This book presents a detailed study of the potential of action research in professional education. It depicts a primary school teacher’s use of action research, through a series of school-based assignments, to improve her teaching and to develop herself as a person and a professional.

First published in 1995. Marion Dadds case story depicts a teacher constructing her own practical theories of the situations she confronts in her classrooms and schools and testing them in action. The main feature of this book is a case story of a teacher action researcher, Vicki, undertaking research in her won school as part of an Advanced Diploma course. The second important feature is the study grew out of Dr Dadd’s own action research on her in-service course with a group of primary and middle school teachers which included Vicki. The case story examines Vicki’s three action studies in turn; how they related to her work in the school; how she did her research; what problems she had to encounter; how she felt about the research and the people involved in it; what impact the research had on her feelings and ideas; and what were some of the outcomes.