 crisis. Action research is employed to improve teacher educators' activity and pre-service teachers' training, and a mixed-method approach based on grounded theory and content analysis is performed. Findings show that the experience has provided participants with meaningful examples of material design. This encourages teacher educators to include the proposed approach in their teaching and reveals the need for specific training in material design. Results may help prove the potential of action research for improving the teaching practice.

Ready to Engage?

This chapter examined teachers' responsiveness to targeted engagement interventions in their instructional practices in an urban middle school during virtual learning. These interventions were addressed through action research and consisted of professional development, coaching, and instructional feedback. Data collected in this eight-week study contained observational field notes, coaching plans, frequency charts, coaching questions, professional development constructs, surveys, artifacts, and interviews with six participant teachers. Findings show 1) positive responsiveness to teachers' engagement interventions, 2) increase in teachers' perceptions about instructional feedback and professional development, 3) coaching surfaced as most impactful intervention, 4) socio-emotional and behavioral engagement practices were least responsive to change, and 5) teachers' beliefs and growth mindset drove the need in practice change. Future recommendations consist of exploration into virtual practices.

Fostering Student Engagement Through Showing Empathy and Caring in an Online College Course

This chapter describes a collaborative action research project in which one post-secondary instructor used the experiences in her undergraduate teacher education course to learn how to best support students and peers in a health crisis and social justice uncertainty climate. The authors used empathy and care theories and universal design for learning (UDL) to plan, implement, and reflect on ways to empathize and show care for students in a course that was online due to COVID-19. Using the action research processes, the authors found five themes related to using UDL practices and showing empathy and caring. They conclude with recommendations for other instructors interested in supporting their students in online classes and in times of crisis.

Investigating Inquiry-Based, Technology-Rich Global Education Through Action Research

As teachers increasingly face new challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic and instructional adjustments related to digital and online learning, action research may provide a more effective approach for bringing about change. In this chapter, the authors provide an example of an innovative project in which a university-based researcher worked alongside an elementary school teacher to implement and assess a technology rich, global education program. The case followed the global education teacher from the initial stages of the curriculum implementation through teaching a complete unit. Using a collaborative inquiry model, the authors merged action research with qualitative case study methodology to develop a rich description of instruction. The aim was to understand teacher and student outcomes, while also exploring the benefit of engaging practitioners as co-researchers. The authors offer this project as a representative example of the myriad ways educators can leverage action research to develop innovative approaches to teaching and learning global education.

An Action Research Study on Globally Competent Teaching in Online Spaces

Research shows that teachers understand why global competence is important but do not necessarily know how to implement global teaching. One way to address this problem of practice is integrating global competence with teacher education. Education abroad is an effective method to internationalize teaching, but travel is suspended due to the global pandemic. At the same time, the pandemic also highlights how global cooperation and global competence are vital in mitigating the effects of the virus. The purpose of this action research study was to investigate the impact of infusing global learning in an online education methods course. Data sources included products of learning and reflections from 24 master's students. Findings include five themes (multilingual communication, current event awareness, content-aligned integration, utilizing students' identities, and practicing local-global inquiry) that describe the prerequisites, barriers, challenges, and successes as teachers develop global competence and implement globally competent teaching in their K-12 classrooms.

Reflecting on Self-Reflection

This chapter discusses the challenges of online teaching faced by six English teachers in a state school in Romania in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. As first-time action researchers, these teachers self-reflected on their challenges to make sense of their experiences as they transitioned from face-to-face to online teaching in a collaborative research self-study. Reflective practice is the conceptual framework within which the complexities and tensions of online teaching will be explored, as well as the process by which the authors have responded to the social and technological changes caused by the pandemic. Excerpts from the authors' voices highlight their personal views and experiences as online teachers. It is hoped that not only will this self-study reflection-in-action research provide some useful lessons regarding online teaching, but it will also showcase the benefits of collaboration and reflective practice and the action it led to.