Abstract

A theory informed approach to collaborative action research in classrooms and schools, called Learning Study, has emerged in Hong Kong, Sweden, and Austria. It has much in common with Stenhouse’s original idea of the ‘Teacher as a Researcher’. It consists of a unique integration, forged initially in Hong Kong by Lo Mun Ling and her co-workers, of Variation Theory, developed by Ference Marton and his co-workers in Sweden, and Japanese Lesson Study. Although the latter has rapidly internationalised across the USA , South Asia, and Europe over the last decade what is now known as Learning Study is more focussed on students’ experience of learning, and provides teachers and collaborating curriculum/pedagogical experts with a common language for the analysis and development of practice. The author will demonstrate that Learning Study, which he evaluated in Hong Kong, shares many critical features in common with Stenhouse’s idea of the Teacher as Researcher, and as such holds out the original promise that teachers might finally take control over the systematic development of a shared stock of pedagogical knowledge. Learning Study it will be argued is now at the cutting edge of the development of action research theory and practice.

The live seminars can also be attended online via http://collab8.adobeconnect.com/kazakhstan_seminars