practitioner research

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Reflection usually means reflecting on an experience usually a bad experience that requires the practitioner to stop and evaluate the best way forward. Leeson (2010) suggests practitioners to 'feel' their work as opposed to just observing. This can challenge practice and knowledge and hopefully give greater understanding. However, reflection requires the practitioner to question their own professional practice and as such this self knowledge is not an easy option. As Crowley (2009:4) states practitioner research may well:

'investigate the demands of certain reform agendas though these reforms may focus on what works as oppose to considering the required professional learning to understand difficult questions. In these situations reflection is a useful tool so that the complexities are repeatedly considered'.

Reflection can be sometimes on others practice. Colleagues and other staff member's practice that has produced good results are worth pondering over to discover what they did or said to create such a good effect. Reflection on practice may involve evaluation on interactions with children. Perceptions of the child that the practitioner has already formed may well influence these interactions. Through reflection this kind of influence on practice can be explored.
In addition, the researcher brings, to the research, personal and informal views and theories (McNamara, 2002).

Practitioner research can be defined as a tool for bringing about change. As Dadds (2011:2) suggests:

'We are not trying to change the whole world together. Rather, we are aiming to improve that part of it over which we have some control and responsibility. In doing so we do in a small sense, have an affect on the world at large'.

This change does ...

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...nd Flood, J.T. (2012) Using qualitative research to bridge research, policy and practice. The college of human education and ecology, 51: 137-144.

Shulman, L.S. (2004) The wisdom of practice: Essays on teaching, learning and learning to teach. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.

Stenhouse, L. (1975) An introduction to curriculum research and development. London,
Heinemann.

Stern, J. (2011) Value and virtue in practice based research. Presented at the value and virtue in practice based research conference, York ST John University, York.

Wenger, E. (2010) Communities of practice and social learning systems: the career of a concept. Springer Verlas and the open University 7, 2:
224-246.

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