Action Research Summary

As I completed EDLD 5301, my action research project was completely planned out.  Over the past couple of months I have met with my building principal several times to “iron out” details in the plan.  I originally planned to begin the research with a student survey in February of this year.  However, that was not a feasible time for my campus or me.  Working with my principal, I have decided to postpone the survey until all state assessments are completed.

The current plan is that I will administer the survey to all fourth and fifth grade students the first week of May.  My principal suggested that I have the students take the survey during their music classes that week.  Each class attends music one day a week, so it will require a full week to complete the survey.

At this time, I am creating the survey.  The desired outcome from the survey would be to assess how many students out of the entire fourth and fifth grade population are participating in the extra-curricular activities at my school.  I also want to know why they do or do not participate. It is challenging to create survey questions that adequately answer my wonderings.

After the survey is completed, I will desegregate the survey data to determine ethnicity, gender and socio-economic makeup of the students.  I will use this data to determine if there is a correlation between these factors and the students who choose to participate in extra-curricular activities.

I am hoping that my findings will answer the question:  Are we meeting every student’s need to feel welcome, comfortable and a part of the school community?   

Blue Print of Action Research Plan

Action Planning Template
Goal: All students to feel welcome, comfortable and a part of the school community.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Create student survey to gather information about students who choose to participate in extra-curricular activities.	·         Becky Lamb (Campus Principal) ·         Jamie Torres (Campus Assistant Principal) ·         Krista Beal	February 2013	·         Action Research Plan draft ·         Digital tool used to create the survey. (ie. I pads, lap tops, digital response system)	·         Will the survey questions produce the data I am seeking?
Administer student survey to all 4th and 5th grade students.	·         Becky Lamb ·         Jamie Torres ·         Krista Beal	March 2013	·         Survey ·         4th and 5th grade students ·         Block of time to administer survey in 4th grade. ·         Block of time to administer survey in 5th grade.	·         Did I receive all information pertinent to each student?
Desegregate survey data to determine ethnicity, gender and socio-economic make up of all 4th and 5th grade students, particularly those who are new to Dove Elementary.	·         Becky Lamb ·         Jamie Torres ·         Krista Beal	March – April 2013	·         Survey data ·         PEIMS data obtained from building principal.	·         Is there a correlation between students who participate in extra-curricular activities and their ethnicity, gender and socio-economic make up?
Present findings to building principal to report which students are participating.	·         Becky Lamb ·         Jamie Torres ·         Krista Beal	May 2013	·         Survey data ·         PEIMS data obtained from building principal.	·         What further steps need to be taken to obtain our goal?

Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools

                                             (Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)            

Action Research Topic

This week I met with my principal, who is also my site supervisor, to discuss a possible topic for my action research project.  I think we have settled on a topic and I am so excited about this project!

The action research study I have decided on is to research about students that participate in our extra-curricular activities and clubs. I teach at a K-5 elementary school with a student population of around 750.  The boundary lines were re-drawn this past spring and our school culture has changed quite a bit.  I want to look at socio-economics, gender, race, grade level and student age.  Who participates? Why? Do we need to increase participation? How do we increase participation?

The results of this action research will be very beneficial to the students, families and teachers at my school.  I think it will help my school re-establish our school culture and spirit. We do want every student to participate and feel that the school is theirs.  I am very excited to research this and share the results with my principal and campus.

Teacher Lady and Family

Teacher Lady and Family

How Educational Leaders Might Use Blogs

I have honestly never given any thought to the idea of a blog being a tool for a school administrator.  I have always thought of bloggers being trendy, cool twenty-year old generation Xers commenting on subjects I would never be interested in.  How wrong am I?

Blogging, I have realized, is simply journaling in an online format.  I love to journal!  Recording my thoughts and experiences for my children and grandchildren has always appealed to me.  I again, never thought of it as a tool for a school administrator.  Wrong again!
 

While pursuing a Master’s of Educational Administration through Lamar University, I will conduct an action research project.  This will be a helpful component in my overall professional development as a school principal.  As I work through the entire inquiry process I will record my thinking on this blog.  This will serve as my online journal.

 

Administrators can also use blogs to combine text, images and links to other blogs.  The most awesome things is that anyone can comment and offer feedback from anywhere in the world.  What a great way to collaborate - another thing we educators love!

 

What I Have Learned About Action Research so far...

I have learned that action research is exactly what it sounds like - research that requires ACTION!  Educators love, love research!  We love to read research, study research and talk about research.  Admit it, you have participated in numerous book studys about educational research!  Is that enough?  I think not! 

Administrators begin with a question or curiosity about an issue that poses a concern related to the needs of the students, teachers, or administration on their campus. Data is then collected and analyzed in an interactive and reflective way. To help the administrator analyze the data, current literature that is relevant to the issue should be studied. Once these steps are accomplished, the administrator should make “changes in practice based on new understandings developed during inquiry, and [share] findings with others” (Dana).

Action research is an “essential component in order to establish a firm foundation for school improvement.” (Harris)  Every administrator knows that continuous improvement is always the goal of a successful school.

 

So, to me action research is a call to action to meet the needs of my students, my staff and my school!  Let us not just research a problem or concern, but let us implement a solution.  Then give that solution a try and see what happens. If it works continue forward, it if doesn't try a different solution.  Does this sound like something new?  Not at all!  This is exactly what we teach our students everyday.  Be a problem solver, be a risk taker and never stop trying.  Tomorrow can always be better than today!

References:

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.