Monday, February 25, 2013

EDLD 5301 Research- Week 1


Action Research
Action research/administrative inquiry is the administrator looking for ways to improve or change their campus.  The administrator of a campus would examine issues on their campus through data collection and analysis, make changes based on the conclusions of their analysis and then dispense their conclusions with their campus.

Action research takes the guessing game out of the equation.  When participating in action research, much of the data is gathered before hand, that data is analyzed and solutions/conclusions are based on that analysis.  There is a clear intention of bringing change to an organization or in this case, school.  One of the major benefits of action research is the ownership that action research brings to situations.  Leaders feel ownership in the change because of the process and are more effective in implementing change.

Another benefit of action research is that it removes principals from isolation.  Administrators are often stuck in their offices answering phone calls and emails, dealing with administrative minutia from district offices and dealing with parent and student issues.  Principals that get involved in action research are removed from this isolation, thrown back into the active part of the campus and become learners..

Making time for action research forces principals to slow down and become engaged in the school setting.  Setting aside a devoted amount of time, gives you the ability to focus on an issue, concern or wondering.  This focused time forces administrators to take a breath, look at the big picture, and see places where improvement can happen so that kids can flourish.



Educational Leaders Using Blogs
Educational leaders can use blogs to connect with other administrators and leaders in the educational field to help break the isolation barrier.  Educational leaders can also use their blog as a place to reflect on their daily activities to become more intentional about action research and for accountability.

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