First of all I would like to thank several people who have really made a difference this week with my project!
My Principal is new this year and despite all of the new projects she has undertaken in her first year as our principal, she still finds time to be supportive of my program and my upcoming research project.
In addition, I was so happy to have such positive feedback and pledges of support from three key people in our district who will help me collect important information as I develop my study:
(1) our school districts' curriculum/instruction/assessment coordinator
(2) our districts' federal programs coordinator
(3) and our districts' PEIMS coordinator.
These individuals are all incredibly busy and I am so thankful they are so willing to assist me.
Last but not least, thank you to my classmates who post terrific questions and share their thoughts on our blogs and on our class discussion board. I enjoy reading everything that is said and I truly learn so much from the comments.
Week Four is wrapping up and my action plan seems to be in good shape. I am continuing to collect data to help me develop my survey and I have been given permission by my school district to use our online survey engine to assist with my project.
This blog began as a product of my Research Course for my Masters in Education Administration. I hope this information will be useful for my Lamar classmates and my fellow educators in LGISD.
Action Plan for My Current Research Project
Research Action Plan | ||||
Goal: To understand the existing views and ultimately increase the involvement of parents, stakeholders, and community members on our elementary campus. | ||||
Action Steps(s): | Person(s) Responsible: | Timeline: Start/End | Needed Resources | Evaluation |
Research and Develop Teacher Survey | Susan Pietsch | October 2010 – November 2010 | Similar research studies and examples of surveys | Receive approval from principal and superintendent to use survey by January 2011 |
Research and Develop Parent, Stakeholder, Community Survey | Susan Pietsch | October 2010 – November 2010 | Similar research studies and examples of surveys | Receive approval from principal and superintendent to use survey by January 2011 |
Administer Teacher and Parent, Stakeholder, Community Surveys | Susan Pietsch | February 2011 – March 2011 | Assistance from Teachers to distribute surveys to their students and assistance from Office Staff in collecting completed surveys | Successful completion of at least 80% of the teacher and Parent, Stakeholder, Community Surveys |
Analysis of Survey Results & Development of Action Strategy based on results | Susan Pietsch | March 2011 – May 2011 | Assistance from Teachers to distribute surveys to their students and assistance from Office Staff in collecting completed surveys | Successful completion of at least 80% of the teacher and Parent, Stakeholder, Community Surveys |
Implement New Strategy | Susan Pietsch & Staff at Hermes Elementary | August 2011- May 2012 | Staff Development session where study results are discussed and action plan is delivered | Preliminary analysis of new strategy to determine if it is making a positive difference – January 2012 |
Action Research Videos That Were Helpful This Week (Week 2)
Scholar #1: Dr. Timothy Chargois, Director of Research, Planning and Development in Beaumont ISD
One area for action research discussed by this scholar was a performance management grant from the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation. Their website describes in more detail what Dr. Chargois mentioned. The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation “strongly emphasize the use of performance management an approach that fosters a culture dedicated to accountability and collaboration and uses technology to gather, analyze and report information. We believe student performance can be improved by giving administrators and teachers access to timely, relevant insights they can use to make decisions, predict performance levels and graduation rates, and change the course of students at risk.”
One suggestion or purpose described by Dr. Chargois for conducting action research is that it needs to offer immediate results that can be acted upon. He discussed how in the “old days” we had to wait an extended period of time for results. However today we use services and software that offer quick feedback and we have the ability to manipulate data and make predictions. He also spoke of ways to quantify qualitative data and to look at how we can change student performance. He explained that it is not good enough to touch the life of one child, we need to increase the student performance of all students. He discussed the performance measures and that schools must show significant improvement of all students.
Scholar #2: Dr. Kirk Lewis, Superintendent, Pasadena ISD
One area for action research discussed by this scholar was a research based grant geared toward ninth grade students called “Expectation Graduation.” Dr. Lewis discussed how the district was “data rich” and how research such as this was being looked at by the teachers, principals, and administrators and that it was having an effect on the way instruction was being delivered. He also spoke of research not being new to most administrators since most have at least a masters and some a doctorate degree and that in these type of graduate programs you are exposed in varying degrees to conducting research. He acknowledged that many teachers without graduate degrees and who were in teacher preparation programs from years ago may not be as familiar with conducting research but they absolutely know what they are looking at when looking at research results.
One suggestion or purpose described by Dr. Lewis for conducting action research is that it is important to dissect others research and compare their analysis and results to your own school or district and to see “how it fits.” He concluded that it is vital to ask yourself “what is practical?” He said that it would be easy to conduct a study that would look great in a journal but if it’s not practical it is not reasonable to pursue.
Reflection on both scholars:
Both scholars stressed the importance of analyzing data and using the results to direct the actions of their district, schools, teachers - right down to the individual student for the improvement of their results. Both looked at basic questions to keep in mind: “What is practical?” and “Will it increase student performance?” These questions will help me as I design my research study and I believe will keep me focused on doing what is reasonable and in the best interest of my students.
How Educational Leaders can use Blogs
Educational Leaders can use Blogs to help them in a variety of ways. This technology can help them in the initial stages of an action research study. A particular area that they are interested in studying can be reviewed by looking to see what research has already been conducted and referenced on Blogs. In addition, once they have decided on an area to study, they can post their ideas and request feedback to help them in the design of their action research study. Finally, the educational leader can post the results of their study for others to learn from and can share ideas and develop a network of resources and collogues with similar interests in educational study.
Action Research: What I have learned and how I will use it
Action Research is a very thoughtful process that I know will help me personally as a teacher and I hope will help my campus as well. I have learned that this process begins with reflection and making time in our busy days to ponder what is and is not working in our practices and/or our campus and thinking of ways we can study these areas and improve them. Whereas other research studies may involve a third party coming in and conducting the research, action research works with the principal investigator being the teacher or administrator at the campus. As a result, I believe this vested interest in the success of the study will help the resulting actions necessary to improve the problem to actually occur. Many times we find that ideas generated from outsiders are not completely bought into by the campus and as a result, the practices they suggest are not followed through and true change does not occur. However, if our principal were to involve a leadership team in an action research study on our campus that resulted in data that proposed specific changes, I feel that these changes would be accepted and adopted wholeheartedly by our campus. I hope to use action research in my classroom to improve my teaching, student motivation and classroom management practices. In addition, I hope to conduct an action research study that will improve the parent and community involvement on our campus.
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