Nowadays, educators seem to live in a period of educational crisis, with a

wide discrepancy between the instructional methods used in schools and those
verified by research as most effective. One must ask why there is still such a
disconnect between theory and practice when there is even more pressure on
teachers to perform than ever before.
One response to the problem focuses on changing the schools learning
environment to promote staff development opportunities such as action research
and reflective teaching. Educators can be empowered to understand the
implications of their teaching practices on student performance by creating a
professional learning environment that encourages teacher research, collaboration,
reflection and calculated experimentation.
A cyclical step-by-step process for guiding teacher research is called action
research. Action research engages educators in the process of examining and
reflecting on how to improve practice, studying the literature and research related
to their inquiries, and then implementing a strategy intended to improve current
practice. Another significant aspect of action research is its potential as a means of
bridging the gap between scholars and practitioners. Teachers who engage in the
process of action research become more critical and reflective about their own
practice. Their capability of being more critical is grounded in their research.
Therefore, teachers can substantiate their practices in practitioner-based research.