Outcomes: To improve student attendance, completion and dropout rates as well as academic achievement
Activities: Implement a parent advisory committee and a student led organization that incorporates parents and community members
Resources/Research Tools: Campus and district data, literature, classroom observations, surveys, two-way parent communication
Responsibility: Parents, teachers, students, counselors, content coordinators, content specialist, bilingual/ESL coordinator
Timelines: The project and research will begin at the beginning of the year. Updates will occur during meetings, and through the use of benchmark data throughout the year. The school report card and TAKS results will give us the results that we seek at the end of the year.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Action Research from a Professional Perspective
It was really interesting to see the interviews posted in our system. These interviews gave us realistic ideas of how to implement action research. When we first started I was thinking that action research should be a formal, tedious process. I have learned that it is just a normal part of being a leader or manager. An effective leader is always going to have a systematic checks and balances if he/she is for the improvement of campus achievement. A campus can not make strides if the data is not being considered.
The sample wonderings in the reading were also beneficial. They give you ideas of what things may need to be examined closely within your school or district. Like Dr. Lewis said, look at the research of others and translate it to meet the needs of your campus. Dr. Briseno also referenced researching what has already been researched. He expressed that we can learn from the works of others. We don't have to reinvent the wheel.
I am excited to have a new perspective on action research and look forward to conducting some research in my field.
The sample wonderings in the reading were also beneficial. They give you ideas of what things may need to be examined closely within your school or district. Like Dr. Lewis said, look at the research of others and translate it to meet the needs of your campus. Dr. Briseno also referenced researching what has already been researched. He expressed that we can learn from the works of others. We don't have to reinvent the wheel.
I am excited to have a new perspective on action research and look forward to conducting some research in my field.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Reflection on Action Research
Although I have heard the term action research and many great things about it, I came into this course not knowing exactly what it was. Learning that it was a process in which a principal engaged in intentional and systematic study of his or her own practice in order to make changes, was gratifying because I learned what this phenomenon was, and I have a new tool to add to my principal toolkit.
Knowing that principals pose questions or wonderings, collecte data, analyze data and read relevant literature in an effort to make changes is vital to my role as an administrator. These steps along with sharing findings with others are key to school improvement.
The fact that the principal poses questions or wonderings lets us know that the leader is thinking about what is going on on the campus, and is carefully looking at what is effective and what may need change. The analysis of data is different than just looking at TAKS scores due to the wonderings posed by the principal. At this point the principal is looking at more how and why rather than what. The literature that the principal reads will be more applicable than general reading because questions are posed, the state of the campus or problem is in the fore front and the literature will support the findings or give ideas.
After learning what action research is, I see that I could definitely use this process in my current position to improve my department and program. I would like to conduct research on the actual program, the curriculum associated with my program and the teaching strategies that are taught to support students in the program.
I could see a new campus principal using this process to analyze what works and what is in need of change on the campus.
Blogs could be used as a campus announcement system and a staff development tool for a campus. In an effort to spend more faculty-staff meeting time for professional development, campus principals could use blogs for information and announcements to teachers. The blog could also be used to facilitate book studies, action research and to disseminate information such as tidbits that could be used to improve instruction. The staff could use it to share what works in their classroom as far as instructional strategies and classroom management.
Knowing that principals pose questions or wonderings, collecte data, analyze data and read relevant literature in an effort to make changes is vital to my role as an administrator. These steps along with sharing findings with others are key to school improvement.
The fact that the principal poses questions or wonderings lets us know that the leader is thinking about what is going on on the campus, and is carefully looking at what is effective and what may need change. The analysis of data is different than just looking at TAKS scores due to the wonderings posed by the principal. At this point the principal is looking at more how and why rather than what. The literature that the principal reads will be more applicable than general reading because questions are posed, the state of the campus or problem is in the fore front and the literature will support the findings or give ideas.
After learning what action research is, I see that I could definitely use this process in my current position to improve my department and program. I would like to conduct research on the actual program, the curriculum associated with my program and the teaching strategies that are taught to support students in the program.
I could see a new campus principal using this process to analyze what works and what is in need of change on the campus.
Blogs could be used as a campus announcement system and a staff development tool for a campus. In an effort to spend more faculty-staff meeting time for professional development, campus principals could use blogs for information and announcements to teachers. The blog could also be used to facilitate book studies, action research and to disseminate information such as tidbits that could be used to improve instruction. The staff could use it to share what works in their classroom as far as instructional strategies and classroom management.
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