This course has been an eye opener for me regarding the function of action research within the school environment. Simply stated, action research is a continual interactive and reflection process that gives voice to the "people who work in the trenches of the school building on a daily basis and are therefore best positioned to understand and better the educational experiences for all members of the schoolhouse" (Dana, pg 5). The supports of strategies for data collection, assessing the quality of inquiry, and sustaining improvement have given me the foundational tools needed to plan effectively and move forward.
Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action
researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Updated Action Research
As a result of inputs from other professionals, I have adjusted my research focus. My topic has become more specific and the identification of what I must observe is more concise.
Action Planning Template | ||||
Goal: Evaluate the impact of the Read 180 Program on the reading levels of at-risk fourth grade students at Holbrook Elementary. | ||||
Action Steps(s): | Person(s) Responsible: | Timeline: Start/End | Needed Resources | Evaluation |
Evaluate the students’ lexile, STAR and grades from entry into 4th grade to first nine weeks into 5th grade. | Kimberly Darden | February 2012-May 2013 | -180 reports -Student report cards -STAR scores -Computer & Printer | -Compilation of student scores |
Review the Read 180 Implementation video to understand Scholastic’s Instructional model. | Mrs. Mahlmann Kimberly Darden | February 2012 | -Read 180 Implementation DVD -Computer with internet connection | -Summary describing the instructional model of Read 180 Implementation DVD |
Observe 4th grade 180 classes during instructional times to assess adherence to or divergence from the Read 180 Instructional model. | Mrs. Mahlmann Kimberly Darden Ms. Hudson Ms. Wells | February 2012- May 2013 | -Observation Log -Notepad/pen | -Completed observation log -Typed record of discussion |
Monitor Progress and assess how the findings inform Holbrook Elementary (CIP) Campus Improvement Plan. | Mr. Mitchell Mrs. Mahlmann Kimberly Darden | February 2012-May 2013 | -Principal/VP -CIP | -Administrator survey/feedback |
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
My Action Research Plan-EDLD 5301
Action Planning Template | ||||
Goal: Evaluate the impact of the Read 180 Program on the reading levels of at-risk fourth grade students at Holbrook Elementary. | ||||
Action Steps(s): | Person(s) Responsible: | Timeline: Start/End | Needed Resources | Evaluation |
Evaluate the students’ lexile, STAR and grades from entry into 4th grade to first nine weeks into 5th grade. | Kimberly Darden | February 2012-May 2013 | -180 reports -Student report cards -STAR scores -Computer & Printer | -Compilation of student scores |
Review the Read 180 Implementation video to understand Scholastic’s Instructional model. | Mrs. Mahlmann Kimberly Darden | February 2012 | -Read 180 Implementation DVD -Computer with internet connection | -Summary describing the instructional model of Read 180 Implementation DVD |
Observe 4th grade 180 classes during instructional times and informal discussion with focal teachers. | Mrs. Mahlmann Kimberly Darden Ms. Hudson Ms. Wells | February 2012- May 2013 | -Observation Log -Notepad/pen | -Completed observation log -Typed record of discussion |
Monitor Progress and assess how the findings inform Holbrook Elementary (CIP) Campus Improvement Plan. | Mr. Mitchell Mrs. Mahlmann Kimberly Darden | February 2012-May 2013 | -Principal/VP -CIP | -Administrator survey/feedback |
Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools
(Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
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."
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."
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Action Research
Administative inquiry or action research is a process that can lead change for schools and all it stakeholders. In Examining What We Do to Improve our Schools: 8 Steps from Analysis to Action authors Harris, Edmonson, & Combs share the following information regarding inquiry:
"Inquiry is investigating in a systematic way. Inquiry is examining data, asking questions, and requesting more information. The inquiry process, based on logical reasoning, requires the collection of information in systematic way" (pg. 5).Applying their definition of inquiry to that of administrative inquiry or action research would involve the administrator engaging in systematic investigation, examination, collaboration and collection of information to affect change. Practitioner involvement in efforts for improvements is imperative to foster shared vision and group ownership. Nancy F. Dana finds that an administrator’s participation in inquiry “develops a sense of ownership in the knowledge constructed, and this sense of ownership heavily contributes to the possibilities for real change in schools” (p. 10). Administrative inquiry and action research are important modes of change that begin with one person or cluster of a team of practitioners, but requires the by-in and engagement of all stakeholders to prove successful.
