This paper describes a collaborative action research study involving a university professor/researcher and novice teachers (final sample of seven) in classroom-based inquiry to enhance personal practice that would impact on student outcomes. As the teachers were coached and mentored through the various stages of the action research process to understand the effect of their actions on their students better, the researcher looked at how reflective classroom inquiry enhanced these teachers' levels of self-efficacy and feelings of empowerment. The research design was structured according to an action research protocol, and a variety of qualitative data collection techniques were used. Relevant themes were identified, coded, and analyzed to uncover the findings related to intended outcomes. Implications of this study point to the need for greater collaboration between university researchers and classroom teachers to improve school culture. (Contains 23 references.) (Author/SLD)