My Action Research Plan

Action Planning Template Goal: Measure how effective the AVID binder system is on student’s organizational skills, homework grades, and test grades Action Steps(s): Person(s) Responsible: Timeline: Start/End Needed Resources Evaluation   Develop a questionnaire that the advisory teachers will have their advisory classes complete. Meet with 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Advisory teachers and go over the questionnaire and the rationale for this action research project.       6th, 7th, and 8th grade advisory teachers   Week one   Questionnaire   Record which students feel or do not feel the AVID binder system helps them to be more organized, turn in homework assignments and keep an updated agenda   Teachers will keep a check list with the students who have the following items in their binders: clean organized binder, updated agenda, dividers, pencil pouch with supplies, etc. Also, the teachers will help those students who are not organized.                   6th, 7th, and 8th grade advisory teachers   Week two – week eight   Binder check list   Analyze the check lists and identify the effectiveness of the Monday advisory binder check and its impact on student organization.   Compare binder check list to student homework completion and dates due and received                 Christopher Turner   Week two – week eight   Grade book with homework grades and dates, and binder check list   Look at the data to see if the binder check list correlates with the homework grades   Compare Binder check list (updated agenda) with students test grades         Christopher Turner   Week two – week eight   Grade book with test grades and binder check list   Look at the data to see if the binder check list correlates with the test grades   Research other schools that have adopted the AVID binder system and compare my findings with theirs       Christopher Turner   Week eight   Internet, emails and phone calls   Compare my findings with theirs    Meet with faculty and share my findings on the action research project       Christopher Turner   End of project   Oral Presentation with Power point   Document findings and share with co-workers   Share findings with parents and other schools   School IT   End of Project   School Web-page, Power point and explanation of results   Display power point presentation and results of the action research project so that parents and teachers will continue to monitor binders

Action Research is the process by which an administrator works with other individuals or as a team to research an issue and then reflect upon the findings. This process is different from traditional educational research because it allows the actual practitioners to conduct the research rather than university researchers. This allows administrators and teachers to address issues that are relative to their school. Action research can be used to research issues such as bullying, low test scores, conflicts, parent involvement, poverty and student achievement, etc. Action Research projects can be undertaken by large organization or even small schools or subgroups within a school. When researching each topic, most groups conducting action research projects follow the scientific method by beginning with formulating a question and ending with analyzing the findings and reflecting. Action research projects can be very beneficial for administrators. The benefits of action research for administrators include helping to keep the principal from becoming professionally isolated, helping the principals become role models for the teachers in their buildings, action research helps the best practices to flourish at your school, and finally by taking time to conduct action research, principals slow down the pace that characterizes their work. However, what truly makes action research so beneficial for a school is the actual stake-holders having input in the research process.

Blogs can be very helpful for educational leaders because blogs allow the leaders to pose questions and topics that other administrators and educational leaders can respond to.  It also allows bloggers to work together to inspire each other and gather a wider range of information and ideas.