Action Research Plan Outline

Goal: To determine if using a curriculum management system to deliver lessons created by the classroom teacher will improve DAEP students’ academic performance on the math section of the TAKS.

STEP 1: Identify which TAKS math objective will be used in creating the lessons to be delivered by the CMS.

Person Responsible: Kathy Perdue

Time Line: August 16 – August 18, 2010

Resources Needed: Prior years’ exit level math TAKS results for DAEP

Evaluations: Determine which weaknesses will be focused on based on which math objective had the highest instance of failure.

STEP 2: Create pre-test, CMS lessons, and post-test for the selected TAKS math objective.

Person Responsible: Kathy Perdue

Timeline: August 19 – September 6, 2010

Resources Needed: Required technology, 2008/09 TAKS questions

Evaluations: Gain approval from supervisor and campus technologists, making any amendments necessary based on their recommendations.

STEP 3: Select which students will use the CMS.

Person Responsible: Kathy Perdue

Timeline: September 7- September 10, 2010

Resources Needed: Prior years’ data identifying students that failed the exit level math section of the TAKS

Evaluations: Receive approval from supervisor and campus technologists for student selections and plot chosen students’ prior scores on the math objective being tested.

STEP 4: Students will use the CMS to complete the pre-test, lesson, and post-test.

Person Responsible: Kathy Perdue

Timeline: September 13 - October 14, 2010

Resources Needed: Required technology

Evaluations: Create a chart for each student displaying their results for prior TAKS scores, pre-test scores, and post-test scores.

STEP 5: Conduct interviews with the students about the use of CMS.

Person Responsible: Kathy Perdue

Timeline: October 15 - October 22, 2010

Resources Needed: Site supervisor pre-approved questions to be used for interviewing students.

Evaluations: Evaluate rather or not the students felt the CMS made a difference in their approach or confidence, any suggestions they have to improve the CMS, and rather or not they felt more or less engaged in the CMS versus traditional packets.

STEP 6: Evaluate and compare the results of the prior, pre-test and post-test scores.

Person Responsible: Kathy Perdue

Timeline: October 25 – December 10, 2010

Resources Needed: Results of prior TAKS, pre-test, and post-test for students completing the assignment

Evaluations: Determine if a marked or substantial difference in scores can be seen after completing the CMS lessons.

Action Research Lessons

In week two of my action research studies, I was given the opportunity to view a few different leaders in education talking about how they use action research in their school or district. I found this to be very informative and inspiring. These practitioners gave valuable insight and examples of action research that really gave some depth and practicality to this concept.

Just hearing the interviews reminded me of many similar issues on my campus that would benefit from action research. The videos really inspired me to start looking for things to inquire about in my school. The interviews taught me that action research is more than just a practical concept, it is something that is actively being used in schools with obvious, positive results.

Why Blogging Is Effective

Educational leaders can utilize blogs in many ways. The most important way is by using it to journal reflections over a long period of time. The ability to revisit these reflections can provide valuable insight to the leader and help aid in the action research and inquiry process. By publishing reflections and allowing others in the school community to comment and contribute, leaders can open up a forum for collaborative thought and learning. Another way blogging can benefit a school community is by demonstrating an appreciation for writing, reflecting, learning, and collaborating with students, peers, coworkers, and mentors. This can inspire others in your community, district, and/or campus to also contribute and thereby increases the wealth of knowledge and expertise available to decision makers in times of crisis or change.

Action Research Reflection

Action research is a valuable tool that allows for administrative leaders to reflect on problems and issues in their schoolhouse and determine the best course of action based on internal expertise, instead of relying on outside sources for quick and impersonalized fixes. By utilizing action research in schools, principals can develop a more meaningful relationship with their coworkers, peers, and students as they turn to them for shared observations. By drawing the principal out of isolation and into an active engagement with the rest of the school with the shared goal of creating collaborative solutions to problems, the principal is able to draw on all the expertise available at his/her school, and make the best decisions while encouraging best practices. Not only does action research encourage best practices within the school or district, it also creates an environment fueled by learning. This provides sustained and invaluable personal growth for any leader, and also inspires the entire school community to become master learners. Lastly, action research is important because it affords leaders the opportunity to act instead of react to problems as they occur. Reflecting and using the inquiry process prepares administrators to think more deeply about problems, and therefore leads to more sound, long lasting, and adaptive solutions.

I feel action research can benefit me in the classroom, and on my track to become an administrative leader, by encouraging me to look more deeply into the issues in my school and classroom and then practice making decisions collaboratively based on the internal expertise my coworkers and mentors can offer. I feel it is an invaluable tool to me because it will not only teach me to be a better thinker and learner, but it will also lead to the circulation of best practices in every part of my professional and personal life.