The Plan

My action research plan is taking shape. I welcome any input.

The Principal of a Problem

In determining a research topic, I had multiple discussions with members of my campus staff. There were many issues that were mentioned, such as addressing student tardiness, dress code compliance, and the reintroduction of dismissal bells. Improving school involvement from the parent's of our economically disadvantaged and Hispanic students, was a topic I highly considered researching due to the changing culture and makeup of the students at my campus. However, I chose to focus on issues that are important to my content area and as well as impact student achievement.

My site mentor and I discussed our district’s recent investment in professional development that addressed the continued low performance in the area of measurement and how we can begin to be more effective in our teaching practices. Thus, I came to the conclusion that researching what technology applications can be utilized and/or curriculum changes might need to be made to improve student achievement in measurement on secondary level standardized tests held the most relevance to my teaching environment. Through careful investigation, I plan to uncover some practical applications that encourage related research for the future to broaden the range of beneficiaries.

Both Rhyme and Reason

The purpose of my research is to address the ongoing issue of low achievement in the area of measurement at the 8th grade level.. This is a critical issue due to the increased amount of measurement required on exit level and college entrance exams. Our children are not acquiring the skills they need to be equipped for post graduate studies. I would like to look at teaching methods in the area of measurement and analyze data at multiple grade levels to determine possible technology applications that can be utilized and/or curriculum changes that may need to be made. I believe my students, both current and future, as well as teachers will benefit from this research and its findings.

Blogs in Education

In regards to action research, blogs can become an integral part of the reflection process. They are an important communication link in the inquiry process. Blogs can create an online learning environment that is an extension of the classroom. In my field of study, blogs can be used as a journal to help students clarify mathematical concepts.

Action Research-What and How?

Action research allows professional educators to analyze the environment in which they work, to assess the students with which they work and determine the issues that directly affect both of those areas. They have the unique ability to combine practice with research in order to find real solutions that bring about improved changes. What makes action research an invaluable tool is the active participation of the teachers and others who are invested in the concerns of the school. When teachers invest their own time and energy into the inquiry process, then they have a sense of ownership and are more connected to seeing the process through to its outcome. The inquiry of action research provides better internal communication, opportunities for collaborative work, and aids in the professional development of its participants.

There are five steps in the action research process which include identifying the problem area, collecting and organizing data, interpretation of the data, action based on evidence of the data, and reflection to evaluate results. There are many uses for action research. It is used to promote reflective practice; as a strategy in professional development; to aid in curriculum development; and to foster individual, institutional and community change. There are several different types of action research. These include individual teacher research that focuses on issues within a single classroom, collaborative action research that focuses on multiple classroom with similar issues, school-wide research that focuses on school issues, and district-wide research that focuses on the organization as a whole.

As teachers become more adept in the action research process, they learn that the ability to analyze their own methods of teaching which can be just as beneficial as its impact on student achievement.