Saturday, April 13, 2013

Why conduct action research?? WIIFM

Action research is a reflective process that affords an administrator or teacher the opportunity to review and analyze their own practices in order to initiate change based on their findings.Thus, action research lends itself to constant and continuous improvevement if used purposely and effectively as a catalyst for change. As a result, better choices are made for the sake of the classroom and the school as a whole.  This problem solving approach enables the inquiry based practitioner to gain deeper insights into their practice, empowering them to investigate issues pertinent to their campus, while becoming collaborators in their learning and educational research.  They share a vested interest and role in proposing potential solutions for the campus instead of being told by an outside researcher of their campus needs.  This level of ownership demands the practitioner to become a part of the struggle in order to better understand, inform, reshape, and reform standard school practice  (Cochran-Smith & Lytle, 1993).  As an administrator, I will use action research the same way I currently use it in the classroom.  It will serve as a self reflective process that reflects best practices.  Action research is an endless work in progress as improvement is always the end goal.  The question may change, but the end result is always the same:  continuous improvement (Dana, 2009).

Cochran-Smith, M., & Lytle, S. L. (1993). Inside/outside:  Teacher research and knowledge.  New York:  Teachers College Press.
 
Dana, N. (2009). Leading with Passion and Knowledge:  The Principal as Action Researcher.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

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