Action Research Plan

Action Planning Template
Goal: What are the effects of changing the curriculum for our Eagle Academy credit recovery program to new, web-based software? Does the time to complete a class change? Does the time to recover and graduate change? Are grades different?
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Meet with Principal and other stakeholders to review action research topic	Jason Thompson	12/12 – 12/12	Conference room	Did we come to agreement on topic?
Measure time to complete classes using previous program compared to new program	Jason Thompson	1/13 – 5/13	Reports from both programs	Compare reports
Measure time to complete credits in order to graduate of old program compared to new	Jason Thompson	1/13 – 5/13	Reports from both programs	Compare reports
Measure differences in grades of individual classes of old program compared to new	Jason Thompson	1/13 – 5/13	Reports from both programs	Compare reports
Compare graduation rates of students involved in old program compared to new	Jason Thompson	1/13 – 5/13	Reports from both programs	Compare reports
Evaluate data to explore programmatic patterns	Jason Thompson, Principal, Debbie Wolff	5/13	Data collection
Present findings to stakeholders	Jason Thompson	12/13

Action Research - We've been doin' it!

After spending another week educating myself on the process of action research, I realize just how much I have already been doing it. Have I been documenting my research and presenting it in hope of campus wide change? No, but it's nice to know I've been doing something right as a teacher. Whether it's comparing how I taught a topic in 2nd period to 3rd period and evaluated students' understanding or looked at this year's chapter 4 test results compared to last year's,  I know that if I am not always looking to improve the learning process in my classroom that I need to find another job.

I am looking forward to taking the action research concept to the next level and researching a topic that can hopefully result in change at the campus or possibly the district level. This week's assignment was designed to aide us in selecting a topic in showing how inquiry can be used in many aspects of education leadership. Even though I have not decided on a topic for my project yet, the assignment assured me that I am looking in the right places and will be able to make a good decision of topic.

I'm hoping to have a topic picked in a couple of days. Stay tuned...

Action Research - EDLD 5301 Week 1

Action Research

According to Dana (2009), action research is a valuable tool that administrators use to improve their schools and communities. In order to improve schools, administrators must make changes. In action research, this change is based on inquiry. Administrative inquiry is the “systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice” (page 2). Action is then taken on what is learned from the research. The research includes collecting data, using relevant literature, implementing a change or changes, reflecting on the change and sharing the results.

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 campuses. The initial inquiry comes from within and not from an outside source that does not have a vested interest in the local outcome.

Dana, N. F. (Thousand Oaks). Leading With Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher. 2009: Corwin.

Blogs and Leadership

Whether a leader works as part of an on-site management team or in isolation, such as an elementary school principal, blogs have become an effective method for leaders to share their ideas and communicate with each other. Whether a peer is across town or across the country, blogs make the distance between writer and reader irrelevant. Blogs have also lead to the creation of collegial relationships among peer groups where collaborative communication takes place beyond the pages of an online blog.