EDLD 5301 - Week Two Reflection

This week has provided great insight to some excellent examples of action research projects conducted by educators from a variety of sources.  I became inspired to continue with mine because I realized that I have somewhat been doing this informally during the past 20+ years as an educator in some form or fashion anyway!  What a revelation!  I have actively participated in vertical teaming with other educators to discuss strengths, weaknesses, learning styles, group pairing ideas, assessment data, etc. for years and never knew it was really action research in disguise!  I look forward to the continued development of my "official" action research plan and the experiences it will provide me in the next 16 months or so!  Join me on my journey as I post reflections of my progress.

How Educational Leaders Might Use Blogs . . . .

One of the best ways for an administrator to insure that technology is utilized is to use it themselves!  When an administrator incorporates technology into every day tasks, it shows everyone that it is important to them.  Blogging is one way to use technology on a consistent basis.  It allows for the sharing of ideas and a way to "bounce"those ideas off of each other or even to people outside the campus to generate more ideas and feedback.  Blogging is a digital, interactive way to reflect and get immediate feedback in a non-threatening manner.  It creates a community of like-minded people who can communicate more informally. 

What I Have Learned About Action Research . . . . . . .

When I began this journey into Action Research this week, I must admit, I was a mess of emotions.  I began this week feeling scared and intimidated.  By mid-week, after my required readings, I was feeling more in control and inspired!  Now, as the week is at an end, I can honestly say I am comforted and excited.  What I realized is that I have always been somewhat of an action researcher without the fancy title.  As an educator of 21 years, it is a natural instinct to question and try to find answers and solutions while collaborating with the people around me.  I have had the privilege of participating and serving on many committees that have made positive changes in my school district.  These have ranged from a simple inquiry into the discipline plan used on campus and how to improve and create buy-in from the students, to textbook selection committees that chose the new textbooks that would impact learning for the whole campus, or serving on the district-wide improvement council that would scrutinize the campus plans of all the campuses in the district and make suggestions and improvement plans that impacted the entire district.  The key idea that I took from my lessons this week is that in order for things to change and improve, there must be active research in the works.  Change is not always welcomed, but it is necessary to accomplish the growing demands in education.  I am hoping that this EDLD 5301 course will be the springboard that I need to create inquiry in an organized and professional capacity to improve the circumstances that surround me in my profession.