When reflecting on my journey throughout Research, the first thing that came to mind was a quote from Dr. Johnny Briseno in our week 2 lecture; he stated that a topic for action research occurs anytime a future leader has “a problem with something or they have issues on a campus”. Also a thought from Dana also came to mind…. inquiry places the future administrator in charge of his or her own growth and development (Dana, 2009, p. 29). Topics for inquiry abound; anytime “I wonder if…” I have stumbled across a topic for inquiry.
The one area that I think I will find problematic in conducting action research is in collecting data. What data do I need to collect? How much data do I need to collect? How should I collect the data? How do I know if the data is valid and reliable? I will need to work with “experts” in the area of data; I need them to teach me everything that I will need to know about collecting and analyzing data.
I have found that blogging is a great way to organize my thoughts. By blogging I am “putting my thoughts on paper (so to speak) and reflecting on my practice. Blogging also gives me an opportunity for colleagues to help me out by leaving their comments. As Dr. Briseno stated, “Sometimes you can find a wealth of information that will make your life easier, why reinvent the wheel?” My colleagues may have already solved my wondering, or know where to locate information on my wondering; they may be able to make my life just a bit easier.
My wondering may be of interest to others so I need to share the results of my inquiry with others. Just as my colleagues may be able to make my life just a bit easier, I may be able to do the same for them. In order to do so, I need to be able to present my findings in a logical manner that makes sense to my intended audience.
I also need to remember that as a leader I must be “actively engaged in looking to the future” (Harris et al, 2010, p. 93). As such I need to be the head learner in my building and I need to be the head learner of the school. By engaging in action research, by collaborating with the teachers in my building, by sharing my findings with the appropriate audiences, I am modeling this.
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Harris, S., Edmonson, S., & Combs, J. (2010). Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools: 8 Steps from Analysis to Action. Larchmont, N,Y.: Eye on Education.
[Interview with Dr. Johnny Briseno, Principal, Rancho Isabella Elementary, Angleton ISD. Retrieved from https://lamar.epiclms.net/Learn/Player.aspx?enrollmentid=1300026&itemid=c-DISCUSSION4_3].
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