Empowering Educators Through Action Research

Insights by Dr. Ann Berger-Knorr

For Dr. Ann Berger-Knorr, Associate Professor of Education at Lebanon Valley College, empowering teachers begins with curiosity and reflection. Through action research – a framework that helps educators systematically study their own teaching – she helps future and current teachers see themselves not just as practitioners, but as scholars capable of meaningful change.

“Action research in education provides teachers a systematic way to examine some aspect of schooling, teaching, or classroom-based practice,” Berger-Knorr explained. “It allows educators to ask questions about their work, collect data, and reflect on their discoveries to create positive change.”

For Berger-Knorr, the most important outcome of this process is empowerment. She believes teachers too often have decisions made for them by people outside the classroom. “Action research provides an opportunity for teachers to ‘take back power’ so they can decide for themselves what works and doesn’t work as professionals in the field,” she said.

That sense of ownership often leads to real-world impact. Berger-Knorr recalled one student who explored whether a therapy dog could improve students’ reading fluency. Over the course of a semester, the student found that reading with a therapy dog not only improved fluency but also boosted students’ enthusiasm for reading. The student’s research was so successful that the school board invited her to present her findings – and ultimately approved funding for a therapy dog to serve all students in the school.

At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, LVC education students conduct similar studies tied directly to their teaching contexts. Berger-Knorr guides them through each stage: selecting a topic, developing a research question, deciding what data to collect, analyzing their findings, and sharing results with others. Along the way, students gain first-hand experience using evidence to inform their teaching.

“It’s an incredibly empowering experience,” she said. “They begin to see themselves as experts on their topics and scholars in the education field.”

Berger-Knorr also emphasizes that action research can strengthen educators’ commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. She requires her students to connect their projects to culturally responsive teaching, ensuring that their work supports more inclusive classroom environments. “Whether teachers are aware of it or not, they are constantly surrounded by issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion,” she said. “Students must show how their research addresses or enhances these areas in their classrooms.”

Watching her students discover their power to make a difference is what keeps Berger-Knorr inspired. “My excitement comes from watching my students thrive,” she said. “Conducting action research firsthand demonstrates to them that they really can make a difference in the lives of students and create positive change in the classroom.”

She believes that many experienced teachers already engage in a form of action research, whether they call it that or not. Teachers naturally test new ideas, evaluate what works, and adjust their lessons accordingly. The difference, Berger-Knorr said, is that action research makes this process intentional and evidence-based. By systematically collecting data, teachers can gain a deeper understanding of what works and why.

From her perspective, that habit of inquiry is what defines great teaching. “Good teachers intuitively ‘do’ some form or type of action research on a daily basis,” she said. “The difference is that with action research, they are asked to intentionally collect data – evidence that supports or challenges their ideas. That intentional collection and analysis of data is critical to the research process and to professional growth.”

Through action research, LVC’s education students learn to approach teaching not as a static craft but as a continual process of learning, growing, and improving. For Berger-Knorr, helping them build that mindset is the most rewarding part of her work.

“When teachers see themselves as researchers, they take ownership of their professional growth and the impact this has on students” she said. “That’s what makes action research such a transformative tool for education.”