ABSTRACT
The purpose here is to reflect on the evidence about the six teachers depicted in the case studies, and illuminate common features of the practice of using action research for personal professional development. Some beliefs about the teaching and learning of science in the primary school are tested, developed and refined through consideration of classroom events, and possible thoughts and actions to do with encouraging teachers’ personal professional development are developed through consideration of events during the course sessions. The analysis is essentially comparative and exploratory – to examine some issues which are commonalities across cases, and other issues which represent the individuality of development shown by a particular person, drawing upon:
The evidence base (further extracts from which are used to illuminate certain issues).
The case studies, which are in Chapter 2.
The individual ‘Map of Progress in Substantive Aspects of Personal Professional Development’, which was given, with the case study, to the teacher at the time of my interview with her/him to seek validation of both documents.
Course members’ replies to the questions that they were asked at the validation interview about their case study.
The individual ‘Diagrams of Practice/Theory Interactions during Action Research for Professional Development’, which were prepared later. (Each map and each diagram is placed at the end of each teacher’s case study.)
