Action Research Progress Report

My action research appears for the most part to be on track as designed although some of the actions have and are requiring a little more time to complete. It’s hard to account for or adequately apply enough time needed especially when coaching and team leader responsibilities have shaved away crucial time in an already full daily schedule. Of the eight steps in the process I have completed three of them,  and working on completing two others while the other three are steps that will take the entire year in order to acquire the appropriate data. I have met with my site supervisor and administrative team to discuss implementation of action research and I have identified the at-risk population on my role for the incoming sophomore class and interviewed individual students in all my world history classes. I am currently researching data on dropout and retention rates for the past three sophomore classes in regards to at-risk demographic population. Additionally I’m developing the questionnaire to address the various areas regarding the factors that encourage/discourage parental involvement and the affect they have on pass/fail rates for students who are classified under any demographically at risk category. Once completed the questionnaire will be distributed to parents and relevant teachers of the students on my roster identified under any of  the “at-risk” demographics. Researching effective parental involvement strategies is a step I still need to complete. Steps that will be ongoing throughout the year will be tracking assessment data from unit, quarter, and semester tests as well as grade checks quarterly.  At regular intervals throughout the year I will meet with my at risk sophomores to gauge their sense of success in relation to the parents involvement.

Action Research Plan

Action Research Plan

Goal:  To determine the factors that encourage/discourage parental involvement and the affect they have on pass/fail rates for students who are classified under any demographically at risk category. Identify the programs that are most likely to succeed in increasing parental involvement and student success on our campus.

                                                                                                 

Action step(s)	Person(s) responsible	Timeline: start/end	Needed resources	Evaluation
Meet with site supervisor and administrative team to discuss implementation of action research	Terrence Drain and Michael Bennett On Site Supervisor	August 2012 October 2012	Meeting time and space	Reflection and suggestions from leadership team
Research data on dropout and retention rates for the past three sophomore classes in regards to at-risk demographic population	Terrence Drain	August 2012 September 2012	Database access from campus leadership	Site supervisor recommendations on plans-of-action
Interview individual students in all my World History classes	Terrence Drain and Michael Bennett On Site Supervisor	August 29 2012 – August 31 2012	Desks, meeting area, interview questions	Discuss with site supervisor the results and illicit recommendations
Identify at-risk population on my role for the incoming sophomore class	Terrence Drain	August 2012 September 2012	Database access from campus leadership	Discuss list with teachers and request qualitative info on student progress
Meet with at-risk sophomores during administrative period regularly	Terrence Drain Students and Parents	August 2012 – March 2013	Meeting space and times Principal permission	Student/Parent/Teacher feedback via survey or testimonials
Distribute questionnaire addressing school policy, instruction, homework, activities, discipline, parent involvement, and teacher communication, to parents and relevant teachers of the students on my roster identified under any of  the  “at-risk” demographics	Terrence Drain	August 2012 – October 2012	Develop questionnaire, avenues for disbursement and retrieval	Discuss with site supervisor the results and illicit recommendations
Research effective parental involvement strategies	Terrence Drain	September 2012 November 2012	Internet Professional journals District administrators	Data/testimonials from research on program effectiveness
Research assessment data from unit tests as well as grade checks quarterly	Terrence Drain	August 2012 – April 2013	Test data from districts Schoolnet software Qualitative data from teachers	Track CUA data over the course of the year noting improvements to student success as it relates to level of  parental involvement

Week 2 Reflections on Real Life Research Action Examples

During the videos that discussed Action Research Lessons from Scholar Practitiners each of the scholars placed heavy importance on the review of data when looking at areas where students are struggling to intervene and implement change on student learning. They also recommended for future leaders to read research in their area of interest. There is an enormous of information and research already conducted by others who have struggled with the same issues. It was also suggested to conduct an action research over what you want to know as it applies to student learning. You will be more interested, focused on the outcome, and the students most of all will benefit from your research.

Also, Dr. Jenkins outlined the 4 elements to an effective purpose for an action research project. The purpose: 1) is clearly defined, 2)focused, 3)reasonable/feasible, and 4) ethical. Above all choose something that you will be interested in.
Lastly, the Dana text suggests that qualitative research questions typically come from "real world" observations and dilemmas or from one's own experiences.These "wonderings" that initiate most action research investigations usually come from one of nine "areas of passion". The nine passion sources are: 1) staff development, 2) curriculum development, 3) individual teachers, 4) individual students, 5) school community and culture, 6) leadership, 7) management, 8) school performance, and 9) social justice.

Ways to Use Blogs as an Educational Leader

Educational leaders can use blogs to post and share their thoughts and insights on issues or recognize achievements with staff, students, and parents. Leaders can pose questions and elicit responses from staff, students, and parents as an avenue for gaining insight into future action research ideas. The leader could also write a daily journal of school happenings as a model of head learner that’s being a part of rather than apart from the learning process.  Either way blogs are a good source to store thoughts and share them with others then receive feedback in the effort to “gain deeper insights into your practice as an administrator.

Action Research

Action research, also referred to as teacher inquiry and administrative inquiry, is a third option in educational research that “highlights the role practitioner’s play as knowledge generators,” to facilitate change in the effort of campus improvement. Even though the varied terms are comparatively new to educational research that would lead educators to believe it to be just another educational fad their ideas and roles are not. Action research enables principals to improve their schools from the inside out as opposed to the traditional research approach of outside in. Ultimately, campus improvement paves the way for student achievement. The two previous paradigms in traditional research served as the fundamental way to improve schools for many years, and these findings were at the hands primarily of university researchers. The problem was that "process-product" research and "qualitative" research had a major flaw. A severe disconnect existed because the problems and solutions offered in traditional research were conducted and formulated outside of the school and expected to be implemented without question. Action research alleviates this disconnect because the campus administrator or teacher is actively engaged in the action research. They are the people who best know the pulse of the school, and thus they best know what problems need attention. Much like a doctor, the principal or teacher uses data to diagnose the problem, makes a diagnosis, uses his/her expertise to determine a path of improvement, takes action, and preserves maintenance plan implementation.
Action research has the intended goal of creating a pathway for change. It has several benefits, which makes it an inevitable part and mainstay of the future for administrators. First, the research and knowledge gained is founded from actual educational experience. This helps because the researchers are investigating concerns from their own building, thus increasing the motivation for all practitioners and collaborators. Administrators also place themselves in a positive light amongst his/her peers and staff members as an action researcher. As the head learner, willing to dirty-up the hands, the principal displays role-model tendencies that students and adults should use for ideal behavior. Another benefit is that teachers, as vital contributors of the action research process, reduce their own isolation while self-evaluating the best practices they promote in the classroom. All of these attributes promote why action research is rapidly becoming a concrete pillar for campus improvement.