Action Research in Education

Reading the many examples of action research and personal testimonies by principals in the text this week has opened my eyes to the importance of getting out of the office or classroom and getting involved in making improvements in education. I’ve learned that effective action research takes the guess work out of campus improvement planning and leads to real, data-based decision making. Action research is a simple, yet powerful tool that every educational leader can utilize in the ongoing effort to improve schools. Any question, or “wondering”, is a potential research topic that can be studied and analyzed to lead to a solution. To me, the most intriguing aspect of action research is that by removing the principal or teacher from the confines of the office or classroom and into the source of the issue, there is a domino effect of change. Teachers, parents, students and colleagues view the principal researcher as a person passionate about making education better, a life-long learner who seeks knowledge, and as a listener who cares about the needs of individuals. I have been inspired by the examples of action research in Nancy Fichtman Dana’s text, Leading with Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher. As chair of the Career and Technology Education department on my campus, I intend to conduct action research before the beginning of school. The district mandated changes in many of the courses taught in my department and we are in a stage of rebuilding and restructuring. I intend to conduct action research before school begins so that I can determine the best way to handle the rebuilding and restructuring to avoid teacher confusion and stress. Interviewing each teacher in my department, looking at examples of unit plans and student work from previous courses, and journaling throughout the process will lead to a plan that will ease the restructuring process.

Educators as Bloggers

Blogging is an effective public relations tool for educational leaders to use to reach colleagues, community, parents, teachers, and students. Regardless of the weblog audience, the goals of informing and learning from reader comments are the same. Blogging news about campus activities and events is an excellent way to reach parents, potential students, and community members. A principal blog that documents campus improvement such as standardized test scores or building improvement will be valuable information for district administration, colleagues, teachers, community, and parents. Educational leaders may also choose to use blogging as a way of gathering feedback from stakeholders on issues facing the campus or district. Regardless of the way blogging is used, it creates an open door for the exchange of ideas between the school and the community.