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.