You've heard of action heroes, action movies, and action figures. This week I discovered that I am a natural action researcher. You won't find my likeness in a fast food kid's meal, or in a comic book, or even on the big screen. (That's almost too bad because I would like to don a superhero cape and get all those cool superhero gadgets, like Batgirl.) However, my abilities can change a student's life forever. That's a form of superhero power in its own right even without a cape.
This week in my EDLD 5301 class, we learned all about action research. I realized while reading that this information was very familiar to me. Perhaps it is my teaching background in science, but I felt as though we were just applying the scientific method to problems within an educational setting.
Action research is very similar to the scientific method. Both use a systematic way to solve a problem. Using the description given in our readings this week, (Dana, 2009, p. 23), let me show you below:
Action Research Scientific Method
1. Articulate a wondering 1. Pose a problem
2. Collect data to gain insight 2. Background research for insight
3. Research project forms data 3. Experiment forms data
4. Analyze data 4. Analyze data
5. Make data-based practice improvements 5. Conclude and apply conclusions
6. Share learning with others 6. Share outcomes,verify answers
As you can see, these methods are very close. and because I teach and use them on a regular basis in my classroom, they have become second nature to me.
Several years ago, I used this method to solve a problem in our school. We had sixth graders who moved from inclusive classrooms into a multi-classroom setting. Struggling, the students lacked organization, time management, study and planning skills to be successful in our environment. After discussing the problem, my colleagues gathered materials and I researched our problem. Discovering methods that would help our students, I wrote a 9 week course for the sixth grades and called it, "Life Skills." We implemented the course the following year and found our students were more organized, had fewer missing assignments, managed their time better, and were better prepared for classes.
I had not taken a course in action research, rather the flow of it all came quite naturally to me because of my science background. My curiosity leads me to wonder how things can be improved. This is a good trait to have as an action researcher. I'm please to discover that this research process, which is pretty innate, is a required trait of a good administrator. That in itself is encouraging, even if I don't get a cape!
This year I will be focusing on student learning, communication and productivity when implementing a learning management source (LMS) into a BYOD classroom setting. Monitoring engagement, grades and thinking skill levels, we will determine whether an LMS is the model to be used in our school-wide BYOD roll out.
I feel very comfortable with this process and am anxious to nail down what I need and how to begin.
Sources
Dana, N. F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: the principal
as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press, a Joint
Publication with the American Association of School Administrators.
