EDLD 5301 (Week 2) Action Research Outsider Looking In

This week was filled with learning about action research. The videos and readings provided a solid foundation on which to build an action research plan. However, for me, the actual building of a plan took a lot of effort and exchange.

I am not currently teaching. Instead, I work in a full-time, non-teaching position and volunteer at an elementary school one day per week. My intern-volunteer status allows me access to the school, certain staff, and correlating students. However, my view of potential action research areas within the learning environment is greatly limited. I am outside of the teachers' and administrators' day to day and have to depend largely on my site supervisor and supporting staff to inform me of areas of need/concern for the school.

The first steps of my action research journey have been filled with advantages and disadvantages. For example, there is definitely an advantage to the outside view which only wants research findings to be accurate; there is no sway toward the positive or the negative. A disadvantage to my outside position is the fact that my academic questioning/wonderings are limited by the information I can gain one day per week or am given.

My greatest lesson learned this week is there is value in the opinions and inputs of other professionals. There is much to be said about the back and forth and candid sharing of thoughts and ideas. Week 2 of EDLD 5301 has me walking on the action research path and has me "treading upon new ground."