Research is what we do in order to better understand our situation. We use this term to include teachers, tutors, aides, administrators, and students as potential researchers. The important thing to keep in mind is that we are addressing research conducted by people involved in the situation, not outside observers. They also have an immediate need for the results of their research. They care about their work and they know that they can be a more successful practitioner if they have a better understanding of their situations.
Many People have a preconceived idea about research.
We may be a little afraid of the word it can imply a preoccupation with cold, hard facts, an almost sterile way of looking at humanity, or an insistence on precision. In light of this image, it is little wonder that most people assume that they are not capable of doing pure, scientific research in their classes and that any attempt to research their questions will result in useless, un-scientific information. Even professional researchers, who come into the class as non-participant observers or who assess large populations using scientific standardized tests, have a difficult time creating a controlled experiment. As practitioner-researchers we don't try to create the pure environment necessary for conducting experimental research. We draw from what we have experienced - our programs and classes, and our knowledge and experiential background with them.