The Practitioner Research method

The Practitioner Research Method consists of the Practitioner Research Cycle and the Innovation Loop. When the research process leads to practice improvement, the innovation loop supports practitioner design research. Moving through the components is not always done in the same order. The process can be quite iterative.

Practitioner Research Cycle

research cycle

Core Components of Practitioner Research

  • Identifying practice problems
  • Mapping the context of professional practice
  • Exploratory Problem Analyzing
  • Describing the Practice Problem

  • In-Depth Problem Analyzing
  • Formulating practitioner research objectives
  • Formulating practitioner research questions
  • Determining the scope of the practitioner research

  • Selecting data collecting methods
  • Selecting participants
  • Planning and describing practitioner research activities
  • Creating a practitioner research plan

  • Developing data collection instruments
  • Collecting data by
    • Analyzing documents
    • Systematic observation
    • Interviewing, surveying or testing
    • Using alternative methods
    • Site visiting

  • Analyzing quantitative data
  • Analyzing qualitative data
  • Forming conclusions
  • Forming design principles (in case of design research)

  • Generating design ideas
  • Choosing the Most Appropriate Solution
  • Creating the Design
  • Testing, evaluating and optimizing the Design

  • Identifying the target audience
  • Communicating practitioner research results
  • Implementing practitioner research findings and solutions
  • Evaluating practitioner research

The Method Timeline

2008

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Development of a new method

Cyrilla van der Donk and Bas van Lanen started teaching practicing teachers how to use research to investigate their own teaching practices. Cyrilla and Bas felt that there was a discrepancy between the aims set, their own beliefs about learning in and from teaching practices, and the suitability of the research methods proposed. This discrepancy was the impetus for the development of a method on conducting practitioner research.

2009

The Netherlands

First Textbook for the Teaching Profession

Cyrilla and Bas published their textbook Praktijkonderzoek in de school (Practitioner research in education). The textbook has become the market leader for research in education for Teacher Training Colleges and Professional Development Schools in the Netherlands and Belgium. Revised editions were published in 2013, 2016 and 2021.

2011

First Textbook for Social Workers and Health Care Professionals

Due to the success of the method, the textbook has been adapted for use in the fields of social work, nursing and the health professions. The first edition of the book Praktijkonderzoek in zorg en welzijn (Practitioner research in social work and health care) was published in 2011 for the Dutch and Belgian markets. A revised edition was published in 2015. The textbook has become the market leader for research in Colleges for Social Work in the Netherlands. In 2019, the third revised edition was published.

2014

Man Wearing Black Waistcoat and White Tank Tops Standing Near a Mural

Method launched in Germany

In cooperation with Michael T. Wright the Dutch book ‘Practitioner research in social work and healthcare’ has been adapted for the German market. Praxisforschung im Sozial- und Gesundheitswesen was published in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

2022

Map of the World Book Laid Open on Brown Wooden Surface

Method launched in the USA

The English edition was published in the USA in cooperation with Payam Sheikhattari, Michael T. Wright and Gillian B. Silver.

2023

Method launched in Brazil

A Portuguese Brazilian edition was published in cooperation with Maria Elisabeth Kleba.

2024 and beyond

Rolling out new book projects

Practitioner research in education is being adapted for the German market. The book is expected to be published soon.

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