What I Have Learned About Action Research

What I have learned about action research is that it is a way for administrators and teachers to be involved in the everyday investigative research regarding problems that come up in our schools. We do not have to wait on university researchers to come up with solutions to our everyday problems...we collaboratively come up with the solutions ourselves. Through the use of the four contexts for facilitating the development of action research, we can get many things accomplished. Principals and aspiring principals enroll in local colleges or universities and can then use their course work as a springboard to do action research projects that help them answer questions that they may be facing. Sup erintendent and/or district meetings can be set up to where the focus is for the principals to help each other identify areas for action research and then share amongst themselves the results. Leadership teams, that are put together by the principal using classroom teachers, can become active in collaboratively helping the principal make decisions for the questions that come up on their campuses and finally, professional learning communities can be used by the principal as well to take on some instructional, assessment, and behavioral issues that come up on a daily basis. It is a matter of working together to find solutions, so that the burden is not left to one "lone-inquirer." (p19)

How can I use action research? I can use action research to answer this question having to do with our playground equipment. Together with our Safetly and Climate Control Committee, we can tackle this question and come to a consensus that will benefit the school as a whole. I am sure that throughtout our time as students, more questions will arise that we can tackle and because we now know about the use of "action research" we will not be as afraid to step out and take the challenge of researching out a problem. We know we can form committee's and work collaboratively with our colleagues and with each other to find solutions. Then we can celebrate our results with each other!!

How Might Educational Leaders Use Blogs?
Educational leaders might use blogs to gain insight from other colleagues as to how to answer a question that may have arose on their campus. Chances are that similar situations occur on different campuses and someone may have already dealt with an issue that you may be going through and can share their insight. Educational leaders could brainstorm with each other about ideas to face different challenges faced in their work day. Then again, Educational leaders may just want to talk with someone of like mind, as friends that understand each others frame of mind, to just talk about good things that have happened in their day. It seems to me that blogging would not always have to be used for business, but could be used for relaxation, a way to sit and capture, through writing, ones thoughts for the day.

Not like that teacher that was on Good Morning America that was bashing her students, but as a source of written release of thoughts that would be understood by people of like mindedness.