The ARL makes the process of collaborative action research a natural way for teachers to perform. Second, they take action by doing something in their classroom to test out their beliefs. Third, while they take action, they collect data in a variety of ways. Fourth, they analyze the data to test out the action that they took. And last, they set new goals or raise new questions based on their results.
Action research is an iterative process.
Once they learn it, teachers make it the way they perform, grounding their teaching in clearly defined questions, collaboration, and data analysis. This process creates and sustains new relationships among professionals. The components of the program are relatively simple and can be easily duplicated or adapted to other settings. In these sessions, teachers brainstorm ideas, discuss readings, analyze data, and plan their next steps. At first, teachers are wary of taking an entire day for these activities, but, after only one session, they usually recognize the need and the benefits of in-depth professional talk.