Research-action, a novel strategy for the continuous training of preschooler teachers

Abstract

The promotion of research is one of the substantial activities of the Research Department of the Directorate of Educational Research and Development of the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sports. In order to fulfill this goal, a project was created with a group of preschool teachers in diverse settings. The team started from the call of the Research Department with the purpose of participating in the academic exchange with teachers working in action research in early education at the State University of San Francisco, California E.U.A. Thus, an operative group was created that continued carrying out action-research in its educational task, with the present idea that this methodology proposes the permanent improvement of the educational function. The method used was the action-research, the project is based on the critical paradigm. The techniques used were observation, registration through reports of the actions taken, photography and audio recording. Although the general project had integral treatment, the results shown in this paper are focused on learning from the experience of the operating group with the training, follow-up, and accompaniment received by the staff of San Francisco, California in the implementation of their own projects. The objective of this paper is to present these experiences that strengthened the ongoing training processes of the operative group through action research in various educational contexts.