When I first began this class, EDLD 5301 Research, I had no idea what action research or action inquiry was. “Simply stated, administrator inquiry 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” (Dana, 2009). I have been one who has sat for long hours in a library sorting through mountains of data in order to perform research and write a research paper. I had never though of developing an action plan from a question or wondering happening within my work area. The need for inquiry is an essential component in order to establish a firm foundation for school improvement. During this class, it was our objective to learn about and develop an action inquiry to implement over the course of our program.
Understanding what action inquiry is was my first obstacle. “Inquiring professionals seek out change and reflect on their practice by posting 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 inquiry, and sharing findings with others” (Dana, 2009). Once I understood the purpose, I had to begin thinking of action topics that would eventually develop into my wondering. Being a new teacher, I don’t have any experience to bring to the table. I was able to think of a few wonderings I would have liked to explore, but they all had to do with administration. Since I am a technology student, my question had to be technology related. I began thinking about technology and how it is used in my classroom. We are participating in a pilot program to implement Explore Learning Gizmos into our Science curriculum. Since I teach Science, I thought this would be an excellent time to see if Gizmos increased student’s motivation in Science.
I took this idea to my site supervisor who is also my principal and asked her opinion. She agreed that studying the use of technology in the classroom was too broad of a topic. When she learned about my question involving the Gizmos, she became excited. She too, wondered if the students enjoyed using the Gizmos since it is a subscription based program. With the school district having to cut the budget, stakeholders wonder if the added expense of Gizmos is worth the money. Together, we decided to make Explore Learning Gizmos the focus of my action inquiry. So, my action question was formed. “Does using Explore Learning Gizmos for 7th grade Science students increase motivation and desire to perform Science lab activities?”
Once my action question was established, the next step was to develop the action plan. With the guidance of my site mentor, I created a template of activities and a timeline in order to implement my plan. During this process, I was also blogging and posting discussions on the discussion board to express concerns and developments along the way. Fellow classmates commented on my blog and discussion posts and remained encouraging as I developed my plan. Within my action plan, I arranged for teacher and student training of the Gizmos. I will also continue training and hold monthly teacher meetings in case any problems or questions arise. Data collection is important in order to support the findings. “Using multiple sources of data can enhance your inquiry as you gain different perspectives from different strategies” (Dana, 2009) In order to use multiple collection strategies, I plan to use a pre and post survey at the beginning and end of school, reflective journaling, random interviews, collect student work samples, and perform literature reviews. With my tentative action plan complete, I posted it to my blog and awaited comments from my classmates. The comments I received were very supportive in that the plan looks very efficient and the action research sounds very exciting. With this information in hand, I once again met with my site supervisor to reach a final consensus on my plan. With both of us agreeing on my question and plan, I posted my final SIP plan to my blog.
I have to admit, I am nervous about being able to complete this action plan. I know that I can become a better teacher if I continually reflect on how I am teaching in order to better benefit the students. “A major benefit inherent in the process is the improvement of teaching when focusing on improving student achievement” (Ringler, 2007). Between still being a new teacher, attending classes for my master’s degree, and being a wife and mother, I have a lot of demands upon me. I also have two other projects from my previous class, Principal Competencies and the Internship Plan; I will be responsible for completing within the next year. I will really have to use good time management and remember to blog weekly on the progress of my action plan. I want to be the best teacher I can possibly be to help better my students, and action inquiry can make that happen. “When we improve schools, we improve the lives of our students, and thus, we improve the future for all of us” (Harris, Edmonson, & Combs, 2010).
Dana, N. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Harris, S. Edmonson, S. & Combs, J. (2010). Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps from analysis to action. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.
Ringler, M. (2007). Action research and effective instructional leadership skill for future public school leaders. AASA Journal of Scholarship and Practice, 4(1), 27-42.
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