Draft Action Research Report - Week 3 - EDLD5397

Draft Action Research Project Progress Report

1. Title: Location, Installation, and Use of an Outdoor Learning Center
2. Needs Assessment: Our campus had been looking forward to setting up some donated equipment for over a year. We had been in a transition phase in regard to principals, so the project was put off. Once we established who our new principal would be, the project was thrust upon her and she did not know what she wanted to do with the items. Since I needed an action research project, I asked her if I could help and she gladly gave me the job. Also, being the new principal, she wanted to focus on other more important aspects of being a new administrator, so my stepping in came as a welcomed relief for her. Our ESC donated this equipment, at first it was donated for our Head-Start students, but it turned out later that it was donated for all of our students. We did not have an Outdoor Learning Center (OLC) before this donation. Our campus wanted to have one to have other ways to help teach our students and open their quality of learning to new levels. When the project was given to me, I went to our Head-Start coordinator and we began working on ways to make this dream a reality. We got a committee together and we collaborated and planned with each other. The language explosure for our ELL students to outdoor lessons will be so beneficial. Many do not know the names of things they see outside in English, therefore, opening up this world to them will increase their vocabulary skills. The OLC is also a good place for our PPCD students to go and learn in a safe, secure environment.

3. Objectives and Vision of the Action Research Project (ELCC 1.1): After the OLC was constructed and the two playground equipment toys placed into our playground, we discovered that one of the toys, the tricycle merry-go-round, was constantly breaking down. We would put out a work order for our maintenance men to fix it and soon after it would be broken again. Unfortunately, after talking with my site supervisor, we decided to remove that particular toy, for safety reasons. I believe removing that toy made our playground safer, thus making it an improvement. Our Head-Start teacher and I have been talking about making more improvements to the OLC. We would like to add an area for the students to have a butterfly cage, so that they can all see, for themselves, the life cycle of a butterfly. We have talked about getting a small bird cage, as well. We woud like to see more seating for our students and staff available in the OLC, to make it more comfortable for everyone to be able to sit. We want to expand the amount of manipulatives the students have for use in the OLC, and have other types of water games available for them. We want to get some painting easels and paint to use outside, also. All these things will help to make the OLC a more usable area and will open up more learning for all of our students.

4. Review of the Literature and Action Research Strategy (ELCC 2.3): When I began looking at recent literature available for the construction and set up of an OLC, I used the internet. There were several sites that showed how very large OLC had been set up, but we did not have that much room or that much equipment to construct. We do want more things for our OLC, but we will have to be mindful of our space available. There were three people involved in our OLC committee, the Head-Start Coordinator, One member of the Campus Improvement Committee, and me. We took into consideration all of our students; our special PPCD students and our wheel chair students. Our set-up took into consideration our maintenance staff and their job of cutting the grass and maintaining the building. We contacted them to mark our area for waterlines, phone lines, or gas lines. They did not come out to do that, but fortunately our construction crew only ran into one pipe and they caught themselves before that caused any damage. Our committee made decision in regard to placement of the equipment, contacting local stores for donations, contacting volunteers to be on the construction crew, and decisions about where to store the equipment before the set-up crew arrived. I contacted our maintenance staff to get us the boards and water sealant, and various other tools we would need for the day of constrction.

5. Articulate the Vision (ELCC 1.2): Our principal communicated the vision for our OLC to our faculty and staff and then when we formed our committee and needed help from the community we communicated the vision for the OLC as a learning tool for all students. We indicated to them that the learning center would open up more academic language for the students and would be a good place for them to open up their minds to what they can do and learn outside of the classroom.

6. Manage the Organization (ELCC 3.1): Student safety was our highest priority. In the design of the center we considered how the students would be facing to be most attentive to lessons. I looked up lessons on the internet and printed them out so that our teachers would have more lessons to use. Teachers themselves have lessons that they use when they go out there, as well. Staff from our ESC came to help us construct the equipment. Our committee was in charge of finding a location to store the equipment, so we used a vacant room in our building that was close to the area where we were planning to set-up the center. We did not have to deal with any money because we contacted local companies to donate items that we needed. We utilized our teaching staff to donate food items to feed our volunteers, so we really did not have to pay for anything. Time and weather were our friends because we contacted our ESC and our volunteers and we decided on a good day for everyone to come and set up the center.

7. Manage Operations (ELCC 3.2): When my principal gave me the project, I contacted my two other committee members and we went to work immediately. Our Head-Start coordinator contacted our local companies for donations and she and I together contacted volunteers. The three of us set the date for the construction of the OLC, after talking with a few volunteers, our ESC, and the weather channel. Our Improvement Committee team member contacted our teachers for the food donations and when those items should be delivered. Each time we met we would collaborate and make sure to were in agreement on what to do and who needed to do the different assignments. Any conflicts we had were resolved through talking or one of us would handle the situation by going and get it done ourselves.

8. Respond to Community Interest and Needs (ELCC 4.2): I believe our PPCD students and wheel chair students will be able to get outside in a protected environment and feel, touch, smell, see, and taste things that cannot be done in a classroom setting. Language development in an outdoor setting can be of utmost importance, because our PPCD and ELL students will benefit from the things they will see, feel, touch, smell, and taste. Being out in the sun is physically beneficial, as well. Our school and community can benefit from the OLC because our parents, community businesses, and school personnel can help with things we need for the center when they have a specific project they are doing. Our community is always so helpful when it comes to helping our students improve their learning.