My use for action research may be to improve my function within the academic settings to which I am connected. On any given say, there is much that I think or question. These thoughts and questions may prove to parent the next great practices or methods for professional or academic growth. The fact that I am not currently working in a school and am largely dependent upon my volunteer times to frame these questions, will force me to invite the queries of those immersed daily into the art of classroom instruction. Action research may be a tool that helps to improve a school environment and build a sort of consensus on school improvement focus.
My use for action research may be to improve my function within the academic settings to which I am connected. On any given say, there is much that I think or question. These thoughts and questions may prove to parent the next great practices or methods for professional or academic growth. The fact that I am not currently working in a school and am largely dependent upon my volunteer times to frame these questions, will force me to invite the queries of those immersed daily into the art of classroom instruction. Action research may be a tool that helps to improve a school environment and build a sort of consensus on school improvement focus.
Dana, N. F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge:
the principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
the principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Harris, S., Edmondson, S., & Combs, J. (2009). Examining what we
do to improve our schools: 8 steps from analysis to action. Larchmont, N.Y:
Eye on Education.
do to improve our schools: 8 steps from analysis to action. Larchmont, N.Y:
Eye on Education.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Educational Leaders & Blogging
With so many classrooms and campus needs vying for the attention of teachers and administrators throughout the academic day, it is not commonplace for either to take a moment and journal. My volunteer hours today were a perfect example of the non-stop flow of the school day. I shadowed and assisted a vice-principal for 120 minutes. We began reviewing student grades, went to two kindergarten classes to assist departure for a field trip, met with two students who were sent out of the class for misbehaviors, talked with a parent regarding her child's removal from the bus, observed lunch time for a cluster group of classes, stopped by four classes to talk with teachers, participated in a CIP meeting...Whew! I was breathless! I asked, "When do you sit and catch your breath?" He answered, "When I can find one moment to be had, I take it! But that doesn't happen often." He smiled and kept moving on to the next need.
Blogging is an opportunity for everyone, including educational leaders, to quickly and effectively record and store thoughts. Blogs become a great place to record highlights of the day--the child we are concerned about, the teacher who has a great idea, the cafeteria worker who seems consistently disgruntled, etc. During a given day there are many occurrences that act as impetus for ideas or questions. We experience moments of epiphany that may return, but may not. Blogging can help us capture those thoughts. It can also function as a resource that displays our professional growth from one time period to the next.
In fact, this blog makes me consider investigating the impact of blogging upon professional growth. Hhmmm....What do you think?
Blogging is an opportunity for everyone, including educational leaders, to quickly and effectively record and store thoughts. Blogs become a great place to record highlights of the day--the child we are concerned about, the teacher who has a great idea, the cafeteria worker who seems consistently disgruntled, etc. During a given day there are many occurrences that act as impetus for ideas or questions. We experience moments of epiphany that may return, but may not. Blogging can help us capture those thoughts. It can also function as a resource that displays our professional growth from one time period to the next.
In fact, this blog makes me consider investigating the impact of blogging upon professional growth. Hhmmm....What do you think?
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Week 5 Web Conference
Our final web conference for EDLD 5306 was held on Wednesday, December 13, 2011 at 8:00 p.m. Professor Borel focused on assuring our Draft Internship Plan and our Draft Principal Competencies requirements were understood by all. These documents will guide our field activities throughout the eighteen month Educational Technology Leadership program.
For me, the conference was an opportunity to assure I was on the right track. I was using the correct forms and inputting information correctly. My peers asked really good questions like: 1.) whether changes to the documents could be made after submission, 2.) where the drafts documents could be found, and 3.) whether we have to wait for a request from tk20 in order to upload and artifact. I exited this web conference feeling confident that my final week would go very smoothly!
I logged out of the web conference at 8:58 p.m.
For me, the conference was an opportunity to assure I was on the right track. I was using the correct forms and inputting information correctly. My peers asked really good questions like: 1.) whether changes to the documents could be made after submission, 2.) where the drafts documents could be found, and 3.) whether we have to wait for a request from tk20 in order to upload and artifact. I exited this web conference feeling confident that my final week would go very smoothly!
I logged out of the web conference at 8:58 p.m.
