Teachers As Researchers: Secondary School Teachers' Professional Development Via A Web-based Course In Teacher Research

The terms "teacher research" and "teachers as researchers" are now frequently in articles about teacher education and teachers' professional development. While the delivery of teacher education and teachers' professional development via web is becoming far reaching, study on how teacher research, a critical element of teachers' professional development, can be promoted effectively using the medium is still somewhat limited. To help address this paucity of research, this study proposes designing and developing a web-based course in teacher research to promote secondary school EFL teachers' professional development. It first states the necessity of teacher research and the advantages of using computer technology in teacher research teaching and learning, then through questionnaires and interviews, it collects information about the current state of teacher research by secondary school EFL teachers, their needs for teacher research and preferred modes of learning for web-based teaching, which are helpful in designing and developing the web-based course. Then the paper focuses on a proposed web-based training program, presenting a general picture of its theoretical underpinnings, principles, objectives and components, and possible future work is also discussed.