Update on Action Research

I am currently collecting data on over-age students and starting to work on literature review. I would be interested in hearing where you all stand in your research project. I feel like I should be further ahead than I am. Help :)

5301 Action Planing Template

Action Planning Template
Goal: The goal of my action research project is to prove by enrolling our overage 9th grade students into a new program, designed to help overage students, they will show significant improvement in their attendance, discipline referrals, and academics.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1. Review of Exiting Pathways program guidelines and requirements from state and district.	Intervention teacher, 9th grade guidance counselors, and principal.	Begin June 15, 2013 and end by August 16, 2013.	Exiting Pathways program guidelines and course descriptions. State waivers, if needed.	No evaluation needed.
2. Complete electronic searchers to include: Google site for overage student programs to improve success, research state/district programs that target improving overage student’s success, books/articles connected to helping improve the success of overage students in school.	Intervention teacher and 9th grade guidance counselors.	Begin June 15, 2013 and end by September 1, 2013.	Internet access for Google site searches, school library, online educational sites, books, articles on overage students.	No evaluation needed.
3. Identify overage 9th graders students for our 2013-14 school year.	Intervention teacher, 9th  grade Guidance counselor, and Principal.	Begin June 15, 2013 and end by August 16, 2013.	Jpams school systems software, Student records, Time to examine all records, Guidance department, Parental consent.	Compile an overage list form a report Age vs. Credits, Print out attendance records, discipline referrals, grades, and current diploma track, Documents from parents.
4. Examine current data on overage students, attendance, discipline referrals, grades, and graduation requirements.	Intervention teacher and 9th grade guidance counselor.	Begin June 15, 2013 and end by September 1, 2013.	Jpams school systems software, Student records, Time to examine all records, Guidance department	Student records collected attendance logs, discipline referrals, report card, and transcripts.
5. Enroll the overage students into a new program, Exiting Pathways, a new pathway designed to prevent dropouts and provide success for overage students.	Intervention teacher, Principal, Exiting Pathways coordinator, parents, and guidance counselors.	Begin July 22, 2013 and end by September 1, 2013.	Exiting Pathways coordinator, Overage students, Parents, Intervention teacher, and 9th Grade guidance counselor.	Enrollment waivers for Exiting Pathways, Signed parental consent, New class schedules reflecting Exiting Pathways courses.
6. Monitor progress on overage 9th grade students at each grading period.	Intervention teacher, Principal, Exiting Pathways coordinator, parents, guidance counselor	Begin August 15, 2013 and end by May 31, 2014.	Exiting Pathways coordinator, Overage students, Parents, Intervention teacher, and 9th Grade guidance counselor.	No evaluation needed.
7. Examine data collected for 2013-14 school year for the overage students selected to enter Exiting Pathway and determine if there was an increase in overall attendance, decrease in referrals, and an increase in academic success.	Intervention teacher, 9th grade guidance counselor, and Exiting Pathways coordinator.	Begin June 15 and end May 31, 2014.	Intervention teacher, Exiting Pathways teachers, 9th grade guidance counselor, overage students.	End of year student records, attendance logs, discipline referrals, report cards, transcripts, promotion rate or completion of program.
8. Document my findings and collaboratively disseminate results of action research project.	Intervention teacher, principal, guidance counselors, teachers, parents, and students.	Begin January 1, 2013 and end by June 15, 2014.	Data collected during school year on overage students, reference materials, and end of year report on attendance, disciple and grades for overage students.	Final draft of action research project.
Revised action plan 6/18/13.

Thoughts on Week 2 Assignment!

This week’s assignments were informative into how to develop my research topic. I was a bit overwhelmed with all the information, and how I write the research plan. I know I will get it eventually it’s just a little stressful! I am very interested in my research topic that I chose which is about overage students on our campus.  I really feel that if these students can be given a chance to succeed they will.  We have to remember that success does not look the same for every student, and these students have fallen behind and need to be given a new chance to be successful. 

How educational leaders might use blogs

Educational leaders might use blogs...

• To network with other administrators or leaders in different districts or states.
• Publish announcements on upcoming events at school.
• Create an open dialogue with teachers about their day or suggest to post just positive things that may have happen during their day.
• Share ideas with parents and community.

What I have learned about action research...

What I have learned about action research is that it’s a systematic process to examine a particular question posed by an administrator. The research is based on the question and done with validly, in order to achieve the best results from the research and implement  results.  I feel the process seems to be a lot to get done, but I can see the importance behind completing an action research. The text provided several examples in how an action research can be used in an educational setting.  I feel that an action research could be beneficial to a schools climate if completed with the intent to implement.  I think I could use the action research at my school through the health and wellness team.  This is a team of professionals on our campus, which include teachers, counselors, administrators, and social workers who meet regularly to examine issues with referred students. This team meets 2-3 times a week and for hours at a time.  There are a range of issues that are disused by the team, but the focus is around helping the students with academic, emotional, health and social barriers. I can see where using an action research with this team could be beneficial to our students and school.  The team could focus on reoccurring issues seen through these meetings and then do an action research on the issue.  I think completing the research could definitely bring a different outlook to the team and would solve a problem, rather than just finding interventions to implement. I am still not confident I understand the entire process of implementing an action research, but I hope to have it by the end of this course!   

I really have NO idea what I am doing so this is a test!