Week 5 - Reflecting on Course

                  

This course is not what I thought it was going to be about.  When I hear the word research, I think about looking up info and writing long papers.  This course has been very interesting.  Learning about the action research plan was very useful.  Learning about the Strategies for Sustaining Improvement, Harris (pp.94-97), is going to be a useful source to bring with me into administration.  They are

• Force Field Analysis
• Delphi Method
• Nominal Group Technique

Being able to work together in a collaborative to identify areas of concern and then brainstorm ideas to find a workable direction is something we need to utilize as an administrator as much as possible. 

This course also directed us with useful communication ideas.  One direct way of communication covered in this course was the blog.  The first part was going on line and watching a u-tube video to learn about blogs.  That was an experience for me. After watching the video, I had to set up the blog and then post on it each week.  We responded to some other blogs so we were able to communicate with each other our ideas on different subjects.  This type of communication can be done world wide.  The blog experience is something I would like to continue and maybe utilize at work.

This discussion board was very helpful also. I posted my ideas on a subject and reading the reply’s really helped me with my action research planning. Also, reading all the other discussions and being able to reply helped me to see different sides to situations that had not occurred to me before.  Reading all this made me stop and think and reflect which was good because I am trying to do that as much as possible to keep myself focused in the right direction.

I also enjoyed the lectures on the videos.  I think I like the lectors better that way because I can replay parts if I need to go back to clarify.  Both of the professors were very informative about the action research plan and everything we needed to accomplish during this course.  The video class meetings were an asset too.  Ideas and information were shared in a positive way so learning was made easier. 

During the week four assignment, part 2, the Tool 8.1 CARE Model: Planning Tool, Harris, was used for us to fill out in relation to our action research plan.  This assignment was very useful because it made me reflect and analyze what I had so far on the research plan and to prioritize the issues.  This helped me with my research plan.  I also used the PIP, Fichman, model to identify the action research plan direction and the different aspects to get results.  Both of these models made developing the action research plan easier and very organized.  When I am thinking or analyzing I try to lie out step by step and these models are a good way to do that with the research plan. 

This course will help me through out my career as an administrator and teacher.  Learning about the action research plan helps me right now as a teacher and I know it will be an advantage when I become an administrator.  I look forward to finishing the research plan and working with the results in a positive way.

Works Cited

Fichman, Nancy Dana (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action Researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Harris, S., Edmonson, S., and Combs, J. (2010). Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps to improve our schools. Eye on Education Press.

Week 4 - Revised Research Plan

I met with my supervisor and she was very positive about my action research plan.  She thought the SIP/PIP was well thought out and organized.  She had a suggestion of adding more teachers into the group to survey to get a more balanced or fair picture and I thought that was a good suggestion.  I changed my plan to reflect that and I also talked to her about different evaluations but she said the ones I had were fine.  So now I am ready to go.

Week 3

               

Action Research Plan: What are the effects of regular education teachers providing inclusion support for sixth and seventh grade students?

GOAL:  To Determine the Effects Regular Education Teachers have as Inclusion Support for Sixth and Seventh Grade Students

OUTCOMES	ACTIVITIES	RESOURCES/ RESEARCH TOOLS NEEDED	RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS ACTIVITIES	TIME LINE	Benchmarks/ ASSESSMENT	Revisions to SIP/PIP based on monitoring and assessments
Setting the Foundation- Meeting to talk about new program of utilizing regular classroom teachers as inclusion support and what the effect is	Meeting with the Asst Principle, Principle, and talking to some of the teachers	Email, Inclusion Teachers	Shannon Jedlecka And Traci Harvey	October 2011	Data Comparison, and Classroom teacher will assess at the end of every six weeks
Analyzing Data – Choose 5 teachers that are both inclusion and classroom teachers	Observations in classes that have inclusion support, Questionnaires for inclusion teachers as well as the classroom teachers and some are both,  Google any similar programs for data comparison	5 Inclusion and Classroom Teachers, Create Surveys,  Computer to search	Traci Harvey	December 2011	Data Comparison, and Classroom teacher will assess at the end of every six weeks
Developing Deeper Understanding – Meetings, Emails, and keeping in contact with Region III	Once a month there are inclusion support meetings for voicing any concerns or suggestions	Time set up once a month and meeting is mandatory	Region III Principle	May 2012	Data Comparison, and Classroom teacher will assess at the end of every six weeks
Engage in Self-Reflection – Looking at everything so far	Did questionnaire cover enough information? Were enough teachers used for the research? Were enough resources used? Is the inclusion as well other students and the classroom teacher getting the assistance needed from inclusion support?	Time to analyze and look at what has been done so far	Traci Harvey	December 2011	Examining and looking at the data and the Classroom teacher will assess at the end of every six weeks
Exploring Programmatic Patterns – Making sure the students are getting inclusion support on schedule	Look at everything from attitudes to rapport between teachers in classroom. Expectations need to be voiced to inclusion support by the classroom teacher. Everything makes a difference in the students’ learning.	Meetings, Collaboratives, Looking at the data	Traci Harvey and other inclusion/regular education teachers and Shannon Jedlecka	March 2012	Examining and looking at the data and the Classroom teacher will assess at the end of every six weeks
Determining Directions – Looking at everything collected and talked about to determine direction of program	Looking at outcome will determine if changes need to be implemented for program to be successful or become more successful	Reflecting and Analyzing Data Collected	Shannon Jedlecka Traci Harvey	April 2012
Taking Action for School Improvement – Suggest Changes for improvement of program for next school year	Work as a collaborative group and suggest any needed positive changes for the program for the next school year	Data Collected  and collaborative group of teachers and at least one administrator	Shannon Jedlecka Traci Harvey	May 2012
Sustain Improvement – Keep reflecting about program and keep learning about the program	Keep communication open so meetings are important but be available for one on one, observations, workshops, learning from similar districts, Reflecting	Region III, Google, Blog, Teachers, Administrators, Books	Shannon Jedlecka Traci Harvey	Ongoing	Reflecting everything known about the program so far, including data collected, and collaboratives, be flexible and keep learning

week 2

The main thing that  I learned from week 2 was that action research is done all the time.  When teachers or administrators have problem come up most of the time action research is done to alleviate them.  Another thing that keeps coming back is as teachers and administrators, we are continually learning.  Being data driven is very important.  We have data at the end of our fingertips and we need to be constantly taking advantage of it to ensure the success of students and ultimately the campus and school district.

How Educational Leaders Might use Blogs

Educational leaders can use blogs in the process of reflection and since others will be blogging too, it can used in action research.  This allows for more learning which as a leader you can never get enough of learning

What I've Learned About Action Research

One of things that I have learned about action research is that as a teacher I have been doing this all along with my colleagues, I just did not put a name on it.  We would get together and examine what is needed more, what was working and not working and then decide on a direction.  I can see as a leader how action research will be an important part of the job just as it is in teaching.  Analyzing in a collaborative allows for diverse thinking which is important since schools are so diverse now.  Issues that need to be addressed are different in different areas or importance of the issues may be different.  Action research is more personal because each school is analyzing, clarifying, and reflecting on what concerns their school. I have also learned how important it is to continue to learn because when you stop then you are not offering your best to the school as a whole.  Action research also gives new insight which will give you as a leader a better ability to make more informed choices.  Another thing I want to always to remember is to keep asking yourself why, because when you ask why that means you are wanting to learn which is important for a leader.