What I Learned about Action Research

Educational leaders must make action research a part of the day to day operation of the school.  Action research can be very time-consuming and administrators must make a commitment to making it part of the organization.  Action research differs from traditional research in that the research is done by individuals who are part of the organization and are affected by what is going on.  Action research does not entrust outside personnel to complete the inquiry.  Action research collects and analyzes data to bring about a change in procedures and shares the findings with stakeholders.  Through action research, the administrator is given the opportunity to work collaboratively with teachers, to grow as a professional leader and serve as a role-model, to reflect on what practices and procedures are making the school run effectively and eliminate ineffective practices, and to provide administrative support as other faculty members are involved in the inquiry process.

In a very technologically advanced society, blogs can serve as an excellent communication method for educational leaders to share information with faculty, students, and parents.   Teachers can use blogs to collaborate and share information with other teachers in their core content as well as share pertinent information with the students and their parents.  Constant communication between administrators, faculty, student, and parents will lead to a more organized well-functioning school.