Action Research

This week I was able to determine what my action research topic is going to be!  I am going to be focusing on my campus's use of Planned Learning Communities (PLCs).  On our campus we have structured PLC time built into our day twice a week.  I want to look into how this time helps our teachers and students as well as how to better improve the use of this time.  I am really excited to embark on this journey and I am looking forward to gaining insight from the other faculty members as to how to make these improvements.  I was also able to discuss this with my site supervisor who thought this was a great topic take a deeper look at.  I am looking forward to learning more about PLCs in general.

Why blog?

I have found that blogging lends itself well to the world of education.  It is a great way to reflect on learning much like a journal and you can provide and receive immediate feedback from others.  It is also a way that I as an educator can model good writing not only to my peers but also to my students as well. 

What is action research?

This week I learned a lot about action research.  Action research is basically focusing on the problems on their campus and finding ways to fix the problem.  I learned that it varies greatly from traditional research in the fact that the stake holder is the one conducting the inquiry.  It seems as though it is a much more meaningful way to grow and make a meaningful change to a campus, classroom or administration.  I understand that the process involves a few steps in which  you first identify an issue, you then come up with an action to solve the problematic situation, next you implement your new strategies and evaluate whether or not they were effective, and lastly clarify the outcome in order to make a change.  With all of these factors combined a good administrator can really evaluate a multitude of issues or problems that are prevalent in schools today.   I understand that administrators are busy and often do not have the time for inquiry unless they take the time to make it part of their regular schedule.  I also think it is a great way to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses on a campus and work together to find ways to improve.  I am really excited to embark on this journey of action research because I think it will help me grow immensely and really get me ready to become an administrator.