Action Research Reflections

Action Research Reflections – Steve Foster

In her book Leading with passion and knowledge, Nancy Fichtman Dana states that “administrator inquiry refers to the process of a principal engaging in systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice and taking action for change based on what he/she learns as a result of the inquiry.” (p. 2). Dana does not strike on anything new but articulates in that statement what it takes to be good at anything. At 46 years of age, my understanding of how to be excellent comes down to ones ability to be introspective, ask the right questions, and act on the answers to the information. Just as our research indicates, this is a continuous and on-going process.
As an instructional specialist for the last three years responsible for helping teachers at 18 campuses, I have found that teachers who needed the most help really didn’t need help with curriculum, but rather, they lacked the ability to reflect on and understand the nature of their problems and often failed to articulate a good question. Simply, they lacked the ability to “wonder” appropriately and thus understand how to improve as an educator. This action research course has reinforced my understanding that in order to be good at what you do, you must routinely ask questions about how you practice your craft and act on that information.
In my previous classes, I was most critical of our discussion boards in the end of the course surveys. I tend to be a debater and often want to explore a process of critically examining ideas. Over the first 4 courses, I have seen the discussions on the discussion board grow in value as participants have, in my view, moved beyond complimentary comments of “good job”. Likewise, I can see real value in blogging. However, like many of my classmates, this was the first time I had undertaken doing a blog and I think it will take some time before I see more value in it. As I took the time to post on my blog and reflect on the fact that most blogs had few, if any comments, I wondered about the value of my activity. Ultimately, I do see this as a process of growing and learning and the beginning of any growth process can be slow. I think that eventually, I will be a part of professional blogging communities that assist me in my professional growth as an educational administrator.
Reflecting on the changing nature of how one finds answers to questions is powerful. So much information is a few keyboard strikes away. As access to data and information has exponentially grown, I think the most important skill is how to use data to your advantage. Dana speaks of “data analysis paralysis” where an overflow of data causes one to disregard data gathered. I feel that most principals are very data driven. My concern about the use of any data is that you have time to properly analyze any given data and then properly set out a course of action where the data informs one on how to act. Dana does speak to time as an important element.
The greatest source of information in this course for me probably came from the research tools and methods that we utilized. I believe by examining the Force Field Analysis, Delphi Method, and Nominal Group Technique, I will approach my own inquiries into things in a more productive manner. The Force Field Analysis is, in my mind, a given. If the forces resisting an action are greater than the force for that action, the action will most likely not be successful. Ultimately, participating in a continuous state of inquiry into how one acts and gathering data to improve on ones actions is necessary for growth. One of my favorite movie lines from The Shawshank Redemption sums it up best: “get busy living or get busy dying”. The only truly successful educators are in constant states of inquiry and improvement.
Dana, N. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Harris, S., Edmonson, S., and Combs, J. (2010). Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps to improve our schools. Eye on Education Press.

Strategies to improving my action research

This weeks assignment had us exploring three strategies that can support our action research. I am going to use two within my action research plan because I think they can add value to the plan. The Nominal Group Technique can help the student management team brainstorm and reflect on how each member feels about the 8 Keys of Excellence and provide consensus on what (if any) changes we might want to pursue.

Likewise, the Delphi process can be utilized instead of the pre and post survey for teachers that I had originally proposed. This will help the student managment team better understand the parts of the programs that teachers like and guide our decisions on what changes the student management team might want to make. More importantly, I believe this strategy will be critical in helping build campus consensus on how best to maintain and build our 8 Keys of Excellence.

Action Research Plan

Here is the 14 point action research plan I will be implementing this year. It is designed to provide data and feedback and answer the basic question of how best to design a quality character trait program at my elementary school. Each point after each number addresses the five points in bold.


Goal: To structure our schools “8 Keys to Excellence” program in a manner that reflects a shared vision by the faculty of a character traits program that improves the academic, disciplinary and social life of our school community and thus improve the lives of our students, staff, parents and community as a whole.

Action Step(s)

Person(s)
Responsible

Timeline: Start/End

Needed
Resources

Evaluation

1.

• Review the Quantum Learning character program on building a culture of learning that serves as the basis for our schools “8 Keys to Excellence”
• Assistant Principal (Student Management Team Leader) and Student Management Team members.
• August 2010
• An explanation of the “8 Keys to Excellence” and Quantum Learning’s Building a Culture of Learning
• Initial student management team meeting and discussion of our “8 Keys to Excellence”.
  

2.

