Action Research for Inquiring Minds

I've just started my fourth class for Educational Leadership through a University in the south of Texas. So far I have had some really great classes and gained new insight into why my district and my principal sometimes do what they do. I hope that doesn't s0und negative, wasn't meant to be negative. Anyway, now I am in my fourth class and I am learning about Action Research. It almost sounds like a new way to work out while hitting the books. I am really enjoying what I have learned about this topic; however, as it exemplifies how my brain already works. