A 'real-world' example of a pedagogy-study...

In order to prepare well, I decided to read -besides the obligatory literature-
something about Computer-Supported Intentional Learning Enviornment (CSILE).
In this article the use of CSILE is studied and examined in primary education.
In the study, two teachers with their classes were followed during 3 years.
Teacher A had been instructed in teaching and collaborated closely with the reasearch team, while Teacher B didn't want this instruction (because he already developed his own approach on the CSILE technology) and drew far less on the advice and assistance.

The study focused on whether the use of a computer-supported classroom can contribute in the participation of primary-school chrildren in a research-like processes of inquiry.
The results of this study were that although the students from teacher B were more involved in proposing explanation-seeking research questions, students from teacher A were more engaged in scientific information proscessing on higher explanatory level.

Another result was that teacher A was more eager to help the research-team, and tried to improve his lessons in a more systematic way.
Teachter B, however, dit not put as much effort in order to improve his lessons as teacher A.

What was most interesting of this topic, was the successul use of a inquiry learning environment in primary education.
My own focus of interest is on student-collaboration in higher education and/or the last couple of years in secondary education. (in Dutch, the so called 'Studiehuis')

Reading about the use of such an environment in primary education, and especially combined with computer-technology is a nice variation on my topic of interest.
Also reading about two different kind of teachers-engagement in a research study was interesting, because I think you'll find much more similar cases in the real-world as educational researcher.

I think that this study is a good reflection on the real world, and I think it is good lesson for every EST-student that, like it is stated in the article, "educational researchers tend to underestimate how much systematic effort and time it takes to transform eductaional practices."

http://www.springerlink.com/content/t41n0x21l7157142/