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
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