Revised Action Reseach Project

A comment from a peer identified a concern about how my plan can affect students who have little or no parental involvement. I think that as my plan progresses during the year we can address this group of students. I will make sure I address this issue later in my action plan..

Revised Action Plan
Goal: How does Internet usage by students at school affect their Internet usage at home and what can educators do to support and offer positive choices for the use of the internet by students when they are not at school.
Objectives:
1. Students will increase their use of the Internet on campus and off campus for educational endeavors such as; research, skill building, communication and collaboration.
2. Teachers will learn to edit and use their classroom websites to better assist parent and students as they use the Internet off campus for educational purposes.
3. Campus Technologist will develop campus web pages which will provide resources and information to help students better utilizes the Internet at home.
4. Parent awareness of campus and classroom website resources will increase.
5. Teachers will become more confident in the use of editing their classroom websites.

Setting the Foundation – This initial training / meeting will present the issue and allow teachers to brainstorm ideas and concerns.
Analyzing Data – Post issues and possible solutions from first meeting on password protected Blog. Teach teachers how to use blog and require them to post a comment before the next meeting
Developing Deeper Understanding – Student Survey, Parent Survey combined with issues and solutions gathered in initial meeting and Blog.
Engage in Self Reflection – Review Data during monthly meetings and ask for reflections on Blog for specific grade level solutions.
Exploring Programmatic Patterns - Discuss possible additional training times to be offered to teachers and if on-site as needed is not sufficient

Determining direction – Review conversations, blogs, training and website activity with Principal and AP.

Taking action for school improvement - see chart below.
Sustaining improvement – Reassess our websites at the beginning of each school year and eventually at the beginning of each unit of study period or six week period. Maintain Blog and invite more teachers to participate each year.
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Action Steps
1-Train Teachers - Review basic web editing skills and brainstorm ideas for improved use of classroom, campus website, etc. Use Nominal Group Technique
Person Responsible (Amy George/Principal)
Timeline: Aug prior to school start up
Needed Resources: Handouts, computer lab
Evaluation and monitoring: Sign in sheet /Brainstorming documents
2- Teach teachers how to use blog and require them to post a comment before the next meeting.
Person Responsible: Amy George
Timeline: Sept
Needed Resources: Weekly grade level meeting time
Evaluation and monitoring: Check for comments and help those who need assistance
3- Student survey of Internet use off site
Person Responsible: Teachers
Timeline: September
Needed Resources: Time during lab time to take survey
Evaluation and monitoring: Completed survey results will be posted on blog and discussed at one of the weekly grade level meetings
4- Parent Survey – perception of what their students are learning at school which is transferrable to home use.
Person Responsible: Amy George / Teachers
Timeline: Administer during Parent Teacher conference in Oct
Needed Resources: Time during conferences
Evaluation and Monitoring: Completed survey results will be posted on blog and discussed at one of the weekly grade level meetings.
5- Review Data during monthly meeting and ask for reflections on Blog.for specific grade level solutions. Reflect on what to do with students with little or no parental involvement and if there is a difference in strategies needed for these students.
Person Responsible: Amy George / Teachers
Timeline: Late Oct or early Nov
Resources Needed: Computers at school, time during weekly meeting
Evaluation and monitoring: Monitor Blog and check for teachers who need assistance.
6- Classroom and campus web site assessments
Person Responsible: Amy George / Teachers/ Assistant Principals
Timeline: Ongoing self assessments and monthly assessments by Amy
Resources: Time to check sites and run reports
Evaluation and monitoring: Rubric will be developed
7- End of year Teacher, Student and Parent Survey
Person Responsible: Amy George
Timeline: April
Resources: Time during lab lessons, weekly meetings
Evaluation and Monitoring: Evaluation – end of year surveys will be compared to beginning of year surve

My Action Research Project

Action Plan
Goal: How does Internet usage by students at school affect their Internet usage at home and what can educators do to support and offer positive choices for the use of the internet by students when they are not at school.
Objectives:
1. Students will increase their use of the Internet on campus and off campus for educational endeavors such as; research, skill building, communication and collaboration.
2. Teachers will learn to edit and use their classroom websites to better assist parent and students as they use the Internet off campus for educational purposes.
3. Campus Technologist will develop campus web pages which will provide resources and information to help students better utilizes the Internet at home.
4. Parent awareness of campus and classroom website resources will increase.
5. Teachers will become more confident in the use of editing their classroom websites.

