Future Teachers in Action: Undergraduate Students Share Their Research

Have you ever wondered when innovations in education work? 🤔

The answer lies in teacher ownership - Innovations thrive only when teachers unite and embrace them willingly. In other words, successful educational change is often bottom-up, initiated by teachers themselves.

In 2024-2025, a group of teacher educators from Namangan State University and Namangan Foreign Languages Institute and I came up with the idea of introducing undergraduate students to exploratory action research (EAR). As Richard Smith and Paula Rebolledo explain, EAR enables teachers to "gain a greater understanding of issues in their classrooms", "to explore and solve classroom problems for themselves", and develop solutions based on "practical experience, not literature". 

Why Should Future Teachers Learn EAR? 👀

Exploratory Action Research equips future teachers with essential skills for professional growth. It helps them

• build their confidence in teaching abilities, 
• feel empowered to experiment and refine teaching practices,
• develop critical reflection and problem-solving skills - must-have traits of modern, resilient teachers.  

On 29-30 March 2025, 26 students from Namangan Foreign Languages Institute and 4 students from Namangan State University presented their EAR projects in Teachers Research! 2025 online conference. Below, you can find their names and presentations (along with the links to their poster presentations):

Mentored by the teacher educator Albina Tadjibaeva: 

1. Durdona Olimova - Eyes on Me! How to get high school studentsʼ attention!
2. Oltinoy Rustamova - Talk the Talk: Encourage students to speak more English in group discussions

Mentored by the teacher educators Umida Khakimova, Dildora Sheralieva, Muazzam Boboyeva, and Rushana Inoyatova: 

3. Biltiraliyeva Nozima - ‘Let's not work in groups, teacher!’
4. Lobaroy Shuhratova - Why do my students hate homework?
5. Mashhura Hamdamova - ‘When I ask them questions, they don`t want to answer!’
6. Diyora Abdurahmatova - How can my students learn and remember new words?
7. Gulruhbegim Mirzomiddinova - How to improve student engagement during lessons?
8. Shohsanam Joraboeva - Simple solutions to pronunciation problems
9. Muxtasar Ikromova - Why are my students struggling to speak English?
10. Nazira Abdujabborova - ‘ Speaking lesson again?!’

11. Xolida Umarova - How to teach grammar and vocabulary more effectively?
12. Gulbahor Qurbonaliyeva - Complex grammar topics: It is not the end of the world!

Mentored by the teacher educators  Dilafruz Sarimsakova, Dildora Umarova, Guzal Turaeva and Dildora Abdullaeva

13. Mavluda Jurayeva - Struggling to teach mixed-ability learners?!
14. Fazilatbonu Ubayxonova - Less Stress, More Success: Effective Time Management Strategies
15. Zuhra Boqiboyeva - Groupwork Trouble: Why My 5th Graders Struggle in Groups
16. Nafisa Shamryukova - Breaking the Silence: Boosting Primary School Students’ Participation in Class and Homework Checks
17. Madina Samijonova - Homework: Learning Tool or Just Extra Stress?
18. Mumtozbegim Muxiddinova - From Struggle to Success: Effective Techniques to Have Productive Lessons 

Mentored by the teacher educators  Majid Ayturaev and Elyanora Menglieva

19. Og’iloy Abdulboqiyeva - The impact of EAR on building my teacher confidence in the classroom
20. Munisa Xusanova - How to teach primary school students with effective interactive games?
21. Sevinch Tojiboyeva - Overcoming Teaching Challenges: How to Engage Schoolchildren More Effectively
22. Durdona Azimjanova - Why don’t students want to listen to their teacher while they are giving instructions?
23. Sevara Qamchibekova - Unlocking the Potential of Modern Gadgets in English Lessons
24. Ruhshona Odilbekova - Silent Mode: Why Students Avoid Speaking English?
25. Muattar Axmadjanova - How to teach pronunciation to primary students?
26. Muxlisa Abdulxamidova - How can we involve all students in doing their homework?
27. Shohsanam Solixonova - Engaging all students in the classroom activities
28. Rayhona Shavkatova - English class or Nap time? Why Students Tune Out Certain Activities
29. Mohlaroy Xusanxanova - From Passive to Active: The Secret to Getting Students to Listen

30. Zulfizar Ahmadaliyeva - Why won't they focus? Practical solutions for students' attention

Achievements of NETRUZ in the Pilgrims Teacher Trainer Journal!

