Self-Study Teacher Research

Anastasia P. Samaras, Ph.D. is Professor at the Graduate School of Education at George Mason University. She is a pedagogical scholar with an extensive repertoire of teaching, administrative, and research activity directly related to her signature work in the self-study research methodology which include books on Learning Communities in Practice (2008) and Self-Study Teacher Research (2011). A former school teacher and director of teacher education programs at The Catholic University of America and George Mason University, she brings a repertoire of practical applications grounded in sociocultural theory directly to her teaching. She is recipient of the Dissertation Research Award, Curry School of Education, University of Virginia, the Outstanding Scholar Award, University of Maryland, a Fulbright Scholar, and a visiting scholar at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of Iceland, Vrije University, and Victoria University. Her expertise in early childhood and teacher education has also led to appointments as a consultant for numerous program reviews with various Federal agencies, departments, Head Start, and universities. She currently serves as Chair-Elect of the Self-Study of Teacher Education Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association and project leader of two university cross-disciplinary faculty self-study groups. Her research centers on designing and studying Neo-Vygotskian-based curriculum applications in teachers' professional practices, including her own.

Self-Study Teacher Research guides pre-service and in-service teachers in conducting and assessing classroom-based self-study research. Teacher education students are guided in developing a more consciously driven mode of professional activity as they pose questions and formulate personal theories to improve professional practice with the validation of colleagues.

PrefacePART I: THE 6Ws OF SELF-STUDY RESEARCH1. Understanding Self-Study: What and Why What is Self-Study Teacher Research? What Self-Study Teacher Research is Not Why Conduct Self-Study Teacher Research? Key Ideas2. Overview of the Self-Study Process: What and How Self-Study Research Project Planner Self-Study Research Project Timeline Self-Study Teacher Research Exemplar Brief3. The Self-Study Community: When and Where and Who Culture of the Self-Study Community Paradigm Shift Influence, Confluence, and Divergence Important Events in Outgrowth of Self-Study School Critique and Sustainability Key Ideas4. The Self-Study Research Methodology: Why and How Characteristics of Self-Study Research Five Foci Framework: Methodological Components of Self-Study Research Key Ideas5. Self-Study Methods: How Choosing a Self-Study Method Challenges in Choosing a Method Key IdeasPART II: YOUR SELF-STUDY PROJECT6. Design Design Matters Seven Key Design Components Key Ideas7. Protect Questioning the Ethics of Your Study School Division Review The Role of Professional Organizations Standards of Research Ethics Institutional Review Boards Key Ideas8. Organize Data Alignment of Data with Question Document Categorize Overlapping Research Phases Key Ideas9. Collect Data Data Gathering Techniques Alternative Data Gathering Techniques Quantifiable Data Key Ideas10. Analyze Data Research as a Recursive Act Coding Coding Families Categories and Connections Grounded Theory and the Constant Comparative Method Concept Maps Computer Software Tools Key Ideas11. Assess Research Quality Multiple Sources of Data Transparency, validation, exemplars, and trustworthiness Reliability Generalizability Key Ideas 12. Write Some Friendly Writing Advice Writing Your Research Report Writing Your Abstract Welcoming Peer Critique Key Ideas13. Present and Publish The Importance of Presenting Your Research Challenge the Status Quo of Presentations Pointers for Presenting Writing Your Self-Study Proposal Advice for Presenting The Proposal Review Process Advice for Getting Published Key IdeasClosing RemarksAppendix A: Sample of a Self-Study Teacher Research Exemplar BriefAppendix B: Self-Study is Not Just for Classroom TeachersGlossaryReferencesIndexAbout the Author