Teacher Action Research: Studies Informing Practice. In 1999 I decided to launch a teacher action research pilot study that investigated applications of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) to shape and inform teaching practices and instructional strategies.(Editorial)(Editorial)

Teacher Action Research: Studies Informing Practice. In 1999 I decided to launch a teacher action research pilot study that investigated applications of the Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) to shape and inform teaching practices and instructional strategies. The purpose of the study was to identify, document, and promote effective real-world applications of MI theory in foreign and second language classrooms.

I invited participants by posting a notice on an educational listserv. Much to my surprise twenty K-12 teachers responded. Even more surprising was the fact that fifteen teachers from six states, were active participants throughout the nine weeks of the study. There was no grant to underwrite costs; no stipend that served as an incentive; only dedicated, hard-working teachers who wanted to improve their teaching and hopefully, enhance their students' learning.

Results of the study indicated that teachers were profoundly affected by conducting action research and engaging in reflective practices: They felt that their teaching experienced a shift in paradigm to a more learner-centered classroom; they were once again energized and enthusiastic about their pedagogy; and they felt that they were able to reach more students.

So how then does teacher action research contribute to the overall educational process? The papers presented in this issue portray a very optimistic view of classroom research and its role in the construction of new knowledge, i.e., an educational process. Some of the topics included are an educator's pedagogical growth, students as co-researchers, measuring dispositions related to teaching, and helping a new teacher manage time more appropriately. I am heartened when I read the ...