Practitioner enquiry
Investigate your own educational practice systematically
Practitioner enquiry is systematic investigation by educators into questions arising from their own practice. It may use observations, pupil work, interviews, assessments or cycles of change and reflection. It differs from routine reflection through an explicit question, documented evidence and critical analysis. Insider knowledge supports relevance but requires attention to power, assumptions and alternative interpretations.
Choose it when a practitioner can investigate a bounded problem in their setting and use evidence to improve understanding or practice, with time for critical reflection and appropriate ethical oversight.
Strengths
- Connects research questions closely to practical educational problems
- Uses contextual knowledge to interpret classroom evidence
Limitations
- Teacher authority can inhibit voluntary participation
- Insider commitment can encourage selective interpretation
Know the boundary
Improvement in one class does not establish a general intervention effect or require every enquiry to be an action-research cycle.