An action research in a primary school on colleague collaboration

Colleague assistance aims to increase communication between teachers, to see and share new teaching methods and techniques, and to improve teaching practices. It also contributes to the formation of school culture. From this point of view, in this research, it is thought that a proposal can be developed that can contribute to school-based professional development studies that can be an alternative to traditional supervision models by conducting an action research, and that it can also reach results that will create a perspective for researchers. At the same time, it is aimed to present an application proposal that can help teachers by determining the conditions under which colleague cooperation can be maintained. It is planned to implement the colleague cooperation practice in an action plan and it is aimed to reach the findings regarding the applicability of this planned action in the determined primary school. The research was designed according to the action research pattern. Within the scope of the plan, micro-teaching and peer observation practices were carried out. At the end of each practice, a focus group meeting was held with the teachers after the individual interview and the conclusion of the action plan. The data of the research were collected through individual interview form, focus group interview form, peer assessment observation tool and reflective notes. The data were analyzed through content analysis. According to the research findings, it has been seen that the microteaching method contributes to the personal and professional development of teachers and can be applied in primary schools. It has been seen that the peer observation method contributes to their professional development, has positive and negative effects on teachers, has predominantly negative effects, has difficulties and limitations in some subjects, but it is not applicable depending on the school climate and culture of the primary school. As a result, it has been concluded that the microteaching method used in the colleague cooperation model can be used as a support for the solution of the professional development and supervision problem of the teachers in the primary school where the application is made, while the peer observation method cannot be used. It has been suggested that the Ministry of National Education inform school administrators and teachers about microteaching and peer observation methods through in-service training.