Action research is a great tool for educator use. It allows
teachers and administrators to take ownership of problems in their schools and
come up with possible solutions through literature research, data analysis, and
collaboration. No one likes being told, "You're doing this wrong. Do it
like this instead." This is a new alternative to traditional educational
research that has come about in the last 30 years, and it is also referred to
as "practitioner inquiry" or "classroom research."
Action research has been described as a continuing set of
spirals that consist of reflection and action. This makes sense because our
schools and classrooms will never be complete, finished, done. We are always
having to make changes to accommodate students, parents, teachers,
administrators, and even ourselves. For this reason, this is a terrific time-proven
method that continually shows us that there are always improvements that can be
made to make our schools more effective, more safe, and more challenging.
The positive results of action research have already helped
improve many schools, and I look forward to implementing positive change in my
classroom and in my school as well. As I have studied this method, I see more
and more ongoing action research that is already taking place in my school, and
I am now eager to be a knowing participant.
Blogs are a great idea for educational leader use. As leaders, we are always looking for a better way to do something, and blogs allow for collaboration. We can post problems that we are having or a new method that worked great, and others can share with us in our celebrations or make suggestions about what to try next. Blogs allow for collaboration which helps us to grow as educational leaders.
