Selecting my Action Research Topic

My studies this week have focused on selecting appropriate action research topics. I have been inundated with the many viewpoints that I can take when identifying action research when I become an administrator. This week I have discovered that, just as action research itself is a process, just selecting the topic is a process.

There are so many aspects of the educational organization that it's quite easy to identify issues and conflicts. Some are more severe than others and some effect productivity more than others. The first step in the selection process is to identify the issue.

When the issue is identified, next the administrator must determine how deep the problem is and who is involved. Selecting the research topic is much more than just identifying the problem. By determining the degree of the issue within the organization, the administrator can better understand how in depth the action research must be. Those topics which are most severe will most likely require more time, consideration, and commitment from staff.

Finally, the action research topic must be individualized. It's not sufficient to simply state the issue as the research topic. You must identify how the issue has affected or will affect the organization. The same issue will affect different campuses in different ways. The administrator must determine if the action research topic is an appropriate use of time and resources and if the topic fits with the campus vision.

Through this process, the administrator can easily select an action research topic that is appropriate for their campus. This is just the first step that they must take to create an effective learning organization. If this step is not taken then the whole action research process becomes less productive.

Action Research Purpose and Significance

1. What is the purpose of your proposed action research study?

My proposed action research study is creating campus alignment through writing across the curriculum. I will be studying the impact of congruency between classes of different disciplines. I will identify methods of using effective writing techniques in classes other than the English/ language arts classroom. Through the study I can identify its effectiveness on my campus.

2. What is the significance of your proposed action research study?

The benefit of this action research study is for not only the students, but the teachers as well. The students benefit through the congruency of writing techniques from one class to the next. This reduces the number of techniques that the student must learn in each class, leaving instructional time to focus on the course curriculum alone. The students are less confused and a can benefit from classes that are truly aligned.

The teachers benefit through collaboration and planning. Alignment, whether vertical or horizontal, creates a learning environment that is campus wide. Many campuses have individual teachers that incorporate skills from other disciplines, but the technique is not campus wide. This scenario creates pockets of true learning throughout the campus. The goal of alignment is to spread that environment throughout. Often, Science, math, and social studies teachers do not take the time to teach writing techniques to their students. Instead, they rely on an assumption of what they think the students know. These teachers are unaware of the techniques that are actually being taught, and they often don’t know what techniques would be most effective for their content area. This study will help teachers throughout the campus collaborate and will help make their teaching more effective.

Effective Blogging for Administrators

Educational leaders can use blogs as an effective reflection tool. By writing down their ideas they can express their ideas in a manner that is conducive to understanding what is happening on their campus. Sometimes seeing something in writing shows you that the idea is wrong or needs modification. Other times it can lead to an epiphany. Blogs also allow the administrator to get feedback from their peers to help solve certain issues or to give supportive reinforcement on decisions that the administrator is unsure of.

What is Action Research?

Action research is a process of discovery used by administrators to identify issues, determine the most appropriate plan of action, analyze the outcomes, and evaluate the culture and climate of their organization. Over the last week I’ve learned quite a bit about the evidence supporting the use of these methods to become an effective leader. If I follow the process of action research, then I will have a very powerful tool for an effectively successful campus.

Action research will first guide me through identifying issues that arise on my campus through collaboration with teachers and other administrators. Sometimes the issue will be evident, sometimes it will be unclear, and sometimes I will become aware of the issue even before it is an issue. From this observation I will be able to determine the effect that the issue will have on my campus vision.

Once the issue or conflict is identified, then I can seek out possible resolutions for the issue. Possibilities should be sought from many different sources, including advice from experts and other administrators as well as the ideas from the parties affected by the issue. To find many differentiated ideas and to give ownership to the action team, I must give the appropriate consideration to the individuals that are most familiar with the issue at hand. This includes the experts that have knowledge of best practices and the team of individuals that are familiar with the specific school culture and climate. The most appropriate solution is chosen from this information.

Following the action plan initiation, continuous reflection must be used to determine the actual effectiveness of the plan and its alignment with the campus vision. I will put steps in place to consistently evaluate the progress of the action plan and I will collaborate with the action team to modify the plan when necessary.

If I use the process of action research as often as possible, then I will become proficient at utilizing this tool for resolving campus problems. I will be able to use action research to minimize the negative impact of conflicts and issues that present themselves on my campus. Whenever the issue comes up, I will be able to analyze it and determine the most appropriate course of action to take. I believe that the most important way that I can use action research is to use it to create a positive environment of motivated teachers and students who work toward the achievement of a shared campus vision