Updated Action Research Plan

Step 1- Setting the Foundation: As a classroom teacher I see unmotivated students every year. It is our job to find a way to motivate all students to ensure they have a successful year and reach their potential.

Step 2- Analyzing Data: I will be looking at repeat offenders from office referrals, talking with teachers about students who appear unmotivated year after year, looking at the grades of these students over a period of time as well as teacher comments on report cards and cumulative folders.

Step 3-Developing a Deeper Understanding: I will begin reading text and researching websites to find out some of the reasons students appear unmotivated as well as research techniques that can be used to motivate students.

Step 4- Self-Reflection: I will reflect on what I myself have done (or not done) in the past to motivate students and what the end results were. I will use what I have learned to reflect and make sure I write the most effective student questionnaire that I can as well as ask strong interview questions for teachers and students involved. I will also reflect on how the information learned during the research project will be utilized most effectively.

Step 5- Exploring Pragmatic Patterns: Before beginning, I will ask my supervisor and team leader to look over my interview questions and my questionnaire to ensure that they cover all areas. I will also ask for advice on how often they think I should meet with students and ask for any suggestions as to other resources I should include in my project (parent contact, report cards, etc.)

Step 6-Determining Direction: I am very clear on what I am trying to solve. The topic is focused enough that I won’t get off track. I am confident that I have the skills and resources necessary to adequately address my topic. My supervisor is completely on board and willing to collaborate with me. I will need to speak with other co-workers once school resumes to ensure that they are willing to work with me. My timelines are very realistic because this is a project that will take all year to complete and requires me to meet with each student about 5 times during the year. My plan to monitor the project is reasonable because most of it centers on reviewing student and teacher interviews. In actuality, my plan to determine success most likely won’t occur until the following year because teachers will be able to implement the successful motivational techniques found at the beginning of the school year. It will most likely take all of this school year to find motivational techniques that work, but they will be implemented from the beginning of the year during the 2011-2012 year.

Step 7- Taking Action: I will use template 7.1 to help me put my plan into action and keep me on track. I will also use my supervisor and team leader throughout the year as well as the teachers involved in the research project.

Step 8-Sustain Improvement: Hopefully at the end of the project, after I’ve presented my findings to the staff, I will be able to maintain the positive aspects of my findings by utilizing the blogs and the website as well as staff collaboration.

I've really enjoyed this week's reading and videos. They've given me great insight to possible research topics as well as reinforced how important it is to keep growing and evolving in education. I especially enjoyed reading the actual accounts from the principals about their research projects in the book under each of the nine topics. Right now I am reading the online version but I can't wait to get my copy because I want to highlight several of their ideas as well as the websites listed as resources. I can see the benefit of action research, especially after reading their accounts and seeing how it impacted and improved their campus. That was exciting to me. I think it just takes time and effort and sometimes we want a quick fix. The readings have shown that it is possible to make very positive changes when their is a problem. But everyone involved needs to work collaboratively and be on board with the idea. It's also a great idea to use research ideas and resources from other districts like the principal in the video mentioned. Overall I'm learning a lot right now about how to never stop learning and trying to improve as an educator.

The main thing I have learned about action research is that it is not what one thinks of when you think of "traditional research." When I first read the title for the course I was nervous that it would mean that I would be reading tons of research books and citing references and quotes without really doing hands on work. From the readings this week, I learned what action research actually involves. I was eager to choose a topic that interests me on my campus and I'm even more eager to put my plan into action. I like the idea of action research because when you really get down to it- it's professional growth. I can't think if many educators who are against professional growth. It's the word research that scares us. However, after the readings I realized that action research isn't too different from what most of us already do on various committees throughout our campuses. The main difference is that the educator/administrator is looking inwardly to find an area for improvement and the reflection piece is also somewhat new. I think most of us would like to say that we reflect, and we do in our own way, but not in the way that action research suggests. I think the reflection piece was the most important to me becuase so often I find an issue, quickly come up with solutions, implement them and then hope they worked without ever truly pausing to reflect before, during, and after the plan was put into place. I like how the author suggested finding a specific time and place each week for reflection so that it does not build up. I can definitely say this is something I have not done before, but I can certainly see the value in it. I will definitely try to use action research as a teacher as well as when I become an adminsitrator. For both professions it is useful. There will always be areas in which I need growth and action research will give me the tools to identify these areas and improve.

Educational leaders could use blogs in a variety of ways. One would be with a book study. During the course of the book study members could respond weekly to a blog posted by the principal as well as post their own blogs. Administrators could also use a blog for the school where parents can connect to each other and the administrator in a professional manner.