Final Reflections on Action Research Course

Final Reflections:   I truly have enjoyed this course and have learned so much in these past five weeks.  At first I thought, that online college would be difficult, but I find that I have learned a greater deal than I did when I took a masters course in a building.  Not to say that that was not great, I just find this online class more interactive. Using the blogs and discussion boards, email and even face book, I feel that I have connected and communicated with a large amount of students and professors. I enjoyed all the lectures, but the ones that stood out were the ones from Week two.  Principal Johnny Briseno from Angleton ISD really made an impression on me and served as a great model implementing an action research situation.  He seemed totally available and approachable for all his teachers.  Mr. Briseno mentioned to use the internet to help aid in solutions for problems that may arise on your campus.  The solution may not be an exact fit, but at least will guide you in knowing what worked and what did not work for some campuses.  Basically he was talking about the transfer-ability of previous research inquiry without actually using those words.  I took his advice and did a Google search on my action research inquiry.  I found some interesting dissertations related and unrelated to my topic that I plan to use in my inquiry research. The web conferences were a huge help as well.  Questions were answered promptly and the sessions felt very intimate and like we all knew each other as if we were in the same physical classroom.  Being able to discuss what we were doing made the assignment more clear. What I have learned from action research is that it is a cyclical method and that even though you may get to a stopping point, your research doesn’t end.  One may choose to research another aspect that has come up and/or begin researching another pondering. In learning about action research, I realized that my principal has done this on several occasions and is still doing this. I learned that the most important thing an administrator can do is to build an inquiry stance.  Not so much to complete one or two action research inquiries, but to make inquiry a part of administration. The discussion boards and blogs provided great insight as to what others were doing and the unique and universal situations going on at their campuses.  It also provided opportunities to have colleagues comment and question our positions.  This helped make our stances or beliefs stronger and clearer.  It was fascinating to see how suggestions helped and refined our action research plans to be the best that they can be. I felt that the assignments followed a sequential order and built on what was previously learned.  The textbooks for this course were very easy to follow and read.  I plan on keeping these textbooks and putting them in my professional library.  I am excited about continuing my action research plan full force and this course has provided me the tools to do just that.

Tool 8.1 CARE Model: Planning Tool

Identify Concerns that must change (look to the future)

(Assign points to concerns from 1 to 3 in the order of the most important issues to consider.)

1.  Teacher’s negativity toward a different model of teaching.  Teachers would be teaching two grade levels, but only two subjects, for example, Language Arts/ Social Studies or Math and Science.  

2.  Teacher’s concern over what grade level they have to teach.

3.  Concern over how many parts/sections each subject has, for example, writing has four sub groups of grades that need to be assigned.

Identify Affirmations that must be sustained (look to the present)

(Assign points to affirmations from 1 to 3 in the order of the most important issues to consider.)

1. The belief that we do what is best for the children and not necessarily the grown-ups.

2.  Positive working relationships with colleagues helps make this model more efficient. The teachers piloting this model this year have a great relationship professionally and personally.

3.  For the most part, the staff has a positive working relationship and must maintain those relationships to allow this model to be successful.

SMART Recommendations that must be implemented:

(Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely)

(Assign points to recommendations from 1 to 3 in the order of the most important recommendations to implement.)

1.  In teaching multiple grades, allow teachers to have one of those grades be a grade-level that they are currently teaching.

2.  I will look at benchmark data and curriculum assessments to see how these students are performing compared to classrooms that are not using this model.

3.  During faculty meetings, allow for concerns and ideas to resolve any issues that may arise using this model.

EVALUATE – Specifically and Often

(Identify the best ways to evaluate the implemented recommendations.)

1.   One way to evaluate would be to look at benchmark testing and assessments.

2.   Provide online surveys to provide another avenue to voice concerns.

3.   Provide parent and student surveys and/or interviews to see what the public and intended audience thinks about this model.

