Reflection of Action Research Course

As I began my reflection of this course, I couldn’t help but think of the image that I had of the course before it began. I had a colleague that had taken this course several months ago, and he had somewhat warned me about the course and its requirements. Also, this is my last course in the program, and I have taken it at the same time as my internship course in order to graduate. I would have to say that from what I had heard before, and what I experienced in this course, the changes that have been made to the course are great. I really enjoyed the activities of the course, and I feel as though I have become better prepared to be an action researcher. I know that it would have been better to have taken this course earlier in the program because of the help that it would have been in the internship and other courses. However, because of the interest that I have in my research, I will complete my project even though I have completed my degree. You were successful in your objective for the course, because you have turned me into a teacher/principal researcher.


I felt as though the lectures and the assignments were directly related to what we were learning that week. The progression of the course built up to a research project that is ready to be implemented. There were times in the course when I felt as though some of the work was repetitive, but perhaps that repetitiveness is what provided the focus on the most important points. The template that we used for the action research plan was particularly helpful in developing and organizing my work into a working plan. The textbooks for the course were especially helpful. The Dana text was really a well prepared text that I will use throughout my career. It would be an excellent book for a future book study of a leadership team.

The discussion boards and the blogs also provided the interaction with peers that helped develop our research plans. It helps to see others viewpoints on topics and it really help when others provide feedback on your plans. One adjustment that I would recommend would be assigning specific groups within the course for feedback. This was done in an earlier course, and it forces each person in the group to give feedback on their plan. The blogs were something that was new for me. The technology course was the first time that I ever experienced this type of medium, and I believe this is something we will all be using in the future. It was beneficial to look at others blogs and see the creativity of the other student’s plans.

As a future leader, I can see the importance of action research in our schools. Action research is facilitating the importance of data-driven decisions in our schools. All schools are different and therefore have different needs. Action research provides the data for a school to make decisions that are applicable to that campus, not just because it is the latest trend. The process of action research is something that I will definitely use as a leader. I want to be able to make decisions based on data that is from my school rather that someone else’s.

Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as an action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Action Research Plan

Reflection on Action Research Topic

This week's assignments were all leading up to selecting a topic for action research. The interviews of the three scholars helped me to understand what real action research is all about. I know now that the best research has a specific purpose and that the significance of action research should be to improve student achievement. In the second part of the assignment, we explored the different areas of action research that can take place in school settings. This activity enabled me to broaden my perception of the different areas of action research that can take place in schools. After exploring all of the different types of action research, I was able to confirm the topic that would have significance on my campus. I was able to meet discuss with my site supervisor about three different topics that I was considering, and then decide on the one that would most benefit my specific campus. My action research will deal with the effectiveness of TAKS classes on my campus for 9th grade at-risk students. I want to know if there are immediate or long term benefits from the class, and if these students are experiencing an increase in achievement.

Blogs for Educational Leaders

Educational leaders can use blogs as a journal for data collection. It is important to collect thoughts in an organized form so that those thoughts can be revisited and edited when necessary. This capturing of thinking can become invaluable when used in the process of action research. Another important aspect of blogging is the possibility of posting information for a large audience. This produces the possibility of widespread idea sharing, as well as, recieving feedback from other interested parties on your topic. Sharing an inquiry with others can help facilitate the research process.

Learning about Action Research

Action research is simply stated as a systemic approach to investigating a "wondering". This wondering can be anything that is occurring in an educational setting that could use improvement or just further study. Dana (2009) describes administrative inquiry as the process of a principal engaging in a systemic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice and taking action for change based on what he/she learns as a result of inquiry. This systemic practice of inquiry involves posing questions, collecting data, analyzing data, reading literature, making changes based on new understandings, and sharing your findings with others. The ultimate goal of inquiry is school improvement.

Action research can be practiced by administrators and teachers alike, and there are numerous benefits to participating in this type of inquiry. One is that it increases the collegiality and peer support while reducing the isolation of administrators and teachers. Another benefit is the example of active life-long learning that can be set for teachers and students. Inquiry can also facilitate best practices on a campus, as well as encourage school improvement.

There are many ways that administrators or teachers can actively engage in action research. Action research can serve as professional development, or it can be facilitated through professional learning communities. Administrative inquiry can occur through university coursework, district meetings, or through campus leadership teams. These are some of the areas that action research can be used to focus on learning. As a future leader, I am learning the importance and the possibilities of practicing action reasearch as an administrator


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