Course Reflections
The EDLD 5306 Course & My Expectations
Initially, when I signed up for this course, I thought that I would learn some new, cool, techy things, but viewed myself a technologically viable. Week one was a huge wake up call for me! Words like blog, wiki, embedded video, and webconference gave me a swimming in the head. I said, "What have I done?" Fear tried to overcome me, but I fought it with tenacity!
I expected to learn technology skills during this course and absolutely received more than I bargained for. As a result of the team's support (Thanks, Sarah and Professor Borel!) and long nights, I am able to create a wiki, a blog, a wordle cloud, embedded video, and even participate in web-conferencing. Beyond these technology skills, I am now reading some great resources for technology and learning. This first course has bolstered my technology self-confidence and true knowledge. It also has laid tremendous groundwork for someone like me--on the edge of going tech.
___________________________________________
Outcomes' Relevance to My School Assignments
I do not currently work in a school. However, I am volunteering at a local school. So far we have done one face-to-face meet & greet and have communicated via email over the past two weeks. Based on what has been recorded in my Draft Internship Plan and my Draft Principal Competencies, I do believe the skills I have gained during course 5306 will be honed an used throughout my course work.
As I have stated before, I believe that learning is a life-long activity. It does not suddenly come to an end when a diploma or degree is gained. Life-long learners take the skills and information gained to invest into all the opportunities and lessons that are to come. This is my plan. I see the skills, tasks, assignments required in 5306 as foundational settings on-which to build and expand my personal use and professional use of technology.
_________________________
Outcomes Not Achieved?
My expectations for this course were limited by my own technology knowledge. I did not have a laundry list of skill-sets that I had to learn. I wanted to enter a program that would allow me to gain insight into and understanding of the current and best practices regarding technology use in the realm of education. I believe that I have accomplished the tasks outlined in course 5306 and have done so through hands-on learning experiences. Many moments of frustration were common placed during weeks one and two. I felt like I could not find anything on my first try. However, the process of trial and error allowed me to value the missteps because they informed by future actions. In fact my missteps and subsequent successes allowed me the capacity to help others.
_______________________________
Success with Course Assignments?
When I opened the Overview document to week one the information seemed pretty straight-forward. I went into epic, looked at the tasks and began reading articles. By the first web-conference, as I listened to the questions being asked by my peers, it became abundantly clear to me that I had missed some huge things. I jotted down notes as Professor Borel responded to questions and said to myself, "This is going to be a long night." After the web conference, I began searching epic and mylamar. What had I missed? I could have kicked myself when I realized that I had not scrolled down on the Overview for week one! Wow! I have more to do than I thought.
This misstep on my part--not reading the overview completely--set me on a pattern to avoid making a similar mistake. As a result, I paid close attention to the large and small things. I attended all web conferences and carefully reviewed everything that was printed or spoken. I still did experience some missteps, but was able to correct my errors quickly. During the past five weeks, I have completed each part of every assignment in course 5306 with what I consider success.
_______________________________________
What the Course Taught Me About Myself?
EDLD 5306 has been a good training ground for me. The assignments forced me to move beyond my limited use of technology and construct new things. Prior to this course, I had never created a wiki or a blog. I had not participated in a web conference or embedded a video presentation into a wiki. I had not read so many articles on technology before. All of these truths and my responses to the tasks remind me that huge treasure lies in the chest of experience. I can be effective with understanding and producing technology products. I am not limited to the accent of the "digital immigrant"; I can and shall become fluent in this new language of the "digital natives." As I learn and become proficient, it is my responsibility as an educator to build others forward by sharing what I know. Effective training, experimentation, and commitment to best practices are the little steps that can lead to huge change!
Initially, when I signed up for this course, I thought that I would learn some new, cool, techy things, but viewed myself a technologically viable. Week one was a huge wake up call for me! Words like blog, wiki, embedded video, and webconference gave me a swimming in the head. I said, "What have I done?" Fear tried to overcome me, but I fought it with tenacity!
I expected to learn technology skills during this course and absolutely received more than I bargained for. As a result of the team's support (Thanks, Sarah and Professor Borel!) and long nights, I am able to create a wiki, a blog, a wordle cloud, embedded video, and even participate in web-conferencing. Beyond these technology skills, I am now reading some great resources for technology and learning. This first course has bolstered my technology self-confidence and true knowledge. It also has laid tremendous groundwork for someone like me--on the edge of going tech.