Setting the Foundation – This initial training / meeting will present the issue and allow teachers to brainstorm ideas and concerns.

Analyzing Data – Post issues and possible solutions from first meeting on password protected Blog. Teach teachers how to use blog and require them to post a comment before the next meeting

Developing Deeper Understanding – Student Survey, Parent Survey combined with issues and solutions gathered in initial meeting and Blog.

Engage in Self Reflection – Review Data during monthly meetings and ask for reflections on Blog for specific grade level solutions.

Exploring Programmatic Patterns - Discuss possible additional training times to be offered to teachers and if on-site as needed is not sufficient

Determining direction – Review conversations, blogs, training and website activity with Principal and AP.

Taking action for school improvement - see list below.

Sustaining improvement – Reassess our websites at the beginning of each school year and eventually at the beginning of each unit of study period or six week period. Maintain Blog and invite more teachers to participate each year.

Action Steps List:

Train Teachers - Review basic web editing skills and brainstorm ideas for improved use of classroom, campus website, etc. - Aug prior to school start up

Teach teachers how to use blog and require them to post a comment before the next meetings. - Sept

Student survey of Internet use off site Teachers - September

Parent Survey – perception of what their students are learning at school which is transferrable to home use - Administer during Parent Teacher conference in Oct Time during conferences

Review Data during monthly meeting and ask for reflections on Blog.for specific grade level solutions. - Late Oct or early Nov Computers at school, time during weekly meeting

Classroom and campus web site assessments - Ongoing self assessments and monthly assessments by Amy George and /or AP

End of year Teacher, Student and Parent Survey - April

Topics for Action Research

This week I have learned that there are nine topics for action research; Staff Development, Curriculum Development, Individual teacher(s), Individual student(s), School Culture/Community, Leadership, Management, School Performance, and Social Justice or equity issues. Studying these nine topics made me realize how the role of a principal or leader can become extremely complicated. Each are is important to the overall health of a school. Thankfully, the skills learned in action research can be used over and over again in so many situations that is makes it a valuable practice to go back to time and time again. Reviewing the topics helped me see the many ways that action research can be used in a school environment.

What I have learned about Action Research

Action Research is an organized process for improving the practice of teaching and increasing student achievement, while having a positive impact on school culture. It is similar to other forms of research in that it begins with posing a question, followed by data collection, which leads to developing a plan. However, the questioning and data collection in Action Research is done by the principal and other educators rather than people who are outside of the day to day educational environment. Dana (2009) describes these practitioners as “knowledge generators”. This participation in the process gives ownership and usually increases the likelihood of change occurring. An interesting by-product of this participation is that it is a form of staff development. The participants not only are the researchers, but they gain knowledge while finding solutions to the issues they see in their schools and classrooms. Another possibly unique characteristic is that the process is meant to be cyclical. This makes it can adapt to the ever changing educational environment in which we find ourselves or to new questions we might find while the research is occurring. One begins with a question, followed by formulating and carrying out action steps, followed by evaluating, which leads to more questions and thus the process repeats itself. Imbedded within this process is the act of individual and team reflection. As a group of practitioners work through the process the act of reflection and sharing together binds the process together and makes it all the more likely to have powerful and positive change.

Combining Action Research and blogging can create a valuable vehicle to assist in refection and sharing. They allow many people to share in a conversation about a single topic. Blogs also create a journal type history which is a powerful part of reflection.


Fichman, Nancy Dana (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action Researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Page 5