Exploration 1- Critical Action Research
"Action research in art education involves an art educator, team of educators, or art teacher with students systematically studying art education practice" (Keifer-Boyd, 2014, p. 246). Prior to reading, I had an obscure idea of what it meant to conduct action research. The idea of conducting any type of research felt very scientific, far removed from the chaos that exists in my elementary art classroom. According to Sheri R. Klein (2012, p. 1), "Such methods have allowed researchers to understand teaching and schooling practices through lenses that "liberate the concept of research from domination by science" (Eisner, 2006, p. 10) and allow for "research that brings to life the sights and sounds" of practice in any "extricable combination of observations, thoughts, feelings, intuitions, trials, errors, and discoveries" (Stout, 2004, p. 196). Through these readings, I have now found clarity in what it means to do action research. As educators...