EDLD 5301, Week 5 Action Research Reflection

The EDLD 5301 Research for Teachers course, I thought, was going to be just research. Action research was Greek to me. Now I know the class was designed to provide students with the information necessary to develop research skills and prepare them to grow to be highly respected leaders. Action Research was the main focus, along with methods to identify and solve problems to support efforts of improvement. According to Ferrance (2000), Action Research “is not problem solving in the sense of trying to find out what is wrong, but rather a quest for knowledge about how to improve.”
During this course, I learned the definition of action research; studied methods in completing the process, used the tools to organize data, and prepared an action research plan. There are several recommended steps in the data analysis process. Collecting and reviewing data to form a description of problems that have occurred is a step in the beginning. Reviewing and organizing data to determine patterns in the occurrences is the next step in the process. Interpreting and illustrating the patterns is a step in forming a statement of the results. The final step is to evaluate the results and continue toward the process of improving the school environment. The Action Planning Template provided a guide to assist students with preparing a practical action research plan.
The four methods of action to sustain improvement; The Force Field Analysis, The Delphi Method, Nominal Group Technique, and The Care Model (Harris, Edmonson, & Combs 2010) will be valuable tools for me to use in my current leadership role. The Care Model Tool and its components seem to be an effective way to continue observations for school improvement. This method identifies problem areas that need to be changed and processes that are essential to remain unchanged. The Care Model seems to provide the most acceptable technique in including staff, building teamwork, and making changes only in areas of needing improvement.
The process of action research is continuous. It is used for identifying problems where improvement is necessary. It is not a process to meet a deadline nor will it have a check mark placed beside it on a To Do list.

References
Ferrance, E. (2000). Themes in Education: Action Research. Providence, RI: Brown University. Retrieved from: http://www.lab.brown.edu/pubs/themes_ed/act_research.pdf
Dana, N. F. (2009). Leading with Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Harris, S., Edmonson, S., & Combs, J. (2010). Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools: 8 Steps from Analysis to Action. Larchmont, N.Y.: Eye on Education.

EDLD 5301, Week 4 Action Research Reflection

This week I focused on the final touches of my Action Research Draft and defining the timeframe for implementation and completion. It is difficult to specify a definite completion date when there is anticipation of something happening that may force changes to be made in the plan. I reviewed several action research plans. All of the action research plans that I reviewed seemed interesting and I hope to see the end results. It is amazing how each action research is unique.

We studied Strategies for Sustaining Improvement in the workplace. I have personally participated in the Nominal Group Technique. This activity took a whole Saturday, but it was interesting and fun. I believe we all exercise the technique of Force Field Analysis on a daily basis. It seems that operational procedures are continuously being revised, and employees are constantly looking for the best way to conform to forced changes. The Delphi Method is a good technique to use for encouraging employee participation and creating positive changes. Employees are involved in identifying problem situations, and participate in making decisions that are beneficial to school improvement.

School improvement is a top priority for leadership. Administrators are always evaluating and searching for ways to make improvements

EDLD 5301 Action Research Plan

EDLD 5301 Week 3 Action Research Reflection

The main focus this week was to clarify my action research subject inquiry in a manner for everyone to understand the intended goals and objectives, and to meet the desired outcome. I learned there are many steps to accomplish from beginning to end of an action research project. Just this week, I realized that action research requires a lot of time, thought processing, asking questions, and conducting research to support an inquiry. As a school leader we must always be aware of our surroundings, and make mental notes or keep journals to keep up with the fast paced daily activities. Action research begins with gathering information that provides the background for an inquiry, just like an investigation in a crime scene. An event occurs, a group of officers investigate the event and gather pieces of evidence to support a theory, information is shared with others to form a conclusion, and then a report is prepared and shared with officials. Conclusions may not always provide the desired outcome. There will always be occurrences that challenge the boundaries. This is why school leaders must continue to be prepared to listen to students and staff, observe daily activities on campus, absorb facts, be quick responders, and take necessary action to support a positive climate.

The most interesting information that I read this week was about building interpersonal trust. This section of the textbook provided me with a new outlook on organizational trust issues. While reading the information in the chapter, I started thinking about my current and past employment organizations and whether I considered them low-trust or high-trust. We all operate on values and trust is one of high importance.