___________________________________________
Outcomes' Relevance to My School Assignments
I do not currently work in a school. However, I am volunteering at a local school. So far we have done one face-to-face meet & greet and have communicated via email over the past two weeks. Based on what has been recorded in my Draft Internship Plan and my Draft Principal Competencies, I do believe the skills I have gained during course 5306 will be honed an used throughout my course work.
As I have stated before, I believe that learning is a life-long activity. It does not suddenly come to an end when a diploma or degree is gained. Life-long learners take the skills and information gained to invest into all the opportunities and lessons that are to come. This is my plan. I see the skills, tasks, assignments required in 5306 as foundational settings on-which to build and expand my personal use and professional use of technology.
_________________________
Outcomes Not Achieved?
My expectations for this course were limited by my own technology knowledge. I did not have a laundry list of skill-sets that I had to learn. I wanted to enter a program that would allow me to gain insight into and understanding of the current and best practices regarding technology use in the realm of education. I believe that I have accomplished the tasks outlined in course 5306 and have done so through hands-on learning experiences. Many moments of frustration were common placed during weeks one and two. I felt like I could not find anything on my first try. However, the process of trial and error allowed me to value the missteps because they informed by future actions. In fact my missteps and subsequent successes allowed me the capacity to help others.
_______________________________
Success with Course Assignments?
When I opened the Overview document to week one the information seemed pretty straight-forward. I went into epic, looked at the tasks and began reading articles. By the first web-conference, as I listened to the questions being asked by my peers, it became abundantly clear to me that I had missed some huge things. I jotted down notes as Professor Borel responded to questions and said to myself, "This is going to be a long night." After the web conference, I began searching epic and mylamar. What had I missed? I could have kicked myself when I realized that I had not scrolled down on the Overview for week one! Wow! I have more to do than I thought.
This misstep on my part--not reading the overview completely--set me on a pattern to avoid making a similar mistake. As a result, I paid close attention to the large and small things. I attended all web conferences and carefully reviewed everything that was printed or spoken. I still did experience some missteps, but was able to correct my errors quickly. During the past five weeks, I have completed each part of every assignment in course 5306 with what I consider success.
_______________________________________
What the Course Taught Me About Myself?
EDLD 5306 has been a good training ground for me. The assignments forced me to move beyond my limited use of technology and construct new things. Prior to this course, I had never created a wiki or a blog. I had not participated in a web conference or embedded a video presentation into a wiki. I had not read so many articles on technology before. All of these truths and my responses to the tasks remind me that huge treasure lies in the chest of experience. I can be effective with understanding and producing technology products. I am not limited to the accent of the "digital immigrant"; I can and shall become fluent in this new language of the "digital natives." As I learn and become proficient, it is my responsibility as an educator to build others forward by sharing what I know. Effective training, experimentation, and commitment to best practices are the little steps that can lead to huge change!
Friday, December 9, 2011
November 17th Web-Conference
As my blog demonstrates, this is the third web-conference in which I have participated. The conference was held on Thursday, November 17, 2011 and began at 8:00 p.m. I logged on at 7:50 p.m. and shared in the social greetings and communications of my peers and professor. At 8:00 p.m. sharp our academic discussions began.
This web-conference was an opportunity to verify textbooks, clear up questions about EPIC courseware or other concerns, and discuss the specifics of the 18-month Internship. This session's Internship requirements were clearly outlined with expectations and deadlines. Assignments included the submission of the Application for Internship and the Site Mentor Agreement. Additionally, Professor Borel clearly pointed out how this session's Internship documents connect to the entire 18-month program.
Web-conferencing is an effective way to assure interactive communication among all participants. However, it is the Professor's concise pre-planning and slides that help all participants remain on track and moving in the same direction.
This web-conference was an opportunity to verify textbooks, clear up questions about EPIC courseware or other concerns, and discuss the specifics of the 18-month Internship. This session's Internship requirements were clearly outlined with expectations and deadlines. Assignments included the submission of the Application for Internship and the Site Mentor Agreement. Additionally, Professor Borel clearly pointed out how this session's Internship documents connect to the entire 18-month program.
Web-conferencing is an effective way to assure interactive communication among all participants. However, it is the Professor's concise pre-planning and slides that help all participants remain on track and moving in the same direction.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
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