EDLD 5301 Week 5

Week 5 Reflection of EDLD 5301

As I start to write this type of reflection, this class helped me realize what an eye opening experience it has been the past five weeks.  The term “Action Research” in itself had multiple meanings to the phrase.  For me I had a nice awakening when I had to sit down and figure out what kind of research I was going to do.

As I began the first week of this course, I began watching the lecture video.  I began to panic when Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Arterbury began talking about “Action Research”.  What was it and how do we do it?  The lecture was very helpful in explaining the process and what was expected.  Dr. Arterbury suggested some tips during this lecture when searching the literature and drafting my literature review summary.  Those tips included stay on topic, create a visual road map for the reader, begin my outline with an introductory statement, general-to-specific flow works best, create a varied blend in writing and conclude with summary statements.  As I progressed through the lectures during this course, the lectures became more informative and helped me feel at ease when creating my Action Research plan.

I also enjoyed the readings that were included with this course.  Leading with Passion and Knowledge: the Principal as an Action Researcher by Nancy Dana Fichman and Examining What we do to Improve our Schools: 8 Steps to Improve our Schools by S. Harris, S. Edmondson, and J. Combs. Although both books were very informative, I learned more from “The Dana Text”.  In the book Leading with Passion and Knowledge: the Principal as an Action Researcher, “Administrator inquiry refers to the process of a principal engaging in systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice and taking action for change based on what he/she learns as a result of the inquiry.  Inquiring professionals seek out change and reflect on their practice by posing questions or “wondering”, collecting data to gain insights into their wonderings, analyzing the data along with reading relevant literature, making changes in practice based on new understandings developed during inquiry, and sharing findings with others (Dana p.2-3).”  This process is a long process and does take quite a bit of time.  I found this process somewhat demanding of my own time since I am currently out of school for the summer.  It will take a lot of time and effort once school is in session.  Finding the time is the key factor when implementing an Action Research Plan.  According to the book, What we do to Improve our Schools: 8 Steps to Improve our Schools, leaders who want to improve their schools (in my opinion, all staff members are leaders in some way), “Need to engage in meaningful improvement in their schools, empower their teacher to willingly and collectively participate in improvement, broaden the definitions of performance indicators, and understand the skills and tools necessary to lead effective change (Harris, xiv).”  The latter states the need to understand all tools and skills to lead effective change, which includes one’s ability to manage their time to inherit a working Action Research plan.

As for the assignments I thoroughly enjoyed doing most of the work.  I don’t think there was a time where I didn’t feel like I didn’t like something.  I think I like it all.  It really made me focus on what was at hand.  I can remember one specific time during my Spring break where I spent 10 hrs. in one day working on the assignments and the blogging all in one day.  Not sure why I did, but I did.  I think it was more of trying to figure out the whole blog stuff in a nutshell.  Anyways, the assignments again made me focus on what I was doing and what needed to be done at hand.  The research project itself will be a demanding task for the rest of the year to come.

The discussion board I felt like it served a very unique purpose for itself.  I like talking about the ideas that I have from the prompt questions and seeing what others have to say and then getting to share feedback on ideas they have or just general knowledge that you can give to a classmate.  Discussion is made for that purpose and I’m so glad to take advantage of it, b/c of that reason. 

With the use of the blog for this class, it was amazing being able to see and communicate with others in my class as well as followers outside of my class and rely on reactions and feedback from them as well on any suggestions or changes that needed to be made to my Action Research Plan.   Blogging is a tool that I will use throughout my teaching career.  I will also use the tools and resources received from this course, it will make the process of implementing my Action Research Plan run smoother.  I will use the information I obtained to not only follow through with my current Action Research plan but also to create and implement other plans to improve our campus as well as student achievement.

