3 Possible Topics for Action Research

The Top 3:

1. Student disciplinary problems – How can our school improve student behavior expectations and student discipline?
2. Parent involvement – In what ways can our school get parents to be more involved with their child’s academic progress at school and at home?
3. School Community – In what ways can we build a school community that shares the same vision and core values?

My principal and I have been communicating through email because of our busy schedules, especially now during state testing. We have initially agreed upon doing my action research on student disciplinary/behavior problems. This was an area of great interest because students’ disciplinary problems have been recently increasing (not sure if it’s because of the time of the year). Nonetheless, these concerns create frequent visits to the principal’s office and many problems with the teachers. I have presented the other two topics of interest to my principal and I am awaiting her reply.

Action Research

What I learned from Action Research

To be honest, I was the least bit excited and quite anxious about starting a new course on Research. When I think about the term "research," I think about the late nights and long hours in college and high school, making many trips to the library, reading tons of books, and writing a 25 page or more research project. To my surprise, after reading Leading With Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher by Nancy Fichtman Dana and Examining What We Do To Improve Our Schools: 8 Steps From Analysis to Action by Sandra Harris, the term “research” has brought about a restored meaning in my mind. 

Action Research is different from the traditional research that most of us have come to learn in the past. I have learned that Action Research “refers to the process of a principal engaging in systematic, 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 “wonderings,” collecting data to gain insights into their wonderings, analyzing the data along with reading relevant literature, making changes in practice based on new understandings developed during inquiry, and sharing findings with others.” With the many issues that my current school is facing, from student discipline to overall morale of the school, I am motivated to use action research to see positive changes in these areas as a result of the research process.

How might educational leaders use blogs?

Blogs can be used to:

1.    Address concerns of staff, parents, and students. (At my district, we have a blog called “The Buzz”. Staff members can post questions about something they have seen or heard in the district that they want to know more about. The superintendent has her own blog where she shares her thoughts and observations with staff, parents, and students.)

2.    Share ideas with other leaders that promote best practices on certain educational issues.

3.    Post questions and answers for students to communicate with teachers and vice versa.