Supporting Action Research in a Field-Based Professional Development School

A collaborative project between a Professional Development School (PDS) and a public school supported teachers' action research and initiated preservice teachers into action research. This paper describes one team's action research project in an inclusive high school classroom that shared the duties of teaching, assisting, modifying instruction, and evaluating progress for all students. The project began with participants' desire to learn more about inclusion and placing student teachers in such settings. Eight secondary preservice teachers were matched with practicing special education and content teachers who team taught in inclusive classrooms. Teams generated questions about issues they wanted answered, then translated them into research questions they could address through data collection. University professors provided guidance and feedback. Teams collected and organized data, feeding them into databases and spreadsheets and presenting them as slide shows incorporating the overview of the problem, methodology, results, and discussion. One project examined why so many students failed an inclusive algebra course. The team recorded and graphed the failure rate, determining that more special than regular education students failed. They documented whether students had completed homework, brought appropriate supplies, and participated in class. These behaviors were also lacking. They asked students for suggestions on motivating them to be prepared for class and devised a motivational plan. The plan succeeded for special but not regular education students. The collaborative projects benefited all participants. (SM)