Wonderings happen in real-world observations, dilemmas, felt difficulties, and passions that educators and administrators go through daily (Dana, Nancy, 2009). The Dana text points to nine different but related areas where one can find their first inquiry. She classifies them as:
1. Staff development
2. Curriculum development
3. Individual teacher(s)
4. Individual student(s)
5. School culture/community
6. Leadership
7. Management
8. School performance
9. Social justice or equity issues
The book supplies wonderful examples of each area and the thought processes of administrators.
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
What I have learned about Action Research
Action research is systematic, a reflective action, inquiry or introspective. One first clarifies or diagnoses a practical situation that needs improvement or a practical problem that needs to be resolved. Then one must formulate action strategies for improving the situation or resolving the problem. Next, one must implement the action strategies and evaluate their effectiveness. Using the data one clarifies the situation, resulting in new definitions of problems or areas of improvement. The last piece is reflection and action.
Harris simplifies the process in eight steps.
1. Setting the foundation based on a shared vision
2. Analyzing data
3. Develop deeper understanding through research, questioning, inquiry
4. Self-Reflection
5. Exploring patterns
6. Determining a direction
7. Plan of action
8. Sustaining improvement
Action research concerns the practitioner specifically. It engages the practitioners in the design, data collection and interpretation of data around their questions. Action research allows the study of ones own professional practice and provides a nontraditional approach to administrator development thus leading to meaningful change for schools and all those who inhabit them such as principals, teachers and students.
Benefits of action research are in abundance. First, the action research theories and knowledge are generated from research based on the realities of educational practices. Practitioners become collaborators in educational research by investigating their own problems. Practitioners play a part in the research process which makes them more likely to facilitate change based on the knowledge they generate.
The benefits of administrative inquiry through action research include professional growth in a meaningful way. Principals will challenge the norms of isolation by engaging in collaborative inquiry with others- principals or groups of teachers. Principals become head learners or role models for teachers and students. Principals are practicing the belief that learning is ownership. Engagement in this process will instill ownership thus not being forgotten but being put at the forefront of your school vision. Lastly, principals can become proactive in their administrative practices. They are reacting to something they own and can control in the m midst of all the reacting and responding that comes to a normal school day.
Teachers who were engaged in action research began to see themselves as decision makers and began to gain confidence in what they believed about curriculum and instruction. Sharing the process and results encouraged the informal process of learning communities where colleagues can learn from one another. Action research validates teacher’s effective practices in the classroom. Through action research a teacher is taught to reflect on their own instructional practices and continued to improve student learning. It also teaches the teacher to study student learning as it relates to their own teaching.
Harris simplifies the process in eight steps.
1. Setting the foundation based on a shared vision
2. Analyzing data
3. Develop deeper understanding through research, questioning, inquiry
4. Self-Reflection
5. Exploring patterns
6. Determining a direction
7. Plan of action
8. Sustaining improvement
Action research concerns the practitioner specifically. It engages the practitioners in the design, data collection and interpretation of data around their questions. Action research allows the study of ones own professional practice and provides a nontraditional approach to administrator development thus leading to meaningful change for schools and all those who inhabit them such as principals, teachers and students.
Benefits of action research are in abundance. First, the action research theories and knowledge are generated from research based on the realities of educational practices. Practitioners become collaborators in educational research by investigating their own problems. Practitioners play a part in the research process which makes them more likely to facilitate change based on the knowledge they generate.
The benefits of administrative inquiry through action research include professional growth in a meaningful way. Principals will challenge the norms of isolation by engaging in collaborative inquiry with others- principals or groups of teachers. Principals become head learners or role models for teachers and students. Principals are practicing the belief that learning is ownership. Engagement in this process will instill ownership thus not being forgotten but being put at the forefront of your school vision. Lastly, principals can become proactive in their administrative practices. They are reacting to something they own and can control in the m midst of all the reacting and responding that comes to a normal school day.
Teachers who were engaged in action research began to see themselves as decision makers and began to gain confidence in what they believed about curriculum and instruction. Sharing the process and results encouraged the informal process of learning communities where colleagues can learn from one another. Action research validates teacher’s effective practices in the classroom. Through action research a teacher is taught to reflect on their own instructional practices and continued to improve student learning. It also teaches the teacher to study student learning as it relates to their own teaching.
How educational leaders might use blogs
Blogs capture “thinking” which otherwise can be difficult to do. Administrators can develop and challenge ideas; they can reflect and collaborate with a larger audience through blogging.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
