Teachers as Researchers - A discovery of Their Emerging Role and Impact Through a School-University Collaborative Research

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Ben

This study explored the impact of teacher-researchers on in-service teachers’ professional development and examined why a teacher-as-researcher ethos remains limited in schools. Teachers from four Hong Kong primary schools participated in a school-university collaborative project promoting collaborative inquiry project-based learning (inquiry PjBL). During implementation, teachers acted as both teacher and researcher, with six focus group interviews generating qualitative evidence. Findings analyzed effects on knowledge enrichment, school culture, teaching practice, and curriculum design, highlighting benefits of teacher research and the role of university-school collaboration in everyday classroom action research.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Project background and objectives

Classroom-based research engagement

Literature Review

Teacher professionalism

Teacher research and implementation challenges

Teachers as Researchers: A discovery of Their Emerging Role and Impact Through a School-University Collaborative Research Ken Chi Kin Chow Samuel Kai Wah Chu Nicole Tavares Celina Wing Yi Lee Faculty of Education The University of HongKong Abstract This study explored the impact of the role of teacher-researchers on in-service teachers’professional development, as well as the reasons behind the lack of a teacher-as-researcher ethos in schools. In the study, teachers from four Hong Kong primary schools participated in a school-university collaborative research project that promotes collaborative inquiry projectbased learning (inquiry PjBL). During the project implementation period, the teachers took the dual role of the teacher and researcher. Six focus group interviews were conducted with the teachers to collect in-depth qualitative data on their experiences. The impact of this experience on teacher professionalism was examined from four dimensions: knowledge enrichment, school culture, teaching practice and curriculum design. The study provides evidence for the benefits of teacher research and sheds light on how university-school collaboration could contribute to engaging teachers in action research in their everyday classroom. Keywords: Teacher research, school-university collaboration, inquiry project based learning Dr Chow is the Principal of Sacred Heart Canossian School and the former Principal of Canossa Primary School. Besides his engagement as a school leader and administrator, he serves and holds currently various positions at the Education Bureau of Hong Kong where he gives advice on the development of learning and teaching for the local community. Email: ckchowa@graduate.hku.hk Dr Chu is the Head and an Associate Professor (Division of Information and Technology Studies) and Deputy Director (Centre for Information Technology in Education) in the Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong. He has published over 200 articles and books including key journals in the area of game-based learning and gamification, information and library science. Email: samchu@hku.hk Ms Tavares is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education, HKU. Her expertise ranges from ELT methodology, collaboration and inquiry learning to uses of information technology on teacher professionalism. She was recipient of her Faculty’s Distinguished Teacher Award (2006), Knowledge Exchange (Team) Award (2010) and Teacher Effectiveness Award (2015) . Email: tavaresn@hku.hk Ms. Lee holds a Bachelor Degree in English and Spanish, and Postgraduate Diploma of Education in English, Secondary School. She has been involved in conducting research in the field ofIT in Education, inquiry learning and development of 21st century skills with Dr Chu. Email: [celinalee510@gmail.com](celinalee510@gmail.com) Introduction In recent years, the Education Bureau (EDB) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has incorporated project-based learning (PjBL) into its General Studies (GS) curriculum in primary schools. The prime goals of PjBL are to facilitate students’ development of basic knowledge, investigation skills and problem-solving capabilities (EDB, 2002) . To explore the significance of this relatively new initiative, a school-university collaborative research project was carried out from 2009 to 2011 in four primary schools in Hong Kong. The project aims to promote collaborative inquiry project-based learning as well as to explore how teaching strategies can be adjusted to fit the implementation of inquiry PjBL. Teachers from four different subject areas, including: 1) Chinese Language, 2) General Studies, 3) Information Technology, and 4) Teacher Librarians, had worked together as a team to equip their students with the knowledge and skills needed for inquiry PjBL. This research project conducted by The University of Hong Kong presented the teachers with the opportunity to reflect on their own teaching practice th

FAQs

What was the main focus of the study on teacher-researchers?

The study examined how the teacher-researcher role affects in-service teachers’ professional development and why the teacher-as-researcher ethos is not yet well established in schools.

How was the school-university collaborative research project implemented?

Teachers from four Hong Kong primary schools took part in a collaborative inquiry project-based learning (inquiry PjBL) project, working with university experts and colleagues while conducting classroom-based research during 2009–2011.

What dimensions were used to evaluate the experience’s impact on teacher professionalism?

Impact was examined across four dimensions: knowledge enrichment, school culture, teaching practice, and curriculum design.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Ben