Action Research Plan

https://acrobat.com/#d=EJPa3ima787iookaJLyIPA

Action Research Lessons from Scholar Practitioners

The first scholar I selected was Dr. Timothy Chargois, Director of Research, Planning, and Development, Beaumont ISD. His action research topic was “What are teachers doing to show their ethical responsibilities to students and their achievements?” By performing this action research, he plans to make his teachers “data driven”. He plans to move his district into becoming a performance management group. He believes that this data will show him effective and ineffective teachers. He also wants to compare or find the connection between number of years experience of teachers and to their higher education degrees. He wonders if it shows in student performances. From watching and listening to Dr. Chargois, I have learned that he is a data driven, numbers person. I have learned of the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation grant that is to fund the action research that he is planning to do. I plan to research the grant further.

The second scholar I selected was Dr. Kirk Lewis, Superintendent Pasadena ISD. His action research topic is: “Expectation Graduation” If we change how we deliver instruction, and beef up the core curriculum for incoming freshmen, will it result in more freshmen understanding a deeper meaning of the content being delivered and keep them in line for graduation? With a grant provided through the Bill Gates Foundation, he hopes to see the effectiveness of beefing up instruction, looking at data from elementary to high school, and changing how they deliver instruction based on data. Through listening to Dr. Lewis, I have learned that the Bill Gates Foundation grant is a research based grant. Dr. Lewis and his staff see the same data that the teachers, principals and office staff look at on each student. This seems to be an effective program. Again, I would like to research this grant to see how to obtain one and if it would be useful to my district.

Action Research

According to Dana, “administrative inquiry refers to the process of a principal engaging in systematically, 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. Inquiring professionals seek out change and reflect on their practice by posing questions or “wondering,” collecting data to gain insights into their wonderings, analyzing the data along with reading relevant literature, making changes in proactive based on new understandings developed during inquiry, and sharing findings with others” (Dana 2009) To me, action research or administrative inquiry is a tool that school administrators use to improve their campuses. It is basically field based, situation-specific research to solve a problem. Administrators begin a study of their own administrative practices and make changes based on their findings. One could find an area that could be strengthened and focus on it. Then come up with a plan of action to correct it. Implement it and begin the process all over again with a newly discovered area of need.


Action research is effective if you implement it correctly. As an administrator, I plan to use it with Professional Learning Communities. After teachers have identified areas that our school needs to improve, they will become active problem solvers. This will give my staff a chance to work closely with one another and look closely at data.

Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

How Educational Leaders Might Use Blogs

Educational leaders might use blogs in a variety of ways. It allows them to have communication with their teachers or students any time of the day. A blog could be created so leaders have the opportunity to share their thoughts. This allows other leaders to comment and give feedback. Also, teachers can comment to their principal and be honest. This is a way to colloborate and problem solve without having a meeting.