Using Classroom Action Research to Support Faculty Development and Improve Instruction

Effective teachers develop a reflective practice that allows them to review their classroom performance, make changes, and improve instruction. This is formalized as Classroom Action Research (CAR), a series of steps that guide teachers as they identify challenges in the classroom, research and enact potential solutions, and share their findings with their community. CAR is an important component of the tenure process at the City Colleges of Chicago; it is one of the methods we use to develop a reflective practice in our new full-time, tenure track faculty.

Unfortunately, adjunct faculty are often underserved by their colleges and lack the time, resources, and institutional support to develop their teaching in this way. My work in faculty development has revealed this to be a perennial issue—one that often prevents adjunct faculty from professionalizing to the extent that they become competitive applicants for full-time, tenure-track positions.

This presentation will review the principles of Classroom Action Research and the way it informs the tenure process at the City Colleges of Chicago before sharing my experience adapting this practice to support adjunct faculty at Truman College through a paid fellowship. The goal of this fellowship is to help adjunct faculty invest in their teaching practice, use research and peer consultation to address challenges in the classroom, deepen their reflective practice, and build curiosity and assignment about teaching.