 Dear NETRUZ members,

We are pleased to tell you that the NETRUZ leaders - Ella Maksakova and Elyanora Menglieva - presented the community achievements in the November issue of Pilgrims Teacher Trainer Journal. You can read about the history, the beliefs, and the impact of the NETRUZ on English language teachers of Uzbekistan. 

You can learn more about the Pilgrims Teacher Trainer Journal!

You can also watch our interview video of the Pilgrims Teacher Trainer Journal!

Celebrating the Achievements: MenTRnet Festival Event and NETRUZ success stories newsletter

On June 8, 2024, NETRUZ presented at the MenTRnet Festival event. We are proud to say that the NETRUZ managed to build a collaborative teacher community which promotes teacher-led research, namely exploratory action research. The main aim of introducing exploratory action research is to enable English language teachers to share contextually appropriate methodologies that have developed through exploratory action research. 

NETRUZ organized various online and offline workshops, the first NETRUZ conference in Namangan, and teacher-research mentoring and exploratory action research training courses. All the events organized by NETRUZ were free as we want to support teachers' professional development and the incorporation of research-informed innovations in the classroom. We can definitely say that the NETRUZ has significantly impacted the quality of English language teaching in Uzbekistan, fostering an environment where teachers actively explore their classroom practices and adapt to evolving educational needs and students' expectations.

Watch the YouTube video of the NETRUZ presentation. 

You can also read the NETRUZ success stories.

Teacher-Research Training: 3rd cohort

Dear English language teachers of Uzbekistan,

NETRUZ: Network of English Teacher Researchers in Uzbekistan is pleased to announce the next training on classroom-based research, namely exploratory action research, that will be organized online for English language teachers and teacher educators.

If you would like to improve your research skills, explore your teaching practices, and develop your collaborative and reflective learning through our workshops and regular meetings, you should then JOIN our training program which will start on November 27, 2023!

This training is for English language teacher educators who would like to expand their knowledge and improve their teaching practices and research skills. The training will last for 2 months: December 2023 and January 2024.

• Are you a teacher who is interested in doing classroom-based research?
• Are you a teacher who is interested in finding solutions and improving your classroom practices?
• Are you working in a school, a university, a lyceum, or a college?
• Can you dedicate a minimum of three hours every week (or more if you like) to training and doing research?

If yes, please register your interest using the Google form till November 27, 2023. The link is here.

Best wishes,

NETRUZ

NETRUZ 2nd Cohort Training

 NETRUZ has launched the 2nd exploratory action research training for teachers of Uzbekistan. This training helps teachers learn how to explore their classrooms, identify challenges or successful practices, gain evidence to inform their further actions and bring change into their classrooms. It is good to see that the NETRUZ community is growing and the new leaders are taking the initiative to lead more trainings. NETRUZ is happy to announce the new Project Lead: Ella Maksakova.

Ella Maksakova has been in ELT for more than 10 years. Ella has got her MA in TESOL from Webster University.  Currently, she is working as a teacher of EAP for an undergraduate program and as a teacher trainer for MA TESOL program at Webster University in Uzbekistan.  In 2021 Ella joined a growing community of teacher researchers “NETRUZ” (Network of English Teacher Researchers of Uzbekistan) and one year later became a mentor. She contributed to the publication of the book about Uzbekistan teacher- researchers journey as a coeditor and a co-author. In March 2023 Ella became a project lead for the current cohort of local teacher researchers organized under the NETRUZ community. Her current research interests are teachers’ professional development, reflective teaching, and vocabulary learning strategies.

Also, NETRUZ is happy to have more mentors on board for the second round of exploratory action research training. 

More information about the NETRUZ new Champion teachers will be posted later. We, NETRUZ, believe in the continuous professional development of teachers.