Action Research Plan

Action Planning Template-Maria Regalado
Goal: To find out if students perform better academically with the implementation of a multiple grade-level departmentalization model.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Survey teachers on my campus about how they feel about this model.  Survey other teachers in another campus that implemented this model campus wide this school year.	Maria Regalado Wendy Williams-Principal and Site Supervisor	February 2013	Online Survey such as Survey Monkey.	Compare results with the results of the two teachers that are piloting this model this school year.
Decide which teachers and grade levels to follow/research from other campus.  Will definitely research and follow the two teachers participating on my campus. Decide on other methods of receiving and analyzing data.	Maria Regalado Laura Ledbetter-colleague Rebekah Jones-colleague Principal and Site Supervisor, Wendy Williams Assistant Principal, Jo Morast	March 2013	Permission or approval required from other campus’ principal. Survey-for other campus teachers	I will choose grade levels that are administering STAAR tests as well as grade levels that are not. The two teachers on my campus are doing 2nd and 3rd grades. So they both are dealing with a STAAR grade level and one non-STAAR grade level.
Begin collecting data on students on my campus.  Teachers and administrators will provide results from Benchmarks, Curriculum-Based Assessments and I-Station.	Maria Regalado Laura Ledbetter Rebekah Jones	March 2013-April 2013	Printouts from class summary reports from various tests and diagnostic measures.	Using the various summary reports, decide any specific areas/subjects to research and follow.
Continue analyzing data from the participating classrooms. Analyze data and interview participating teachers to discuss any other issues or feelings that have come up now that STAAR test is about to be administered.	Maria Regalado Laura Ledbetter Rebekah Jones	April  2013	Interviews from teachers and possible surveys if needed using Survey Monkey. Student interviews and conversations.	How is this model affecting teacher feelings as the STAAR test is nearing administration? Have students voiced any concerns?
Compare STAAR results of students in the departmentalized model and the results of the students in the traditional classroom setting if the results are available at this time.	Maria Regalado Laura Ledbetter Rebekah Jones	May 2013-June 2013	STAAR Results	Analyze and document results from STAAR.  Are there measurable differences in the findings?
Provide a questionnaire for students and their parents that participated in the departmentalization model.	Maria Regalado	May 2013	Survey/Questionnaire	Compare parents and student views/feelings on this model.
Plan strategies for long term research since this model will more than likely be implemented on a larger scale or even campus wide for the 2013-2014 academic school year.	Maria Regalado	June 2013-July 2013	Results from surveys and interviews. Classroom summary results.	Compare pros and cons of this model.  What adjustments could be made before implementing campus wide?

     I was really impressed to see the first video of the principal.  He seemed really hands on and involved in his school.  I liked how the teacher felt she could reach out to him and ask for his help.  I remember when I started teaching 14 years ago, I don't remember seeing the principal as much. It seemed like if we had meetings or staff development, they were planned by someone else.  I remember a lot of  teachers leaders appointed and/or volunteered to facilitate these meetings.  When I moved to another district two years later, the principal there was more hands on and even did training for teachers on staff development days.   I'm glad to say I've seen more hands on principals than not in my teaching career.  I have seen it really step up like the past 5 years.
     My principal is very hands on and approachable.  I'm so glad to be working with someone that truly cares abut what happens on our campus.  One example deals with my research topic.   She asked two teachers if they would pilot a departmentalized model on our campus.  In another neighboring school, all the teachers had to do this model and were told the April before school started.  My principal did not want to do that to everyone so she is just trying out with a few teachers this year. This is the model, two teachers one third and one second grade would be partners.  One teacher would teach Language Arts and Social Studies for both second and third grades.  The other one would teach math and science for both grade levels.  So far, the two teachers piloting this program on my campus, love it.  Some negative comments on the other campus is some teachers didn't even get a grade level they had been doing.  For example, I know a second grade teacher that was assigned third and fourth grade science and math.  My research question is, do these students perform better?  There are a few campuses in my district that have always done this. Another sub question could be, how well to the teachers work together since they are sharing students.  I am anxious to find out information and I pretty excited because more than likely we will implement this across the board on my campus next year!
 

     Educational Leaders can use blogs in a variety of ways.  Since there is usually one principal on campus, it is sometimes difficult to get feedback from other administrators right away.  Blogs can be a quick and easy method of connecting with one another.
     Leaders can also post various problems and ask for feedback on how to deal with a certain situation.  Also, they can use previous posts from themselves or others to recall what solutions worked and which ones were a waste of time.  Blogs can be another perspective for dealing with a situation.  Sometimes leaders can forget to think out of the box and try something completely unheard of to solve a problem, but it may have been successful with somebody else.
   

Findings about Action Research

  A great deal of learning and education is completed through research.  I can remember being in elementary school and having to do an independent research project.  Grant it was not in my regular classes, but in my Gifted and Talented Class.  Yes, it was pull out back then.  Nowadays, it is in the regular classes more and more.  Finding information is now at our fingertips with the internet, digital libraries and publications.  Basically we would research a topic, give credit to the people that we read from and then presented to the whole class.
     This week I have learned a great deal about action research.  Action research is a systematic approach of  gaining more information about a wondering or question you might have.  It is a method to help solve problems.  This differs from the traditional research method in that part of action research happens after all the research has been done.  You put into, "action" what you have learned so far and then evaluate to see if it's working.  If it's not working, you can come back to the drawing board and try something else. Action research involves the people affected in the process and is more proactive instead of reactive.  It does not involve a third party that doesn't have a clue about the problem or is not directly involved with the situation.
     I will use this approach to help solve any issues I may have in my classroom and as an administrator. Reflective practices such as writing in a journal will help me to stay focused on the situation.  It can serve as a guide to see what the next steps are and also to evaluate and assess the situation after implementation. Having an action research plan for a situation shows that you are willing to do something and follow through and adjust or change as needed.