Action Research and It's Place in Education

The business of education is getting busier! Today, more than ever before, educators are under pressure to show how they have helped their students learn and develop. Sometimes all the tricks in the book do not seem to help and a teacher or an administrator is left to wonder what more could be done. This week I learned that action research would answer this question and many others. Action research is "the process of a principal engaging in a systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice and taking action for change based on what he/she learns as a result." (Dana, 2009) The principal seeks to discard old practices in favor of new strategies based on the data at hand. It is timely, proactive endeavor. The administrator does not have to engage in action research alone. He/she can enlist others through developing a Professional Learning Community of fellow principals or even assign parts of the research to the campus leadership team as a way to build collegial relationships. Any way it is served up action research is "intended to bring about change of some kind." (Dana, 2009) In our busy education world, action research can be conducted over a year or a semester and can have a profound positive affect on the students we mean to educate.

Dana, Nancy Fichtman Leading With Passion and Knowledge, Corwin, Thousand Oaks, 2009

Educational leaders can use blogs for several reasons. One use of a blog is to inform. My child's second grade teacher kept a weekly blog that catalogued the events of the week and her favorite parts of each one. It was a terrific way to keep up to date with my child's experience at school. Students and professionals alike may use blogging to seek support or exchange helpful information. Before I posted my blog I read four other postings as a way to help "center" my thoughts. I am not sure I succeeded. I am hoping to set up a blog for my students this year as way to build interest in Texas History.