Exploratory Action Research - British Council
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About Exploratory Action Research
An innovative approach to in-service teacher development, Exploratory Action Research was originally conceived for the British Council’s Champion Teachers programme in Chile, in 2013. The approach was specifically designed to address the continuing professional development (CPD) needs of public school English teachers working in challenging situations, and has been taken up, and shown to be beneficial, elsewhere in the Global South.
In Exploratory Action Research teachers are first encouraged to look as deeply as possible into the existing situation - to explore it - before taking any action. They are invited to reflect on areas they are unsure about, and to come up with specific questions relating to these (e.g. ‘what do students say motivates or demotivates them?’, ‘which students engage or don’t engage, and when?’). The teacher then plans to generate data to answer these questions (e.g. via reflective writing by students and a colleague’s observations). By analysing and reflecting on the exploratory findings, they then plan a change, and a cycle of action research, with confidence that the change they introduce will meet a real need in the given situation.
More about Exploratory Action Research
The following resources which provide further information about Exploratory Action Research are free to download from the British Council's 'Teaching English' website:
- Exploratory Action Research for Enhanced Teaching and Learning, by Richard Smith and Paula Rebolledo: a short introduction to the aims and procedures of Exploratory Action Research.
- A Handbook for Exploratory Action Research, by Richard Smith and Paula Rebolledo (2018): a comprehensive guide to Exploratory Action Research with examples and inquiry planning tools for teachers.
- Mentoring Teachers to Research their Classrooms: A Practical Handbook, by Richard Smith (2020): a guide for mentors with insights, practical ideas and activities based on direct experience within Exploratory Action Research projects.