Teachers and other professionals as researchers and developers of their own work

The following new research methods textbook is designed Teachers and other professionals as researchers and developers of their own work: Wheeldon, J. & Ahlberg, M. 2011 Visualizing Social Science Research: Maps, Methods, & Meaning. London: SAGE.
(ISBN: 9781412991049). (1) http://www.uk.sagepub.com/books/Book235388
(2) http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Awheeldon%20ahlberg&page=1

I am a supporter of the teacher-as-a-researcher movement. I think that any academic person could and should make research on his/her own work and it preconditions, in order to continually improve it. Research is the only known self-correcting way to learn as individuals, groups, societies, nations, and as humankind. Research is a way to monitor quality of all processes and at the same time a tool to create innovations continually to improve these processes.

I believe in power of design experiments and integrating action research in providing knowledge for continual quality improvement. E.g. Knowledge Forum® may be flexibly experimentally designed in order to support in the best possible way collaborative knowledge building. I have started in 1988 (Åhlberg 1990a and 1990b) an open-ended research project of helping teachers to make research and develop their own work (Åhlberg 1996 and 2002, Åhlberg & Ahoranta 2002; Åhlberg, M. & Robinson, J. 2003; Åhlberg, Turja & Robinson 2003 ). Several Masters' Theses (e.g. Ahoranta 1999) and PhD Dissertations (Vienola 1995, Kankkunen 1999, Pitkänen 2001, Wilska-Pekonen 2001 and Äänismaa 2002)
have been published.

I have developed three practical and theoretically sound new quality tools (Improved Concept Mapping, Improved Vee Heuristics and ARRA or Analysis of Reasoning, Rhetorics and Argumentation ) to help teachers and other professionals as researchers and developers of their own work.

References:

Äänismaa, P. 2002. Ympäristökasvatusta kehittämässä kotitalousopettajien koulutuksessa. [Researching and developing a university course in teacher education by integrating action research and collaborative learning.] PhD Dissertation, University of Joensuu, Publications in Education 74.

Åhlberg, M. 1990a. Kasvattajille sopivien tutkimusmenetelmien ja -instrumenttien teoreettiset perusteet, tutkiminen ja kehittäminen elinikäisen kasvatuksen ja oppimisen näkökulmasta: KST-projektin tutkimussuunnitelma. Joensuun yliopisto. Kasvatustieteiden tiedekunnan tutkimuksia n:o 31.

Åhlberg, M. 1990b . Käsitekarttatekniikka ja muuta vastaavat graafiset tiedonesittämistekniikat opettajan ja oppilaiden työvälineinä. [Concept maps and other graphic knowledge representation methods as tools for teachers and pupils.] University of Joensuu. Research Reports of the Faculty of Education N:o 30.

Åhlberg, M. 1996. Tutkiva opettaja oman teoriansa kehittäjänä ja testaajana. [Inquiring teachers as developers and testers of their own theories]. In Ojanen, S. (toim.) Tutkiva opettaja 2. Helsingin yliopiston Lahden tutkimus- ja täydennyskoulutuskeskus, 71-86.

Åhlberg, M. 2002. Translator's postscript: Twenty years research on theory of integrating education, improved concept maps and Vee heuristics in Finland [in Finnish]. In Novak, J. Tiedon oppiminen luominen ja käyttö [Finnish translation of Joseph D. Novak's (1998) Learning, creating and using knowledge]. Jyväskylä: PS-kustannus, 300 - 315.

Åhlberg, M. & Ahoranta, V. 2002. Two improved educational theory based tools to monitor and promote quality of geographical education and learning. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education 11(2), 119 - 137.

Åhlberg, M. & Robinson, J. 2003. An exploration of Education for Sustainability in the field practice schools of pre-service education students using tools for reflective practice. Submitted for publication.

Åhlberg, M., Turja, L. & Robinson, J. 2003.Educational research and development to promote sustainable development in the city of Helsinki: Helping the accessible Helsinki Programme 2001 - 2011 to achieve its goals. Accepted to be published in International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development Vol. 2, N:o 2.

Ahoranta, V. 1999. Laatua parantamassa ja kestävää kehitystä edistämässä peruskoulussa [Improving Quality and Promoting Sustainable Development in Primary School Level]. Master's Thesis. University of Joensuu. Savonlinna Department of Teacher Education.

Kankkunen, M. 1999. Opittujen käsitteiden merkityksen ymmärtäminen sekä ajattelun rakenteiden analyysi käsitekarttamenetelmän avulla. PhD Dissertation. University of Joensuu. Publications in Education 54.

Pitkänen, R. 2001. Lyhytkestoiset tehtävät luokan ulkopuolisessa ympäristökasvatuksessa. PhD Dissertation. University of Joensuu. Publications in Education 68.

Wilska-Pekonen, I. 2001. Opettajien ammatillinen kehittyminen ympäristökasvattajina kokemuksellisen oppimisen näkökulmasta. PhD Dissertation. University of Joensuu. Publications in Education 65.