Action Research in Educational Settings

Improving my instruction for the benefit of my students is something I strive for everyday. As the year was ending last year I was already thinking of ways in which I could be better in the 2010-2011 school year. Fortunately, I also had the opportunity to teach summer school where I was able to practice some of these new techniques. As Dr. Marjorie C. Ringler discussed, intstruction, and delivery of that instruction, is a great area for principal inquiry (2007). Wondering how to motivate teachers and instill a desire for improvement is essential to meeting ever increasing standards and accountability.

Along these same lines is the leadership team which is “instituted by principals and usually include[s] any assistant administrators and at least three teachers who also have classroom responsibilities,” (Dana, 2009). Increasing accountability transcends position or title. Everyone involved in public education has a vested interested in these increasing standards, and therefore involving action research through a leadership team is going to positively impact all players on the education stage.

A third example of action research in educational settings would be through professional learning communities. Contrary to Paul Simon’s, “I am a rock, I am an island” the education profession does not allow us to be lone rangers. Collaboration and community development within the school system are essential to meeting improved standards. Doubtless we continue to come back to this same phrase of improving or increased standards because they are not going away and improvement is what we need, if not also what we want. Action research carried out in community through PLCs is an outstanding way to provide and receive instantaneous feedback from colleagues about what is working and what is not on your own particular campus.

Blogs in Education

Blogging can serve many purposes in education. In a profession like ours the pace of day-to-day tasks can be frantic so knowing where to find and share information is incredibly important. Blogging can serve as an outlet for inquiry and at the same time a place of feedback from others following your research. Additionally, following educational blogs can provide teachers, administrators, and researchers with information that is pertinent to their respective fields.

Action Research

Prior to starting this course I assumed all research was basically the same: you pick a topic, find some sources, write a paper, and then you are done. Having been introduced to the concept of action research my opinion has rightfully changed. Even breaking down the term “action research” implies something different from normal research. Action indicates something that is ongoing, perpetual, and engaging. Action research, or academic inquiry, is a dynamic skill set that allows the researcher the opportunity to maximize his research and develop a more full understanding of a desired topic.
As an advantage, action research also permits the inquirer to engage in meaningful staff development and produce solutions that are campus and/or district specific instead of theoretical assessments produced by college and university specialists.
I am hoping to use action research to improve my own teaching strategies and impact other teachers around me. As is the case on many campuses and in many districts Math and Science tend to have the greatest difficulty of any content area on standardized tests like TAKS. My goal is to see how the infusion of project-based, or problem-based, learning with an emphasis on the integration of Web 2.0 tools will impact student achievement on standardized tests.

Course Reflection #5

Working at a rapid pace can be very challenging! Only having five weeks to accomplish what would normally be done over the course of several months is dizzying, but at the same time is also very exciting. I have to be very diligent about time management. So many of my issues in this course could have been alleviated had I been better about completing assignments earlier.

I also learned that I am a high goal setter. I do not want to merely do what someone else has done. I want to create something fresh, to test boundaries. I want to exceed even my own expectations. As a leader, I hope to embody the ability to put into action that which is theory. While I thought I was very advanced in my technology leadership I have since learned that I truly have a long way to go. I am naturally comfortable using technology, but I feel that I have much room for improvement.

Finally, my attitudes toward learning and achieving have never been stronger. Simply passing is no longer okay for me. I want to not only pass, but I want to be the best. This is a strong competitive desire that has been developing in me over the past few years, and I think will serve me well in completing this program.

Course Reflection #4

On the whole I was able to complete the course assignments successfully. Week one I had some trouble for a few reasons. Primarily, I will assume the majority of credit, or lack thereof, for my performance during the first week. Poor time management skills certainly contributed to less than thorough analysis and response to questions. Beyond just this, not taking this course as seriously as necessary inhibited my success during the initial week.

Having accepted my share of responsibility I have to give credit where credit is due. The lack of clearly defined expectations and conflicting instructions made success a somewhat relative term. From not knowing exactly what was expected during the first week to not elaborating on what is expected for the internship plan the assignments could be maddening. This being said, emails and discussion posts WERE answered offering further clarification allowing me to overcome the obstacles I was facing.

Course Reflection #3

Two objectives I do not feel that I adequately mastered during this course are identifying privacy and legal issues as well as providing support for school infrastructure. I think both of these learning objectives overwhelmed with the amount of technical language that was involved in understanding. In addition to this, if something is not engaging to me, or seems irrelevant, I tend to tune out. Do not misunderstand my intention here. Privacy and legal issues are by no means irrelevant. However, the degree of difficulty in understanding these topics caused me to feel frustrated at times, and therefore disengaged. It is no fault of the instructor, facilitator, or authors of the article for my lack of understanding. It was difficult for me to transition from the normal course readings to the highly technical language required to comprehend the fullness of the issue at hand.

Course Reflection #2

Of all the courses that I have taken in my life (and it feels like there have been more than enough) I cannot think of one that has been more relevant and had more an impact on my philosophy of education than this course. As a teacher leader I feel it is absolutely vital that I stay current on technology trends and leadership theory. Even learning about what the typical Millennial, my generation, wants in a leader and a career for that matter is exceptionally beneficial. With this knowledge I will be able to potentially help bridge gaps between older teachers and administrators and a new generation of teachers who seek to effect positive change in education.