Here is my digital story. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed creating it!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Reflecting on Action Research Learning-Week 5
The timing of EDLD 5301 Research could not have been more perfect for me. When this course began, I was trying to develop a plan for improvement of my campus mentoring program, and develop my department PLC improvement plan. Learning about action research, how to plan an inquiry, and how to conduct an inquiry helped me focus and develop a plan to research and improve the mentoring program.
I thoroughly enjoyed the lectures provided by Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Arterbury. Their expertise and positive attitudes provided me not only with information about what was expected, but also made me enthusiastic about conducting research. The video lecture for week two was a highlight for me because the lecture outlined the purpose and significance of selecting a research topic. The information in this lecture assisted me in narrowing my inquiry question to reflect what I really wanted to know about the mentoring program. In addition, the three video interviews with Johnny Briseno, Timothy Chargois, and Kirk Lewis were incredibly helpful. All three of them illustrated how action research is used in education and gave me a better understanding of how action research is used on the campus and district levels. As a result, I felt more confident about conducting my own research.
Both textbooks used in this course were helpful. Chapter 2 in Leading with Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher was most helpful to me when determining the best inquiry question for me to address. I was debating between two different research topics and struggling to determine which one was most appropriate for action research at this time. The chapter, “The Passions that Drive Your Journey”, provided me with specific examples of action research in nine areas. The personal accounts of action research conducted by administrators, and the sample wonderings caused me to think about both of my possible research topics in terms of how they would improve my practice and how others would benefit from my findings. Passion 3 exercise 1 finally put me on the right track. I posted the questions on the Atascocita High School Teacher Support Group Facebook page and receive responses from teachers with one to five years of experience. I included the questions, “What will help you attain success in your teaching careers?” and “What barriers/hurdles do you anticipate along the way?” (Dana, 2009). The responses revealed a need to improve the mentoring program so that new teachers, mentors, students an our campus can meet, and exceed, the standards set for us. The greatest number of people will benefit from the improvement of the mentoring program.
Discussion board comments from classmates were also highlights of the research course. Once I posted my inquiry question on the discussion board and received several comments, I realized I had made the correct decision when I selected the mentoring program as my research focus. It bothered me, and reassured me, that mentor participation is a wide-spread problem. I concluded that my research may help other campuses determine the factors that negatively affect their programs and equip them with the tools to begin their own inquiry into how to improve. I also enjoyed reading the topics chosen by other students. We all have similar issues on our campuses despite the fact that our campus sizes and demographics differ greatly. I am inspired to continue conducting action research and share it with teachers in other districts so that we can learn from each other.
Over the course of the past five weeks, the greatest highlight of the research course has been the development of the research plan through the activities and assignments I completed. The Action Planning Template Tool 7.1 in Examining What We Do To Improve Our Schools: 8 Steps From Analysis to Action finally put my plan in a form that made sense to me (Harris, 2010). The template also provided me with a format I could take to my site supervisor to show the scope and sequence of the research project. At this point in the course, I realized that action research is something I can do on a regular basis on my own. I now have the tools, knowledge, and skills to use inquiry to improve teaching and learning in my classroom and PLC groups.
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: the principal as action researcher (p. 41). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Harris, S., Edmonson, S. & Combs, J.(2010). Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps from analysis to action (p. 85). Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.
I thoroughly enjoyed the lectures provided by Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Arterbury. Their expertise and positive attitudes provided me not only with information about what was expected, but also made me enthusiastic about conducting research. The video lecture for week two was a highlight for me because the lecture outlined the purpose and significance of selecting a research topic. The information in this lecture assisted me in narrowing my inquiry question to reflect what I really wanted to know about the mentoring program. In addition, the three video interviews with Johnny Briseno, Timothy Chargois, and Kirk Lewis were incredibly helpful. All three of them illustrated how action research is used in education and gave me a better understanding of how action research is used on the campus and district levels. As a result, I felt more confident about conducting my own research.
Both textbooks used in this course were helpful. Chapter 2 in Leading with Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher was most helpful to me when determining the best inquiry question for me to address. I was debating between two different research topics and struggling to determine which one was most appropriate for action research at this time. The chapter, “The Passions that Drive Your Journey”, provided me with specific examples of action research in nine areas. The personal accounts of action research conducted by administrators, and the sample wonderings caused me to think about both of my possible research topics in terms of how they would improve my practice and how others would benefit from my findings. Passion 3 exercise 1 finally put me on the right track. I posted the questions on the Atascocita High School Teacher Support Group Facebook page and receive responses from teachers with one to five years of experience. I included the questions, “What will help you attain success in your teaching careers?” and “What barriers/hurdles do you anticipate along the way?” (Dana, 2009). The responses revealed a need to improve the mentoring program so that new teachers, mentors, students an our campus can meet, and exceed, the standards set for us. The greatest number of people will benefit from the improvement of the mentoring program.
Discussion board comments from classmates were also highlights of the research course. Once I posted my inquiry question on the discussion board and received several comments, I realized I had made the correct decision when I selected the mentoring program as my research focus. It bothered me, and reassured me, that mentor participation is a wide-spread problem. I concluded that my research may help other campuses determine the factors that negatively affect their programs and equip them with the tools to begin their own inquiry into how to improve. I also enjoyed reading the topics chosen by other students. We all have similar issues on our campuses despite the fact that our campus sizes and demographics differ greatly. I am inspired to continue conducting action research and share it with teachers in other districts so that we can learn from each other.
Over the course of the past five weeks, the greatest highlight of the research course has been the development of the research plan through the activities and assignments I completed. The Action Planning Template Tool 7.1 in Examining What We Do To Improve Our Schools: 8 Steps From Analysis to Action finally put my plan in a form that made sense to me (Harris, 2010). The template also provided me with a format I could take to my site supervisor to show the scope and sequence of the research project. At this point in the course, I realized that action research is something I can do on a regular basis on my own. I now have the tools, knowledge, and skills to use inquiry to improve teaching and learning in my classroom and PLC groups.
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: the principal as action researcher (p. 41). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Harris, S., Edmonson, S. & Combs, J.(2010). Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps from analysis to action (p. 85). Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Revised Action Research Plan-Week 4
After meeting with my site supervisor and building principal, I made some modifications to my action research plan. First, I changed the time that I will conduct personal interviews of each mentor to avoid the hectic week before school. Second, I may modify the frequency of the written reflections I gather from new teachers and mentors. I may take reflections only twice a semester, rather than every month in order to avoid research fatigue.
Click here to view updated action research plan.
Click here to view updated action research plan.
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