Week 2 Learnings

This week, I had to review nine different areas for action research and come up with an idea for an action research project from each one.  In the process, I discovered that there are multiple possibilities for action research that can lead to school improvement.  As I read through each of the nine areas, taken from Nancy F. Dana's book Leading with Passion and Knowledge, it became clear that schools are truly ripe for action research on the part of both teachers and administrators.  My eyes were opened to the myriad ways that simply asking questions, "wonderings" as Dana calls them, can lead to ideas for improving the school. 

When I first started working on developing an idea for an action research project, I thought it would be difficult to come up with even one.  As the week progressed, I realized it was actually more difficult to narrow down the possibilities.  In addition, I am beginning to see ways to use the steps in action research to find solutions to problems in my own classroom.  One of the areas that I identified as a possibility was the use of Science journals.  Just by doing a very brief literature review, I was able to see several ways that I can use these tools more effectively.  In short, the action research process holds great potential for school improvement and student achievement.  I am looking forward to working on the project over the next 18 months. 

References

Dana, N. F. (2009).  Leading with Passion and Knowledge:  The Principal as Action Researcher.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.