Action Research Topic and Plan

I will identify economically disadvantaged sophomore students and compare the academic performance of those involved in extracurricular activities versus the nonparticipating economically disadvantaged students.  I will obtain this data from academic transcripts, attendance and discipline reports from the administration, and collaborate with coaches and sponsors of the activities.  It is my belief that students involved in one or more of the 17 sports, 7 fine arts programs or the 40+ clubs and organizations instill a sense of pride and belonging. Thus producing fewer attendance and discipline issues which in turn foster greater academic performance.

Action Research Plan
GOAL:  Prove that economically disadvantaged sophomore students who participate in extracurricular activities have greater academic success than the nonparticipating economically disadvantaged students.  Thus, providing the data to prove that Trinity High School needs to be proactive in getting students involved in the school community to improve academic performance and accountability ratings.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Collect data to identify sophomore economically disadvantaged students	Patti Callahan	January 1, 2013 - January 15, 2013	Report from administration that identifies students	Student data collected
Identify economically disadvantaged sophomore students involved in extracurricular activities and nonparticipating economically disadvantaged sophomore students	Patti Callahan	January 15, 2013 – May 31, 2013	Collaborate with counselors to obtain transcripts of students’ grades and EOC scores	Identify students that are economically disadvantaged involved in extracurricular activities
Identify economically disadvantaged sophomore students involved in clubs and organizations	Patti Callahan	January 15, 2013 – May 31, 2013	List of clubs and organizations.  Contact coaches and sponsors for a list of participating students	Identify students that are economically disadvantaged involved in clubs or organizations
Disaggregate grades and EOC scores for economically disadvantaged sophomore students	Patti Callahan	January 15, 2013 – May 31, 2013	Create excel spreadsheet of students’ grades from transcripts	Completed disaggregation of student data
Collect data from administrative report on discipline referrals for identified economically disadvantaged students. Disaggregate data of discipline referrals for sophomore economically disadvantaged students	Patti Callahan	May 1, 2013 – August 30, 2013	Create excel spreadsheet of students’ referrals	Completed disaggregation of student data
Collect data from administrative report on tardies for identified economically disadvantaged students. Disaggregate tardy data for sophomore economically disadvantaged sophomore students	Patti Callahan	May 1, 2013 – August 30, 2013	Create excel spreadsheet of students’ tardies	Completed disaggregation of student data

Collect data from administrative report on attendance for identified economically disadvantaged students. Disaggregate attendance data for sophomore economically disadvantaged sophomore students	Patti Callahan	May 1, 2013 – August 30, 2013	Create excel spreadsheet of students’ attendance	Completed disaggregation of student data
Determine whether extracurricular activities affects economically disadvantaged students’ academic performance (attendance, discipline, grades)	Patti Callahan	September 1, 2013 - December 31, 2013	Create a power point and reflection paper of results	Academic advantages of extracurricular activities for economically disadvantaged students determined
Review action research results with Trinity High School administration, and make recommendations to increase economically disadvantaged participation in extracurricular activities and to improve their academic performance and accountability rating	Patti Callahan	January 2014	Summary of action research.	Action research summary
Reflection	Patti Callahan	September 2013 – March 1, 2014	Action Research Plan Internship Plan	Review action research plan and internship plan

 

I have learned that action research is important to practice in life--not just in your professional career. We as human beings, at least I know I do, have an intrinsic desire to not make the same mistakes.  I want to be the best person that I can be in all aspects of my life.  Sometimes, our professional and personal worlds collide and then it becomes paramount to into action.  That is part of the problem.  Why wait until something cataclysmic happens before we start reflecting?
I know that inquiry has been a part of my life for a long time.  It began when I was younger and became more passionate about my true love, soccer.  I would CONSTANTLY think about ways to improve my game, I would seek coaching from everyone I came across, and I was never satisfied.  I strove to get better every day.  As a matter of fact, I always wore tennis shoes every where my family went just in case there was a chance I could play soccer.  
As I have grown older, this inquiry and reflection integrated itself into my life.  I do it in every aspect of my life--especially my personal relationships and my career.  Never satisfied--always room for improvement!

