Action Research Plan

SCHOOL VISION:  To provide all educators with research that proves students learn better when using technology during instruction.

GOAL:  To get all educators to realize that using the promethean board for instruction will enhance students learning.

Outcomes	Activities	Resources/ Research Tools Needed	Responsibility To Address Activities	Time Line	Benchmarks/ Assessment	Revisions to SIP/PIP based on monitoring and assessments
-Provide research stating that children learn better when using technology during instruction -To get all educators on one accord to see the benefits of using the promethean board -Prove that teachers need to get away from traditional teaching in a classroom	-Teach one section utilizing the promethean board -Teach the other section without utilizing the promethean board -Administer test at the end of each week -Conduct a survey asking students “Did they like the delivery of instruction and why”?	-Input from principal, administrator intern, curriculum director, and teachers -Results from pre/post test -Surveys from students	-Principal -Teacher -Researcher (Jasmine Goodly)	- Action Research Project will be in place by May 2012 at the end of the school year	-Review post-tests and compare the scores of the two sections -Surveys will also be reviewed to observe which delivery of instruction the students like the best	-Weekly monitoring -As Needed

Week 2: Reflection

From this week’s assignments, video clippings, and readings, I have learned a lot! A statement that stood out for was from Dr.Chargois. He stated, "teachers must be able to conduct local action research in their classrooms”. I agree with him because, as educators, we must know what is going on with our students. I also learned that teachers nowadays must have a concept of research so that we can conduct action research projects that could impact students’ success. From this week’s reading I have also learned about the nine areas of major wonderings of many school leaders. I have changed my perspective on principles, because I have now realized how many decisions they have to make each day. This master’s program amazes me every day and I am thrilled to be a part of it!

Week 1 Part 3: An analysis of how educational leaders might use blogs!

I believe that blogs are great tools for educational leaders. You can use blogging to communicate with school stakeholders because you can get everyone involved, from teachers, parents, and students. This is a way that everyone can work together and collaborate. The educational value of blogs and blogging are essential to the 21^st century learner. One way that educational leaders could use blogging in the class is to let students interact with other students globally. Blogging is a great and easy way to communicate with school stakeholders.

Week 1 Part 3: What is action research and how will I use it?

Action research is the systematic process of a principal to take action for change based on what he/she has learned from the results of his/her questions (Dana, 2010). It is basically the thinking process in which a principal undergoes to solve a situation or problem (Harris, Edmonson, and Combs 2010). In the past, “outsiders” would generate or tell the practitioner what is best for their school, they would not include the voices or opinions of the people who worked in the school every day and knew what was best for the school. In present time, practitioners are more involved with the research findings to improve their schools. Action research “focuses on the concerns of practitioners (not outsider researchers) and engages practitioners in the design, data collection and interpretation of data, around their questions” (Dana, 2010, p.5). I believe that this is a better way to make a difference or changes at schools, when the decisions and research comes from within the school and not from “outsiders”.

As a new teacher, I would use action research to investigate the importance of utilizing technology in the classroom. I would like to investigate this topic because we have an abundant amount of technology in our district, but most teachers don’t know how to use the technology. Most of the classrooms are equipped with smart boards, desktop computers, mini dells, and Activotes. The problem occurs when teachers try to use the technology, but they don’t know how to use it or know ways to incorporate it in their lessons. This topic is very close to me because I am a young and new teacher who would like to implement more technology in my lessons, but no one trained me for instructional strategies or showed me how to work the equipment. I believe that teachers need more technology professional development that provides these specific needs.

                                                           References

Dana, N. F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin.

Harris, S., Edmonson, S., and Combs, J. (2010). Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps to improve our schools. Larchmont, New York: Eye on Education Press.