Action Research Future Implementation

There were many things that can be considered highlights throughout the course.  We received a lot of information through our lectures, readings and through the set up of our research.  When we first began this course, when they mention research, I originally thought it would be a traditional research.  However, as we got more in depth, I started to understand the type of research that we would be doing.   It is more of hands on activity research.  It is similar to how I teach in the classroom, whenever I am in the classroom, I like for my students to have hands on material and activities.  Personally, it has shown me throughout the years that they understand more in depth what I am teaching them, instead of the old traditional teaching such as lectures, etc.  Through the activities that we are doing in our active research we get to learn more and be more involve in many things.  At the beginning I did not expect anything of what we are doing.  It has made me talk to people and asking them questions on my research.  I am simply trying to get as much information as possible and it has helped.  When my colleagues ask of how my classes are going,   I explain to them of what we are doing and they are really surprise.   Everything that we have done throughout this course has been very beneficial.  From the beginning with the lectures, the lectures gives us a head start of what we are doing and motivate us to complete the assignment for the week and the ongoing research.  The reading then gives us many ideas and examples that continue to guides us as we work through our material.  As for the assignments and activities, it keeps us to get more knowledge into expanding our active research project.  The discussion boards and blogs, having been the most beneficial ones of them all.  Simply because you get to read about different things that are happening throughout the different school system.  In ways you can relate to some of them and help them out by stating some of the things that one is experiencing in your school system.  That to me is the more helpful resource because it is information that is current and not old material that was written and studied by several people.  Through this course we first began with the samples of the different action research, that really help in planning or giving us an idea on how to get started.  We also read and talked about the benefits of conducting research.  Setting the blogs has opened a whole new world to me; I had very little information on what blogs where, now that I have created my own I can sure implemented in the future as an administrating leader.  The most important highlight to me was listening to the three interviews in which they gave us information on their experience and the advice as well.   I selected two that I wrote about; they were Principal Johnny Briseno and Director of Research, Planning and Development Timothy Chargois.  Although I did not write about the Superintendent Dr. Kirk Lewis, I saw the interview and gathered a lot of good information.  Throughout this course we read about many different types of research and the one that relates to mine is the Curriculum Development Observation.  Another useful information was the methods used in active research.  Such as Force Field Analysis, Delphi Method and the Nominal Group Technique.  The method that I like the most and that I will be implementing is the Delphi Method.  We also got to go more in detail with our research plan by using the Care Model and meeting with my three site supervisors and peer suggestions through the discussion boards and blogs.  Now, that I am in this program, when I attend many of the meetings, I often think of things that are being discussed and think that would be a good action research project to do.  I think about the blogs or discussions of what some of the other classmates are doing.  Lastly, the last thing that we did was the quality indicators, which guides us in going more in depth and double checking our progress in the active research.    I close this reflection by the most important thing that I learned in this course.  The principal need no longer be the “headmaster” or “instructional leader,’ pretending to know all.  That is that the more crucial role of the principal is as head learner, engaging in the most important enterprise of the schoolhouse-experiencing, displaying, modeling, and celebrating what is hoped and expected that teachers and pupils will do.

Evaluation of C-Scope Curriculum Action Research Plan

Evaluation of C-Scope Curriculum

Action Research Plan

Objective:  Survey the 9^th grade Science department teachers regarding the implementation of a    new C-Scope curriculum.

Goals: 

1)    To determine the effectiveness of the C-Scope curriculum implementation on the 9^th grade biology classes.

2)    Analyze the results of each six weeks exam data.   