The Power of the Educational Blog

An educational blog is a medium that allows you to chronicle your thoughts and ideas instantly.  No more fleeting thoughts or “aha” moments that you forget because you lose the paper you jotted them down on.  Technology at your fingertips not only opened doors, it created new ones. 

On your unique personalized blog, you are the author, you have the choice to keep your thoughts private or feel the power of collaboration with your colleagues.  It is an open forum for expressing your thoughts, experiences, brainstorming, seeking advice, sharing advice, or even tooting your own horn. 

Each blog is like its own document that you can actively interact with your followers on.  The exciting aspect of this feature is that it allows you to revisit your ideas at a later date and refine or recreate them.  Sometimes, crucial insights on how something can come together only happen after you have revisited the idea on multiple occasions over time.

I believe one of the most beneficial aspects of the blog is it is a vehicle that allows you to clear your mind and body of the emotional and mental stress that can easily build in the education sector. It is a source of tremendous “release.”

In essence, the educational blog is a limitless tool for inquiry and professional growth.

What I Have Learned About Action Research

Principals can easily become isolated from their school’s environment by being ensnared in the nuances of their daily “managerial” duties.  The ticket to freedom lies in the power of action research and administrative inquiry.  This is a necessary and essential tool that enables leaders to extricate themselves from the complex and grinding demands placed upon them from many facets.  It allows principals to connect with their school’s stakeholders by interacting with them on an intricate level.

Action research is a continuous cyclical process that promotes and supports self-reflection to gain deeper insight into one’s own practice.  It is an intentional and purposeful inquiry instigated by questioning oneself and others; then making changes based on new findings, thus becoming “a powerful vehicle for learning and school improvement.” (Dana, 2009, p.3)  It is an interactive collaborative approach for stimulating professional growth.  By cultivating action research, it fosters a learning entity where all stakeholders become active participants.

While traditional research has its benefits, the most powerful research comes from the stakeholders within an organization. The inquiry is personal, meaningful and focuses on the concerns and challenges that affect the practitioner and the stakeholders.  One important aspect of practitioner inquiry is that it does not force the implementation of the latest fad upon a school.  Instead, it is a continuous internal spiraling process that never ends.  Dynamics and dilemmas within each individual school are considered because the stakeholders are in the best position to ascertain the needs within the school.

A great way to promote action research is to create leadership teams.  This enables the principal to build a forum for action research to live and breathe within their school; it becomes immersed in the school’s culture.  “The leadership team shares problems, responsibilities, and decision making with administrators.” (Dana, 2009, p.21)  This fosters a sense of ownership and stakeholders are more likely to facilitate change because they have a vested interest in improvement. 

In conclusion, a principal is faced with enormous demands that can be immensely overwhelming.  A principal must not and will not just survive and weather the storm.  Each day brings new challenges and unexpected events.  Administrative inquiry is a powerful tool that promotes being proactive and heads off fires before they spark.  One main benefit to consistently devoting time for reflection and inquiry is that it allows an educator a mental break from the controlled chaos. “Engagement in inquiry enables you to take charge of something you can own and control in the midst of all the responding and reacting a principal does each school day.” (Dana, 2009, p.14)

On a personal note, I feel that the administrators at my school consistently use action research as a part of our school culture.  For instance, all students are given an anonymous end of the year survey in which they are asked numerous questions.  The questions range from how they feel about Trinity, do they feel like their teachers care about them, do they feel like they belong, and a plethora of questions along those lines.  As teachers, we are given multiple surveys throughout the year.  For example, we get one from the administrative building asking how we feel our human resources department, benefits department, and other departments respond to our needs.  There are so many committees on our campus devoted to student and teacher improvement that you could not possibly feel that you do not have a voice in change.  As teachers, it seems as if we are always involved in action inquiry within our department.  There are very few times that our curriculum directors give a directive on how we should do something.  It is usually a collaborative effort within each department and subject that decides the planning and implementation of the curriculum.  I have been on the absolute other end of the spectrum when it comes to administrators and I can say without a doubt this is the most stable and productive learning environment I have been a part of.

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