Action Research

After having to drop out of the research class last year, I was apprehensive about retaking it now. The original course was geared to serious research as Dana called "process-product research" with a text book written in technological words that I could not decipher. What a pleasant surprise this course is. I am not intimidated. Not yet at least.

Action research is personal. The authors use the phrase "I wonder" to begin their research question. That means it is my thoughts. It is connected to me. But, I don't have to make the final decisions alone. It is a group effort. After I decide what I'm wondering, I start inquiring about it. That means asking questions, talking to people, finding sources, using the Internet, reading articles, collecting data and just maybe reaching out of my comfort zone and going beyond what would be expected.

In 8 Steps From Analysis to Action, the authors compared action research to a principal getting sick and the process she takes to get better. It totally made sense. She was using "logical reasoning in a systematic way". (p.5) She didn't stop after going to the doctor's office the first time. She followed his directions and took the prescribed medicines. Then she returned for other visits to make sure the doctor's plan was working, and that she was getting better. That is the process with action research - find the plan that will make it better.

I immediately thought about emailing everyone on my campus and asking, "What do you think would make our school better?" I know that is too general of a question, but as school closed last year, our principal made changes in every grade level. In the 9 years she had been there, she had never made major changes except to replace teachers who left. There was no discussion. The changes were final. I don't think she used an action research plan because there was la lot of unhappy teachers. On the last Friday of school, she told us that she was being transferred to another school. We were getting all new administration. If the district office used an action research process, they didn't involve the faculty of our school. The results of a action research project is to "make it better" not just change the situation. The action research involves others, not just one opinion.

In my classroom I use a very informal version of this process. I look at the tests' results to find the students' weak areas. That tells me that I didn't teach it well enough or that they didn't understand it, and I need to make changes (for the better) the next time I teach that objective. Then I find other teachers on my grade level to see how they taught it and how their class did. That tells me how to adjust my teaching.

Our new principal is being promoted from assistant principal of another school. With all of these changes, I would like to think that I would be able to help him find out how to make our school better.