Week One

Action Research
Action Research is a tool that can be used to improve the teaching and learning practices in education. It involves practitioners being a part of the research process by having them look into and try to solve problems on their own campuses or classrooms. In action research practitioners identify a problem, research and devise a strategy for improving the situation, implement the strategy, evaluate its effect, and then based on their results they identify a new problem. Action research is a spiral of reflection and reaction and therefore is a tool for growth and change.
Action research can be used in many ways. School districts can use the research with small groups of principals as a staff development. Principals could work together solve like problems with support and input from their peers. Principals could have their campus leaders participate in active research as an cooperative group inquiry activity. Many principals have leadership groups on campus that work to improve their school, the research inquiry model would be a great tool for the group. Lastly, schools of higher learning can use the tool in course work to engage students in their learning process. Action research is a great way for practitioners to understand and improve on their methods.



Educational Leaders could use blogs to communicate with other principals, staff, parents, and students. If principals kept blogs it would allow them to communicate with their peers within the school district and the educational community at large. They communicate with PTA members more regularly by posting their link to their blog on the schools website as well as the PTA newsletter. It's a great way to communicate about news and events on their campus.