Why should I as an educator blog?
Self-improvement comes through self-reflection and outside feedback. Blogging not only gives me the opportunity to "journal" my thoughts and experiences as an educator, but allows me to share those thoughts with others and get valuable feedback from students, community members, and educators all over the globe. A valuable dialogue can be started and continued through the use of a blog. Fresh ideas and concepts to universal problems in schools can be shared through the use of a blog - it is like a global Professional Development Community which is one of the cool aspects of Web 2.0 tools and the internet.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Ramblings of a Newbie Action Researcher
“Simply stated, administrator inquiry refers to the process of a principal engaging in systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice and taking action for change based on what he/she learns as a result of the inquiry” (Dana, 2009).
My interpretation of this statement is that administrative inquiry or action research is a constant cycle of questioning how I can do my job better by identifying problems and making the appropriate changes through gathering data, asking questions,seeking outside sources of information, and sharing what I learned with my colleagues.
Action research starts with inquiry. “Inquiry is investigating in a systematic way. Inquiry is examining data, asking questions, and requesting more information” (Harris, Edmonson, & Combs, 2010). The inquiry process is more than just asking a question, it is a more in-depth approach that requires all of the elements above to not only answer the question, but understand what needs to be done to enact the changes necessary to improve the problems identified by the action research process.
In the two traditional educational research models given in Table 1.1 Comparison of Research Paradigms on page 7 of “Leading with Passion and Knowledge”, the practitioner does not take a direct role in the research; the researcher is an outsider. The process in the traditional methods is either linear or discursive, where the action research process is cyclical. While the traditional educational research methods may take the “unbiased observer” approach, the action research approach directly involves the stakeholder who has a vested interest in the outcome creating a sense of ownership in the process. Constant improvements can be made to the process based on the fact it is continual which creates a better outcome.
A problem of particular concern in my position that could benefit from Action Research would be Student Retention Rates. I just took a Workforce Education Program in Game Development and Design over for the Fall 2010 semester and would like to make improvements to the program. I received a Program Report Card at the first departmental meeting that I had with my Dean indicating that the Game Development and Design program was borderline due to Student Retention Rates. The program's longevity is dependent upon the percentage of students who actually finish the program and either find employment within the industry or transfer to a 4-year university.
I could use Action Research to identify what I could do as head of the program to identify the causes of low student retention and improvements that could be made including the tracking of graduates. The reasons for this low number could be a result of several issues including students who drop out and students who have transferred or found employment but never been documented. This information has never been kept so is not counted in the retention numbers.
References:
Dana, N. F. (2009). Leading with Passion and Knowledge. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Harris, S., Edmonson, S., & Combs, J. (2010). Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools. Larachmont, NY: Eye on Education.
My interpretation of this statement is that administrative inquiry or action research is a constant cycle of questioning how I can do my job better by identifying problems and making the appropriate changes through gathering data, asking questions,seeking outside sources of information, and sharing what I learned with my colleagues.
Action research starts with inquiry. “Inquiry is investigating in a systematic way. Inquiry is examining data, asking questions, and requesting more information” (Harris, Edmonson, & Combs, 2010). The inquiry process is more than just asking a question, it is a more in-depth approach that requires all of the elements above to not only answer the question, but understand what needs to be done to enact the changes necessary to improve the problems identified by the action research process.
In the two traditional educational research models given in Table 1.1 Comparison of Research Paradigms on page 7 of “Leading with Passion and Knowledge”, the practitioner does not take a direct role in the research; the researcher is an outsider. The process in the traditional methods is either linear or discursive, where the action research process is cyclical. While the traditional educational research methods may take the “unbiased observer” approach, the action research approach directly involves the stakeholder who has a vested interest in the outcome creating a sense of ownership in the process. Constant improvements can be made to the process based on the fact it is continual which creates a better outcome.
A problem of particular concern in my position that could benefit from Action Research would be Student Retention Rates. I just took a Workforce Education Program in Game Development and Design over for the Fall 2010 semester and would like to make improvements to the program. I received a Program Report Card at the first departmental meeting that I had with my Dean indicating that the Game Development and Design program was borderline due to Student Retention Rates. The program's longevity is dependent upon the percentage of students who actually finish the program and either find employment within the industry or transfer to a 4-year university.
I could use Action Research to identify what I could do as head of the program to identify the causes of low student retention and improvements that could be made including the tracking of graduates. The reasons for this low number could be a result of several issues including students who drop out and students who have transferred or found employment but never been documented. This information has never been kept so is not counted in the retention numbers.
References:
Dana, N. F. (2009). Leading with Passion and Knowledge. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
Harris, S., Edmonson, S., & Combs, J. (2010). Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools. Larachmont, NY: Eye on Education.
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