         Action Step(s)             Person                    Timeline:                Needed                    

                                      Responsible              Start/End              Resources             Evaluation

Analyze six weeks data	Rick Torres (Intern Principal)	November 26, 2010 – June 3, 2011	1st and 2nd Six Weeks Results	Use data to create a chart on class performance for each six weeks 2010-2011
Attend the 9th grade Biology  department meetings	Rebecca Ortiz Biology Department Head	Beginning Dec. 1st and continuing throughout the school year every six weeks.	Handouts for teachers (Surveys, Questionnaires, and Data Collections)	Present information to principal after all information has been compiled per six weeks.
Analyze initial exam data to begin monitoring classes data	R. Torres	November  29, 2010	Progress chart Exam  data reports	Complete chart with classes  performance plotted
Chart classes growth after each six weeks exam	R. Torres	The 2010-2011 school year	Exam data form and Progress chart	Monitor classes growth between each exam and use this information to make final report at end of school year
Provide six weeks reflection questions for teachers to self-evaluate performance	R. Torres	Beginning Dec. 1st and continuing throughout the school year every six weeks	Teacher reflection journals  or Reflection blog	Intern principal  will monitor teacher responses and compare to other teachers in department
Analyze end of year data and determine student growth	R. Torres	June 2011	Progress charts on six weeks data and compare it.	Determine student growth overall and in identified from initial exam data

Assessment Instrument for the effectiveness of the action research:  I will use all the six weeks exam results at end of the school year to compile data to be reported to my school principal, who is also my site supervisor.  Determine student growth overall  throughout the school year and  in addition,  this data will determine if implementing C-Scope curriculum impacted student performance through the assessments. Furthermore, it will help our administrators determine what steps and instructional support must be planned for the following school year at 9^th grade.

Week Two Reflection on Action Reserach

This week was a very knowledgeable week; we read and identified nine areas of action research.   I was able to provide at least one example of action research in each of the nine areas and describe why this might be an important area for action research in schools.  I was able to see different perspectives by watching and listening to the scholars.  Each one had a different position with a school system, a Principal, Director of Research and Development and a Superintendent.  The first one that I watch and listen too was Dr. Briseno, who mentions that he needs data before making any decision.  He tells us that each student needs to be identified.  I like what he suggested about doing research, use what is available, do not reinvent the wheel.  The second one that I saw and listen to is Dr. Timothy Charogis, he mentions how we are so advanced in comparison to couple of years in data driven information.  We no longer have to be waiting weeks or months before we get any results.  We can get the data immediately and we are able to make a change immediately as well.  I like what he said that we no longer can be happy with reaching several students that we need to reach all students because of accountability.   Teachers need to be active researchers we no longer can be like in the old system of simply learning pedagogue and content.  If you are green, you are growing and if you are brown you are dying is the statement that he made for making change and improving student performance.  The last person that I saw and listen too was Dr. Lewis, who mentions how they use research.  He mentions that the use of research needs to be looked upon with what other areas throughout the state are using.  The use of other research, need to be use by tearing apart and using it to what is needed.  He always mentions how his school district is a data rich district in which they use data to make many of the decisions that they make from year to year. 

Action Research

Action research is something that I was not familiar, until recently.  In the previous university that I was attending, they never mentioned anything about.  They did talk about traditional educational research.  I find that it is extremely important and beneficial to be able to use action research, especially in the educational field.  It gives one the opportunity to learn and experience as you go.  I see it as a method that will be the future to improve the overall quality of teaching and learning.  The information that one gathers in action research is not from books or other people researches.  It comes from knowledge gathered in the real life educational practices.  Where one can learn from their own problems and make changes.  It makes the practioners the sole source in the research process.  Action research can be used by anyone in the educational field such as teachers , librarians, assistant principals, principals, superintendent, etc to better themselves as they work as a team. Action research does not mean that you will be working alone, it is teamwork that will work for the good of the school and community.  As a leader one who shows action research and involves others and who has success will see progress and will have others follow and be successful as well.  By using active research one is bettering your campus, community and oneself, however; the one that will benefit from this is the student.  Specifically, action research may be helpful through identifying a problem within the classroom, reviewing professional literature pertaining to the issue, apply action after seeking advice from fellow educators, and then using/sharing the information found from the study.

Educational Leaders Utilizing Blogs

Educational leaders can benefit from using blogs by being able to connect, share and get feedback from people who are in the same educational field as them.  Especially in today's world where technology dominates all other sources.