1. Examining the work: Setting the Foundation – in other words, identifying needs or topics for action research and this may emerge from the Site Based Decision Making Committee, or from needs like those identified in your intern plan.
Administrative inquiry or Action research is used to improve or analyzing behaviors or situations. It gives an opportunity to reflect on the actions taken and seeing the results, giving you the opportunity to improve. The best part is that in involves the person or persons affected, so they can see the benefits and improve if something is not working as planned, because you are the one in the situation of improvement.
Action research differs from tradition education research because action research includes the personal involved in the situation wanting to improve. Whereas tradition education research is conducted by an outside person judging people by what he/she sees and giving solutions that could work or not, because the person researching is not in your shoes. I not saying the investigator has no experience, but it is just not affecting him/her in any aspect, so it’s not as important to resolve in the best way if you are not in the situation.
Action research in educational settings involves more than one personnel. An example of action research in educational settings is when the superintendent uses action research for improvement of their principals instead of professional development. Having an action research banquet when the year ends makes me believe it was a complete success, and everyone shares their action research, to keep the professional learning community going.
Team learning inquiry with the leadership team is another way of action research used by principals. This assures the principal the leadership team is learning. This then makes them a professional learning community.
Principals are instituting action research for their teachers as a powerful form of professional development, not only that principals are also using it with other principals and doing action research on their administrations of their schools.
The benefit of conducting action research is that you and co-workers in your field are completely involve in finding a solution or an improvement in a certain situation affecting all. What better way to improve education than by having action research from within your own personnel.
2. Analyzing data – you have had many opportunities to do this, and you examined at least 9 data gathering strategies from your text in Part 2 of this week’s assignments
How do I find time to engage in inquiry as a principal?
A principal is always engaged in inquiry, with other principals, with the leadership team, and with the teachers. Inquiry is a normal exercise already done, but needs more polish to accomplish its means.
3. Developing deeper understanding – these are additional data collection techniques, as well as, examining qualitative data through active listening, focus groups, etc.
Reflection is as important as exercising. Just like you plan certain days for your routine of exercise, reflection also has to have a time and a day, when no one is allowed to interrupt. Reflection in leadership is very important and essential, to improve as a leader, to modify, to learn, and to be a better you. Reflection is like a vitamin you need to have every day, because if you don’t, things will not go as planned.
4. Engaging in Self-Reflection – this summarizes much of what you have been doing in this course, and throughout the program, beginning with your many self-assessments of leadership in EDLD 5311
Reflection is and important aspect of action research because if you don’t reflect on your inquiry, how are you going to see and understand the benefits or challenges the proposed solution will bring to your school. Without reflection it would not have the advantages of modifying or changing something that is not working. It gives you the opportunity for trial and error before taking action.
5. Exploring Programmatic Patterns – This includes asking the appropriate questions, identifying data patterns and gaps, and learning to address equity issues
How do you get parents onto the ladder?
How to reach parents directly and instantly?
How to make new families feel welcome?
How to connect with your parents to build a strong team?
6. Determining direction – Working collaboratively to address action research questions, monitoring progress, and assessing achievement
School Vision: “When parents are involved in their children's education at home, they do better in school. And when parents are involved in school, children go farther in school and the schools they go to are better."
Goal: More parent involvement within the school.
Outcomes
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Activities
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Resources/ Research Tools Needed
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Responsibility to Address Activities
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Timeline
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Benchmarks/ Assessments
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Revisions to SIP/PIP base on monitoring and assessments
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Volunteer parents
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Give to parents when meeting teacher
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Volunteer forms
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Teacher
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1st. Week
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Improvement on 3wks. And 6wks. Assessments
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Will know when, how, and who can help with the different activities.
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Make involvement easy
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Keep events short and to the point
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Don't know who to call? Include names and phone numbers on every parent group correspondence.
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Teacher and committee
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Ongoing
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Improvement on 3wks. And 6wks. Assessments
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More involvement from parents – list of volunteers
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Serve a Buffet
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Provide lots of different ways parents can get involved.
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If there are many choices, it's more likely something will appeal to each person. Break big jobs into little ones so the tasks aren't overwhelming.
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Teacher and committee
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Ongoing
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Improvement on 3wks. And 6wks. Assessments
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More involvement from parents – list of volunteers is longer
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7. Taking action for school improvement – Using appropriate steps or templates like the SIP or PIP Plan of action to guide the action research
8. Sustaining improvement – Learning to use the tools of action research as an on-going process for professional development and school improvement.
