This week I began a new course in working toward my masters in school administration. This course, EDLD 5301, focuses on action research. At first glance, I assumed we were going to be doing research on "best practices" in the hopes that someday we would incorporate them into our new positions as leaders. I was only partially correct.
Action research is a cyclical process in which an educator identifies a need or problem, then investigates an action plan or a solution to address the need. After this, he/she will evaluate the results of the plan using data and, reflect on its success (or lack thereof), then share results with peers. This process can be visualized as a spiral.
The important difference between action research and traditional research is that traditional research is performed by "outsiders" (often considered "experts") and is intended to meet the needs of a large population. Action research is performed by the educator, for the educator. The results are intended solely for the improvement of the researcher's own classroom or campus.
I've already got a few ideas working in the back of my mind for my own action research plan. One idea is to implement a change in our campus's math program using a new software I just learned about. I'm eager to get the ball rolling!
Happy researching to all! :)
You're off to a great start with your blog!
ReplyDeleteI'm interested to hear more about your research topic. Looking forward to hearing whether you have good results with the new software!
I love your blog page. The colors are so inviting! Action research is a new term in which I am excited to have learned. Like you said, "action research is performed by the educator, for the educator."
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