Leaders who blog can write what they want to want write. Leaders can reflect on the things that are happening in their professional daily lives. By reflecting upon their profession, leaders can create a running archive of the day to day ups and downs happening daily.
Leaders who blog can read the blogs of other leaders. The other leaders may or may not be in the same profession, and thus give variety or commonality, to the topics that leaders blog about. Variety can be found in the way that different professional leaders react or adjust to situations; while commonality can occur between blogging leaders who share a profession. In either case the leaders can see that they are not alone in their situations and can even learn from each other.
Leaders who blog can gain information, share information, write what they want to write.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Lights, Camera, Action Research in Action
The scientific method is a research direction that most of us learn in middle school. Everyone knows the drill of hypothesis, experiment, then outcome. Well, in the field of education, educators have begun applying a similar research method to improving their campuses but calling the procedure action research. According to Nancy Fichtman Dana, action research "focuses on the concerns of practitioners and engages practitioners in the design, data collection, and interpretation of data around their question" (5,Dana). Therefore, action research works from administrators posing questions or identifying issues, and can be adjusted to fit any scenario.
In the past, administrators would attend professional development seminars to learn about ways to make changes to their campuses, deal with situations, or make improvements. Attendees were expected to implement the things that they learned and everything would be alright in the land of education. However, presenters at the seminars perhaps worked under controlled settings, may have never lead their own campus, or, in some circumstances, the topic of discussion would not apply to attendees' school because of the differences in size or socioeconomic status. Action inquiry alleviates the unknowns of professional development. Instead of running a program based upon the experience of someone else, administrators are expected to create their own experiences through action research inquiries, information gathering, implementation, and reflective deduction.
Administrators use action research in a systematic manner to address the needs yo their campus. After an issue has been identified, the principal asks himself/or herself questions that can be presented to their own campus. Faculty and staff are encouraged to be part of the process because "a leader's role includes strengthening teacher's self confidence and self efficacy through action" (Ringler,2007). Teachers are a vital part of the information gathering step of action research by giving first hand accounts, advice about curriculum, and different points of view about campus traditions and changes. Principals contribute to the information phase by supplying faculty with ideas on new information that may appear in journals or come from other districts in their ares. This exchange of information is important for completely answering the inquiry presented so that solutions are well rounded. Implementation occurs when everyone agrees to maintain the standard that has been presented in the inquiry phase. All members of the group try the new solutions for a time, but also agree to meet again, consistently and repetitively, in order to reflect on any adjustments that may need to be made in order for the campus to move in the same direction.
Reflection is a critical stage of action research because thinking about the issues to be addressed can happen on individual and group levels; but can also occur at the end or the beginning of the process. By reflecting individually at the beginning of the action research process, administrators are gaining "ability to think more deeply about a problem, and the ability to take action or make adjustments accordingly" (Brown& Flanary, 2005). Therefore, leaders are becoming better at fulfilling their prospective roles. By having reflection within a group at the end of an action research project, teachers and administrators can gauge if the program was successful, or perhaps that the program should be adjusted in the next year.
Since educational standards are always changing, disciplinary action is always occuring, and improvements in all areas of a school are pressing, administrators can use action research to formulate procedures through inquiries to address all. Perhaps test scores need to be improved, or student tardiness is an issue, or peeling pain is an eyesore and an embarrassment for the community to see; action research can be applied to every situation. According to Nancy Fichtman Dana, "an inquiry stance is synonymous with professional growth and provides a nontraditional approach to administrator development that can lead to meaningful change for schools and all the people who inhabit them" (Dana,11).
Therefore, by forming groups that include the people who have an interest in the improvement in the district, action research can cause positive change.
Brown, F., Danzig, A.B., Flanary, R.A., Martin, G.E., & Wright, W.F. (2005). School leader internship. Larchmont, N.Y.: Eye on Education Inc.
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Ringler, Marjorie C. (2007). Action research and effective instructional leadership skill for suture public school leaders. AASA Journal of Scholarship and Practice, 4(1), 27-37.
In the past, administrators would attend professional development seminars to learn about ways to make changes to their campuses, deal with situations, or make improvements. Attendees were expected to implement the things that they learned and everything would be alright in the land of education. However, presenters at the seminars perhaps worked under controlled settings, may have never lead their own campus, or, in some circumstances, the topic of discussion would not apply to attendees' school because of the differences in size or socioeconomic status. Action inquiry alleviates the unknowns of professional development. Instead of running a program based upon the experience of someone else, administrators are expected to create their own experiences through action research inquiries, information gathering, implementation, and reflective deduction.
Administrators use action research in a systematic manner to address the needs yo their campus. After an issue has been identified, the principal asks himself/or herself questions that can be presented to their own campus. Faculty and staff are encouraged to be part of the process because "a leader's role includes strengthening teacher's self confidence and self efficacy through action" (Ringler,2007). Teachers are a vital part of the information gathering step of action research by giving first hand accounts, advice about curriculum, and different points of view about campus traditions and changes. Principals contribute to the information phase by supplying faculty with ideas on new information that may appear in journals or come from other districts in their ares. This exchange of information is important for completely answering the inquiry presented so that solutions are well rounded. Implementation occurs when everyone agrees to maintain the standard that has been presented in the inquiry phase. All members of the group try the new solutions for a time, but also agree to meet again, consistently and repetitively, in order to reflect on any adjustments that may need to be made in order for the campus to move in the same direction.
Reflection is a critical stage of action research because thinking about the issues to be addressed can happen on individual and group levels; but can also occur at the end or the beginning of the process. By reflecting individually at the beginning of the action research process, administrators are gaining "ability to think more deeply about a problem, and the ability to take action or make adjustments accordingly" (Brown& Flanary, 2005). Therefore, leaders are becoming better at fulfilling their prospective roles. By having reflection within a group at the end of an action research project, teachers and administrators can gauge if the program was successful, or perhaps that the program should be adjusted in the next year.
Since educational standards are always changing, disciplinary action is always occuring, and improvements in all areas of a school are pressing, administrators can use action research to formulate procedures through inquiries to address all. Perhaps test scores need to be improved, or student tardiness is an issue, or peeling pain is an eyesore and an embarrassment for the community to see; action research can be applied to every situation. According to Nancy Fichtman Dana, "an inquiry stance is synonymous with professional growth and provides a nontraditional approach to administrator development that can lead to meaningful change for schools and all the people who inhabit them" (Dana,11).
Therefore, by forming groups that include the people who have an interest in the improvement in the district, action research can cause positive change.
Brown, F., Danzig, A.B., Flanary, R.A., Martin, G.E., & Wright, W.F. (2005). School leader internship. Larchmont, N.Y.: Eye on Education Inc.
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Ringler, Marjorie C. (2007). Action research and effective instructional leadership skill for suture public school leaders. AASA Journal of Scholarship and Practice, 4(1), 27-37.
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