Discovering the Value of Action Research

At the onset of this course I assumed we would be writing a research paper and not giving it much more thought. As a desktop publishing teacher, I spend much of time reading educational technology magazines just to keep up with the ever changing field. When something new comes out I perform more “research” to discover ways I may apply this in my classroom to enhance student performance. From this week’s reading in the Dana text, Leading with Passion and Knowledge, I have become excited about the prospect of learning how to become an effective teacher/leader using the principles of action research. I have learned even though most of us as teachers and leaders already engage in our own research to help us in our efforts to reach our students, we may not be getting the desired improvement that we seek. When practitioners sit hours on end in professional development classes and listen to other’s research-based ideas on how to improve student learning much of it has no meaning. When the practitioners perform their own research based on what is happening at their own campus – issues they may be wondering about – it becomes meaningful, and thus the chance for student improvement is much more likely to happen. The prescribed formula seems to be easy; it begins with using a “systematic, intentional study” of an established area of practice. The study includes collecting data to gain insights, analyzing the data along with reading relevant literature, making changes in practice based on new understandings, and sharing findings with others (Dana, 2009). After discussing with the principal at my campus on what direction she would like me to take in my action research it was decided that I could research why, year after year, the seventh grade Math TAKS scores are consistently lower than sixth and eighth grades. I feel confident that through this educational journey I will grasp the full understanding of how to implement action research in order to use it as a “powerful vehicle for learning and school improvement” at my campus. (Dana, 2009)

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