Week 4: Agreed upon Action Research Plan

Week 3 - Action Research Plan

Week 2 Blog: Lesson Learned

From the video lectures I learned that cohesively qualitative data is the new “it” thing in education. Data in any shape or form is essential in today’s educational society. We just have to know how to use the data and make it work for us. Accountability is everything when moving into an administrative position and you must make sure that your teachers are using every available resource in order to get results. As we see with Dr. Chargois from Beaumont ISD, entire teams are being developed in districts in order to make data readily available and help with strategies on how to use this data. If one campus shows growth then we know that the use of data does work and the tools used in order to achieve these results need to be spread around districts in order to give all students the best education possible. In Houston, our exemplary and recognized schools have hit all time records. There are only a few academically acceptable schools left and we are currently on a mission to make the use of data a standard at these campuses where the students they are serving are getting every ounce of success available to them.

HOW MIGHT EDUCATIONAL LEADERS USE BLOGS?

Leaders in education whether it be a department chair, principal, or even a superintendent have various ways that they can use blogs. For my discussion here I will focus on the communication factor of blogs. Leaders can use blogs to reach the masses. If there is some important news that needs to be shared he/she can type something up, post it, and send out a district call letting parent know to log on to view the newly posted announcement. Now this can be tough in inner city camps where many students do not have computers but in order to address this topic let’s assume all in the community do. A leader can also post up a video using a webcam as a kind of news station to keep parents informed of upcoming meetings, grade distribution, and even needing chaperons for next month’s field trip. The days of sending a flyer home could be gone if in the area you serve technology is readily and widely available. People now read books off their phones so there is no drawback to reading campus news or better yet viewing campus news by just logging into a website and clicking a link that say, “This week at ABC High.” Blogs are a new endeavor capable of many positive outcomes.

Research - Week 1 Part 3

We in the teaching field can use action research because we are not trying to solve problem outside our gates but are trying to fix things within. We are working in our own environment, with our own students, and with the problems that affect us day in and day out. Action research is the tool that we can use to see real change take place within ourselves and within our campus. If done successfully results will be seen and from there we build to create new data. Those involved whether it is a SBDM or PLC must be full engaged and participate throughout every step of the process in order for it to be successful. When we are fully involved we begin to take ownership of the plans laid out on the table therefore, we want positive results and will not rest until we get them. It is that ownership and the reflecting on their impact on their student’s success that will take action research even further and not only be used for the campus as a whole but may be used by every individual teacher to see results in their classroom. Teachers begin to analyze and look within themselves at their methods and delivery and within an instant, we have just created an entirely new campus dynamic.