Applied Linguistics Inquiry

Applied Linguistics Inquiry

Exploring Generational Differences in Teachers’ Beliefs about Action Research

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Vahid Rahmani Doqaruni 1
Ali Mavaddat Kakhki 2
Sajjad Zahedi Moghaddam 3
Mehrane Senobari Shahri 1
1 Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities, University of Gonabad, Gonabad, Iran
2 Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Humanities, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran
3 Department of English, Faculty of Letters and Humanities, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran
10.22077/ali.2026.10219.1210
Abstract
Despite the importance of action research (AR) in second/foreign language (L2) teacher education, the intersection of generational identity and teachers’ beliefs about AR remains underexplored. Thus, this study aims to investigate whether the generation of the teacher has a significant effect on their beliefs about AR. The present study used the Inventory on Teachers' Beliefs about Action Research (ITBAR) to collect data. 240 Iranian EFL teachers out of 424 completed questionnaires were randomly assigned to three equal teacher generation groups (each group consisted of 80 teachers), namely Generation X (ages 45-60), Generation Y (ages 29-44), and Generation Z (ages 13-28). The findings revealed that teachers from Generation Y had the most positive attitude towards AR followed by Generation Z, with Generation X having the least favorable attitudes. These findings support the generational theory which posits that historical, social, and technological experiences common to a given cohort profoundly influence their worldview.
Keywords
Generational Differences
Teachers’ Beliefs
Action Research
Generational Theory
Applied Linguistics Inquiry

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 30 September 2026

  • Receive Date 08 October 2025
  • Revise Date 07 January 2026
  • Accept Date 26 April 2026