Action Research Project Outline

Goal: To increase the amount of communication between staff of different grade levels.

Objectives and Outcomes:
1. To improve collaborative learning among colleagues.
2. To improve faculty meeting time restraints.
3. To improve vertical teaming among colleagues.
Activities designed to achieve the objectives:
1. First, a social networking account will be created for teachers to share with one another. Each teacher will set up an account to be active in the discussion.
2. Each grade will pick a book to study together. Learning will be shared on the blog. Teachers should interact with each other discussing the learning that was shared.
3. A separate page will be created on the networking site to address vertical teaming questions. Teachers will be given the opportunity to ask questions of different grade levels, or to share what might or might not be working.
Resources/Research needed for data gathering:
1. Educational social networking site approved by the district technology office.
2. Accounts for all Crockett staff.
3. Books for book study program.
4. A faculty meeting to inform the staff of the program and expectations, and directions on how to share.
5. Survey for the staff so that we may receive input on how the program has helped communication.
Timeline
1. CIT Meeting with Book Study Blogging Proposal – July 20, 2010
2. Grade Levels decide on their book to study – August 16- 20, 2010
3. Accounts are set up for each teacher – August 2010
4. Teachers are expected to begin blogging – September 2010
5. Staff survey – December 2010
People responsible for the implementation:
1. Amanda Traylor
Process for monitoring goals and objectives:
1. All posts will be written record therefore allowing us to monitor participation and amount of vertical teaming occurring.
2. Staff survey will determine official results.
Assessment Instrument:
1. Amount of posts per grade level will be charted to get a grasp of who benefited and who did not choose to participate. Full participation is necessary to achieve ultimate vertical teaming.

Week 2 Lessons Learned

This week, I enjoyed listening to the interviews of experienced school administrators on their views and experiences with action research. The greatest piece of advice that I felt I would center my future around was that action research should be practical. Wonderings should be about topics that are of interest to the researcher and that will benefit the campus. Not only will the research help the campus, but when one is interested, they tend to go above and beyond in their efforts. I also highly admired the advice that was given on data research. It is true, it only takes minutes these days to pull up information with the help of the internet and Google, so anyone interested in a topic should apply the time to research. Dedicating the small amount of time to research a question can save time and headaches in the longrun.

Blogging Educators

Blogs have opened many doors for communicating in the business and social worlds, and I believe that they are the new key to achieving active communication in the educational system. Blogs can connect teachers, parents, and students in many positive ways. Teachers can collaborate together with online discussions. Vertical teaming questions and answers could be answered in a timely fashion especially considering that we have very little time for conversation during the school day. Colleagues can discuss book studies through blogs and minor announcements that do not warrant a faculty meeting being called. Teachers and parents can blog with each other regarding classroom happenings and homework. Students can even get in on the action. Blogs can be beneficial to everyone considering that they take advantage of them and become active participants. With the use of blogs, we may in fact achieve our goal of parent involvement on our campuses.

Action Research Thoughts During Learning

Action research is a process of reevaluating areas of the school system in order to accomplish a shared vision. It is a way for educators to examine their own methods in order to have better outcomes and higher success rates. Administrators and teachers alike can benefit from action research and they can work collaboratively to investigate areas of concern for their campus. It is a reflective approach to professional development. One cannot better their self if they do not look reflectively upon their actions and outcomes and question how to improve. While a teacher can conduct action research on her own, it doesn’t really become beneficial unless she shares her findings with others. Action research can be held individually, collaboratively between two or more, or as a school or district wide project. With the constant changes that educators face, action research could serve an administrator well in keeping their campus up with the times. As an administrator, I can see that action research will serve me well when that time arises, and as a current teacher, I can see how it will improve my classroom and grade level. Unlike traditional forms of research, action research requires participation and actual involvement in the search.