Prior to taking this course, I had not the faintest idea what an action research entails, even though I was aware of the term. The books, lectures, blogs, and discussion forums have been particularly helpful during the entire duration of the course and in my current action research on teachers willingness to integrate Web 2.0 technologies into curricula once they’ve seen how Web 2.0 technologies fulfill school and classroom management needs. I feel like I have gained insight into the research process as a whole and expect the daily data that I collect and examine, on a variety of topics, to inform my decisions in new lights as I consider the context and reliability of the data.
The addition of the blog and wiki with links to all the action research blogs has proven to be very useful and helpful in this effort. The discussion boards for this course also contribute to the exchange of relevant ideas. It also helped that the discussion prompts were of a reflective nature and did not involve the regurgitation of text from different sources which, while helpful in gaining a deeper connection with our resources, does not really contribute to our own action research as much as the prompts have done.
The two books we used, “Leading with Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher” by Nancy Dana Fichtman and “Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools: 8 Steps from Analysis to Action” by Sandra Harris, Stacey Edmonson, and Julie Combs both contain a wealth of information on everything about conducting action research. One thing that stood out for me was the “CARE Model Planning Tool.” This tool, wherein CARE is an acronym for Concerns, Affirmation, Recommendations, and Evaluations, provides a clear and usable framework for planning for school improvement (Dana, 2009).
I have found this course to be helpful and relevant to my professional career, and one that has certainly enriched my professional life.
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher.
Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
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