Education Leaders and Blogs

Educational leaders can use blogs to share their ideas with other leaders as well as gain feedback and ideas to help them better their school communities. By using a blog leaders are able to communicate with other leaders so that they do not feel isolated. This allows for a broader support system.

What is action research??

Action research is an approach to inquiry in any situation that requires the person to be engaged in the research process. Carr and Kemmis state that action research is about the improvement of practice, the improvement of the understanding of practice, and the improvement the situation in which the practice takes place. Action research allows the researcher to develop their essential question, develop their research plan, collect data, analyze data, and interpret the data to make changes in their practice. Although action research/inquiry requires a lot of time it can help an administrator make meaningful changes to their schools.  By participating in practitioner inquiry, the principal develops a sense of ownership in the knowledge constructed, and this sense of ownership heavily contributes to the possibilities for real change in schools. (Dana, 2009, p10) It allows an administrator to continue to be a learner as well as a role model for the students and teachers in their buildings. By engaging in action research a principal is “doing” for him or herself rather than having things being “done” to them.

            I feel that can use action research to help me gain a better understanding of how the Responsive Classroom approach can support my school in creating a community that does not tolerate bullying.  I feel that by engaging in my own action research I can better understand how to serve and support the students and teachers in my school community.  I like that idea that action research is based on the idea that it is a practioner generated question.  I feel for myself that this would motivate me even more to engage in the research/inquiry process.