It's official

I have decided to stay with the topic of Professional Development for my action research topic. After meeting with my site supervisor today and looking over the current professional development plan at our school, I realized the teachers and staff are in need of a tremendous amount of change! Wish me luck!

Action Research Plan

Samantha Skiles

EDLD 5301 Research

ED 1083

Action Planning Template
Goal: How will implementing a weekly/monthly training plan and schedule increase teachers training hours and promote more effective teaching practices?
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1. Discuss topic with school director.	Myself and Emily Acevedo	June 11, 2012- June 14, 2012	Internship Plan	Creation of Action Research topic.
2. Conduct a series of surveys on current and past professional development training opportunities.	Myself and the teachers/staff at the school.	August 2012	Survey created by me.	Teacher feedback and active monitoring.
3. Look at the spreadsheet of current logged training hours and check staff files for proof of trainings	Myself and Emily Acevedo	August – September 2012	Staff files and training spreadsheets.	All data accounted for.
4. Look at past teacher observations to see which teachers need which particular trainings.	Myself	August – September 2012	Staff files and training records	All data accounted for.
5. Observe all teachers and staff to update files and observation records.	Myself and each teacher and staff in the school.	August 2012- May 2013	Staff files and observation forms.	Quantitative and qualitative results.
6. Meet with the staff and teachers to teach and discuss the new professional development training plan.	Myself, Emily Acevedo, and the teachers and staff	September 2012	Professional Development Training Plan developed by me	Teacher feedback
7. Obtain signatures of staff and teachers agreeing to the new plan being implemented.	Myself and the teachers and staff	September 2012	Contracts developed by me	Teacher Contracts
8. Form a committee to help research and recruit for professional development trainings opportunities.	Myself and volunteer teachers and staff.	October 2012	Volunteer Sign Up Sheets	Training Committee
9. Work one-on-one to implement the plan to fit each teachers needs based on their results from the observations.	Myself and teachers individually	October 2012 – November 2012	Observations, teacher files, and customized plans for each individual teacher created by me.	Monitoring
10. Assess training records and observe teachers to see progress in classroom teaching practices.	Myself, Emily Acevedo, and teachers	December 2012 – May 2013	Teacher files, observations, training records and spreadsheet.	Teacher evaluation and monitoring.

Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools

(Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)

Week Two....Work in Progress

I just completed week two of this research class and I can definitely say that I feel more confident in what I am doing. I think that professional development is the topic I am going with for my action research plan. My school will really benefit from this and I actually enjoy professional development, so maybe I will have a little fun doing this after all. If anything, I know that the teachers at the school will be thankful because most of them want to get their training hours, but just don't really have the resources to find the correct trainings they need.

On to week three....wish me luck!

Ways to use blogs in today's education...

Blogs are a great way for educational leaders to share ideas, document success, or teach professional development. They make it easy to post information for a variety of people to view and make comments. You never know, you could be inspiring someone else to become a leader and change our education in the same way you are! 

Action Research...What is it?

When I began this journey, I didn't have a clue what Action Research was. You may be wondering the same... Hopefully after you read this, you will have a better understanding. 

Administrator inquiry or action research refers to the process of a principal engaging in systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice and taking action for change based on what he/she learns as a result of the inquiry. It provides principals with a meaningful way to grow professionally, engaging in the process of inquiry reaps other numerous benefits for principals and their schools.

So now you may be wondering what the difference is between Action Research and Traditional Research. Action Research is research that reflects on practice and creates alternative ways to improve practice. Researchers look at themselves, study what they are doing, thinking, and feeling and then seek to create ways to improve their practice. It is reflection and inquiry to improve practice. Traditional Research conducted by researchers reflects a concern for objectivity and establishing generalized truths. Looks at what others are doing and strives not to get personally involved. 

All in all, any principal that takes the journey into action research will have an amazing outcome of insight and personal accomplishment.