As stated in my discussion post for week 5, the biggest revelation I have had during this course is the actual working definition of action research. Research, in the past, has been done in the library with traditional books and also on the Internet. Reports were written detailing what others have found out about the subject at hand. Action research is so much more than the research process of my past education. Dana states action research “focuses on the concerns of practitioners (not outside researchers) and engages [them] in the design, data collection, and interpretation of the data around their questions.” (2009, p. 5) Action research is personal. The researcher, most likely, will have a vested interest in the posed question/s and the implications for change that will come from doing the research.
An action research plan is a working, flexible, buildable document. As my colleague, Carol Cullen posted on the discussion board for week 5, action research plans can be modified and adjusted to fit the needs of a campus and/or district and also as situations arise and develop.
Action research can also be challenging. First, it is very time consuming. It cannot be completed in a day, much less a week. It is also, sometimes, difficult to narrow down your research to just one topic of interest and/or need. The researcher has to first find out what drives their passion for the journey. (Dana, 2009) Dr. Kirk Lewis, of Pasadena ISD, believes in practical research-finding out what you are interested in and then applying it to improving student learning.
Through all the hard work of action research, the end goal to any plan is student increased achievement. The students are the heart of all action research. Better practices can be uncovered, policies can be amended and/or created, and relationships can be built all as a result of action research and leading to student success.
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