Fostering innovation through collaborative action research on the creation of shared instructional products by university science instructors. Issue 4 (7th August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Capobianco, Brenda M.; Eichinger, David; Rebello, Sanjay; Ryu, Minjung; Radloff, Jeff
• Is Part Of: Educational action research. Volume 28:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 646
• Page End: 667
• Publication Date: 2020-08-07
• Subjects: Collaborative action research -- science education -- engineering education -- university teacher -- professional development; Action research in education -- Periodicals; 370.72
• DOI: 10.1080/09650792.2019.1645031
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0965-0792

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to profile four university science instructors who utilized action research as a means of learning how to develop and integrate a novel curriculum innovation – engineering design – in their science courses. Data included curriculum maps, lesson plans, notes from group meetings, and instructor reflections. Data analysis included document review and content analysis. Findings from this study suggest that action research effectively enabled the instructors to 1) establish shared ownership of the project goal – to improve preservice teachers' learning of science through engineering design; 2) continuously test, revise, and recalibrate their shared instructional products; and 3) leverage multiple sources of innovation. Knowledge generated and used by the instructors represented different kinds of knowledge and distributed expertise resulting in products that were more useful and of higher quality than products created by individuals working alone. Consequently, this resulted in increased use of the products and increased instructor commitment to improve them over time. By simultaneously engaging in research and consequently taking specific action to inform their practice, science instructors in this study successfully created shared instructional products that both guided and enhanced their classroom teaching.