I feel that in order to do literacy work effectively, I have to be a questioning researcher. Then occasionally there will be some questions which start to niggle. Together with the students I may be making little headway on these and feel that they are really bugging me. I will then think that I've got to do a research project.
- Margaret Herrington (Norton & Woodrow, 2002, p. 60)
When i travel, whether to a new place or somewhere I've been before, I may have a general intention in mind, such as learning about community-based arts. Once I get to a place, I plan some specific visits-to see outdoor murals or a quilt show, or a play at a neighbourhood library. One visit may lead to another, and my specific interests and questions may narrow or shift. However, I usually keep my overall intentions in mind.
Other travelers may reach their destination with a more defined focus and plan about what to see and do. Even so, the plan may shift as they take stock of their time and resources and other demands on both.
So it is with research in practice. As you embark on your research in practice journey, you may or may not have a topic or focus for your research. Perhaps your starting point is an interest in learning about research in practice or working with other practitioners. However, you likely have several general ideas, interests and concerns related to your practice. These interests can be starting points for deciding an area that you want to "shine a light on." This chapter includes suggestions for clarifying a topic and focusing in on an area to research.
A usual topic for research in practice is day-to-day literacy work. For example, Lucy Alderson and Diana Twiss conducted a research project to explore "how literacy activities empower and stabilize the lives of women in the sex trade" (Alderson and Twiss, 2003, p. 10). While focusing on how to support a particular group of learners, the research also advocated for accessible programs for that group.
Leonne Beebe (2006) was concerned that "too many returning students start with a real hope for success, only to struggle, quit and drop out again!" (p. 1). Prompted by a conference presentation about teaching students about their learning processes, Leonne carried out research to learn
how effective is the Guided Reflective Writing Technique as an intervention in generating successful student learning experiences and successful student writing. (p. 2)
In Ontario, a group of practitioners explored what happened in tutoring sessions to find out "what made it click or go astray" (Trent Valley Literacy Association, 2004, p. 2). While aiming to understand the teaching/learning relationship, the research was also a way to tell a story about literacy work-its complexities, messiness, frustrations, excitement and small celebrations.... We knew that the statistics submitted each month as evidence of our literacy work didn't suffice. (p. 2)