• Develop a pre-survey of teachers for what they want to see in our “8 Keys to Excellence” program.
• Student Management Team members.
• August 2010
• Outline of our “8 Keys to Excellence” program from last year.
• Completed survey.

3.

• Develop a timeline for our “8 Keys to Excellence” program and discuss its implementation.
• Student Management Team members.
• August/September 2010
• Quantum Learning’s Building a Culture of Learning and last years “8 Keys to Excellence” program.
• Timeline produced.

4.

• Submit pre-survey to faculty.
• Faculty
• August/September 2010
• Survey of “8 Keys to Excellence” program.
• Review surveys and look for common areas of concern and for strengths of previous program.

5.

• Review survey for teachers and develop a revised timeline for our program that develops strengths and addresses areas for concern.
• Student Management Team members.
• August/September 2010
• Survey of “8 Keys to Excellence” program.
• Revised timeline.
  

6.

• Develop “8 Keys to Excellence” program based on timeline and implement program throughout the year.
• Student Management Team members, faculty and students.
• September 2010 – On-going
• Quantum Learning’s Building a Culture of Learning and last years “8 Keys to Excellence” program.
• Program completion.

7.

• Tie each discipline referral to the Assistant Principal’s office to one of the “8 Keys to Excellence”
• Assistant Principal
• On-going throughout the year.
• Discipline referrals
• Review student responses to discipline referrals that address one of the 8 Keys.
  

8.

• Semester review of “8 Keys to Excellence” program and discuss suggested improvements or areas to focus on for spring semester.
• Student Management Team members.
• December 2010
• Discipline referrals from Assistant Principal and Student Management Team meeting.
• Student Management Team meeting.

9.

• Implement any changes as discussed at semester review meeting.
• Student Management Team members, faculty and students.
• January 2010
• Notes from Student Management Team meeting.
• Program changes.

10.

• Develop both a teacher survey and a parent survey to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the “8 Keys to Excellence “ program and to prepare to make adjustments for the following year.
• Student Management Team members.
• Spring Semester
• Surveys developed by Student Management Team members.
• Survey Results.

11.

• Send out surveys to teachers and parents on the “8 Keys to Excellence “ program.
• Student Management Team members, faculty and students parents.
• April/May 2011
• Surveys developed by Student Management Team members.
• Survey Results.

12.

• Review parent and teacher surveys for areas of concern and strengths of program.
• Student Management Team members
• May 2011
• Surveys developed by Student Management Team members.
• Survey Results.

13.

• Review student discipline referrals for the year and see which problems can be addressed through the “8 Keys to Excellence” program and report findings to Student Management Team.
• Assistant principal and Student Management Team
• April/May 2011
• Discipline Referrals
• Review of discipline referrals by Student Management Team.

14.

• Develop a plan for next years “8 Keys to Excellence “ program based on input from surveys.
• Student Management Team members
• May 2011
• Quantum Learning’s Building a Culture of Learning and last years “8 Keys to Excellence” program.
• Plan of action for next years “8 Keys to Excellence “ program.

Week Two Observations

I noticed that each of the scholars in our video sessions this week were focused on data. I realize the importance of data driving many decisions and as an instructional specialist I was required to write CBA's for our district and have data meetings with my teachers...However, I sometimes wonder if the emphasis on data (over-emphasis?) doesn't some times conflict with a more student focused mindset.
I did find that by articulating some inquiries this week, I was able to focus on some important duties I will be encountering this year.

Educators and the usefulness of blogs

Educators can use blogs as a way of sharing information and posing and asking questions that are of interest to those in their blogging community. They can also share current news and ideas in education.

Action research is the continuing and cyclical process of posing questions to problems, researching and gathering data for solutions, and then implementing and evaluating those solutions by posing more questions and thus, continuing the cycle. Every educator should constantly be involved in the process of conducting action research. Quality teachers always pose questions about their students and what they teach and then gather data for the answers to their questions and develop plans based on that data. This is the essence of what teaching is.

Administrators must involve themselves in the same process that good teachers must be involved in. However, the stakeholders for administartors are numerous. The substance of problems that an administrator must pose questions to goes beyond students and teachers to involve the greater community.

The key to action research is that one must be proactive in reflecting on the problems posed by their job. A school administrator is inundated with numerous problems and situations. Action research allows administrators to gain some control on these various issues by reflecting on and posing questions to these assorted things. The key here is that action research offers the opportunity for leaders to act in a more proactive way instead of a defense posture that is always reactive to the problems that arise.

Problems in public education.

This is the first entry for my blog and I want to pose a question. What is the greatest problem in public education today? Anyone, Anyone...