Instructional Inquiry and Leadership in Elementary Education

Experienced elementary educators already know how to teach. They have mastered the fundamentals, built relationships with students, and developed a feel for what works in their classrooms. The next step in their professional growth is not acquiring more research-based instructional strategies; it is learning to investigate them. At the graduate level, this means studying why certain practices are effective, for which students and under what conditions, then using that knowledge to lead meaningful change in schools and districts.

That shift from practitioner to researcher-leader is at the heart of the online Educational Specialist (EdS) in Elementary Education program at Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM). Designed for educators who already hold a master’s degree, the fully online program prepares teachers at the elementary level to become leaders, researchers, and change agents in their schools and districts. Through applied research, critical inquiry, and professional collaboration, graduates develop the skills to investigate instructional questions and contribute to the broader field of education.

Grounding instructional decisions in evidence rather than tradition supports continuous improvement across schools and districts. When educators learn to evaluate research critically and apply findings responsibly in authentic settings, they strengthen both their own teaching and the quality of education around them.

What Is Practitioner and Action Research in Education?

At the EdS level, the focus shifts from applying instructional methods to studying their effectiveness. Practitioner and action research involve the deliberate, systematic investigation of instructional challenges within one’s own classroom, school, or district. According to the Institute of Education Sciences, action research is a form of inquiry that is authentic and meaningful to the teacher-researcher because it is conducted within their own professional environment, making the findings directly relevant to the students and settings they serve.

Rather than relying solely on findings from external studies, educators engaged in practitioner research design, conduct, and analyze their own inquiries. This approach generates context-specific knowledge and strengthens professional judgment.

Evaluating Educational Research in the Classroom

Advanced educators must be able to distinguish between instructional trends and practices supported by sustained research. That requires more than familiarity with research-based instructional strategies; it requires the analytical tools to evaluate study design, assess methodology, and determine the relevance of findings to specific learning environments. The EdS curriculum develops exactly those skills, preparing graduates to interpret research accurately and apply it ethically.

This analytical focus prepares graduates to lead professional discussions about teaching and learning using evidence rather than anecdote. Research from the Learning Policy Institute found that principals’ access to professional learning specifically focused on instructional leadership is strongly associated with student achievement gains, underscoring that the ability to translate research into school-level action distinguishes effective leaders. By grounding instructional decisions in research, educators strengthen the credibility and impact of their leadership within schools and districts.

Conducting Research in Your Own School

A defining feature of the EdS experience is the opportunity to conduct research within one’s own professional setting. Educators apply research tools and methods to real instructional challenges, examining outcomes in the authentic learning environments where they work every day. This approach ensures that inquiry is both meaningful and immediately applicable to practice.

Through structured inquiry and reflection, educators refine their ability to collect and analyze data, draw well-supported conclusions, and consider the implications for instructional improvement. Designing and executing a study within your own classroom or school also builds the discipline and precision required for research-driven practice at the leadership level. This work supports continuous growth for both the individual educator and the broader school community.