Reflections about 5301 Action Research

EDLD 5301 Action Research class has provided me with the necessary tools to becoming a successful administrator and leader. This course is just one step into building my framework and I have found it to be a very valuable course and have learned many effective strategies about research. This class was the first of many things that I’ve never done before like:  blogs, discussion board, web conferences, and many more. I have found these to be very instrumental in my development as a leader.  At the beginning, I was nervous because of the title but as I listened to the lectures and read the material and assignments, I realized the difference in a research paper and an Action Research paper. 

The lectures were very informative and helpful in explaining the processes that were necessary to create a creative concept to make a difference in education. Dr. Artebury suggested several useful and informative tips to help guide us through the action research planning process. I personally enjoyed the 3 lectures from the principals and superintendent during the course of this class. The lectures were nice to see because they provided different perspectives from different districts that performed action researches in order to find solutions to student achievement and to create a positive change from within.

Blogging was a first for me and I have found it to be very informative and a valuable resource. It creates a place to collaborate with peers and a place to bounce new and innovative ideas off of to determine validity. Reading and responding to discussions or reflections have been very enjoyable and a learning tool for me. I have also found that blogs and the discussion board have developed and created an avenue to share ideas and to communicate with others to receive feedback positively or negatively.

The readings of Leading with Passion and Knowledge by Nancy Dana Fichman and Examining what we do to Improve our Schools by S. Harris, S. Edmondson, and J. Combs were interesting and beneficial to my development and creation of my Action Research Plan. These provided an outline that I found useful and effective to creating my research plan. The books explain that administrator inquiry refers to a process that engages in a systematic study of self and strives to reflect and develop solutions based on your data analysis and feedback. The 8 step process was informative because of the outline for developing an Action Research Plan. It was simple and easy to follow when organizing my plan.

This course has also provided me with the vision to develop and overtake an Action Research Plan.  It has provided me with the tools to lead teachers and students to be life-long learners. I look forward to using the wealth of information I have learned in this class and strive to create a creative and innovative learning environment.