Action Research Plan

Action Planning Template
Goal: In what ways can Project Possible at my school develop a collaborative culture characterized by teachers from different grade levels communicating, understanding, and sharing expectations for all our students?
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Create a list of questions to answer when shadowing students on what they do on a daily basis.	James Jenkins will conduct the list of questions.  Site Supervisor Dr. West will approve questions.	Aug. 2013 - June 2014	Computer, Internet Access, Microsoft Word	Questions will be approved and finalized by Site Supervisor to use for student shadowing
Create opportunities for Media to become involved.	James Jenkins will meet with other A.P.’s, Learning Leaders, & Staff.	Aug. 2013 – June 2014	Local TV Stations, City-wide Student Sponsors, Internet school sponsors	To have our community see that the media is reaching out to students and parents to help them realize the importance of attending school.
Create competitions and incentives for students who can show the school why coming to school is important.	James Jenkins will meet with Site Supervisor and one A.P.	June 2013 – June 2014	Survey Monkey Questions, Questionnaires, Computers, Internet	For students to believe in the system and to create competitive opportunities and receive incentives for coming to school.
Adopting students with difficult situations and reasons why they don’t come to school.	James Jenkins will meet with Site Supervisor and one A.P.	Aug. 2013 – June 2014	Computers, Internet, Questionnaires, Attendance Reports, Discipline Reports, Counselors	For students who are having trouble in school to have a mentor or some sort of supportive group.
Create a way for teachers to understand the attendance codes to help them understand what they mean.	James Jenkins will meet with A.P. and head attendance clerk.	June 2013 – Oct. 2013	Computers, Attendance Clerks, Skyward Attendance Software, Coded Information, Email,	To better understand for the teachers on what the attendance codes are and how students at the school are coded.
Create a way for teachers & staff to receive incentives at school.	James Jenkins will conduct meetings with one A.P. and Site Supervisor.	June 2013 – June 2014	Survey Monkey Questions, Internet, Computers	For teachers to be rewarded for their hard work at school.
Create ways for student recognition for attendance and grades.	James Jenkins will meet with counselors and site supervisor.	June 2013 – June 2014	Internet, Computers, Survey Monkey Questions	Communicate with Counselors and report any information from the internet and incorporate the findings into a system at school.
Create ways for our 0 & 9th hours to be productive for students who need improvement for test taking.	James Jenkins will meet with Learning Leaders and Site Supervisor.	June 2013 – June 2014	Computers, Internet, Survey Monkey Questionnaires, Community Outreach	Record as much information on student retention and incorporate those into our 0 & 9th hour system and to have local speakers come into classes and talk about importance of education.
Create ideas of making EOC Prep classes on Saturdays better for student improvement.	James Jenkins will meet with Learning Leaders from school.	June 2013 – June 2014	Computers, Internet, Survey Monkey Questionnaires, Community Outreach	To have students realize the importance of EOC Prep and understand why extra test prep help will pay dividends for them.

I would like some feedback if anyone interested.  Thanks.

Week 2 Reflection

As Week 2 is coming to a close, it has been a little more easier to understand what action research is more of.  I came across some interesting sites this week that revolved around action research.  Didn't get to in depth with it, but made me realize a little more about what it means.  Sometimes it's a lot easier seeing what other people or other definitions are for what action research means.  For me, again this week made it a little more easier to understand.

As for watching the interviews unfold on the computer, I thought everything was interesting and made good sense.  A lot of info was talked about and good points of interest were there as well.  One of the reflection I mentioned was during the Briseno video he got my attention with him talking about seeking solutions to problems form those that have already been able to solve them.  In education, I am constantly hearing, "don't reinvent the wheel."  I am a firm believer in seeking information from others that have been in similar situations. As for part 2's assignment, there was a lot of reading and writing involved.  Each of those nine areas had a lot to say and don't get me wrong, a lot of that info was really interesting.  For part 3, having the conversation with my site supervisor and selecting the action research topic was really cool and fun to do.  I liked what we had to say about the action plan.  And just general off the topic conversation about what she is wanting for the future of our school's culture to look like. 

Blogs & Leadership

Educational Leaders can use blogs to pass on current research and information to staff members.  One school that is in my district uses a blog to open the floor for discussion amongst colleagues concerning on-going issues with discipline and safety in our schools.  Blogs also bring educational minds from all over the world together rendering distance to be a non issue.

Action Research

Action research is research applied in practice, or in a more literal sense, taking action after doing research. In some aspects, action research is akin to problem-solving in that after a problem (or area of improvement) is identified, research on how to solve or address this is initiated and the findings applied in practice. This is different from traditional educational research in that the practitioners themselves – and not other researchers – are involved in all the steps of the action research process. Furthermore, action research is more focused on “providing insight into an administrator's own practice in an effort to make change and improve the school” whereas other research paradigms are focused on “control, prediction, or impact” or “explaining a process or phenomenon” (Dana, 2009, page 7).  Traditional educational research, whether process-product or qualitative, is derived by persons outside of the school and limits the roles of the practitioners, administrators and teachers.  Action research is derived and conducted by administrators and teachers on their own campus.  The initial inquiry comes from within and not from an outside source that does not have a vested interest in the local outcome.  I am planning on using action research to analyze continuing situations or problems on my campus and furthermore to implement strategies to alleviate those problems and situations.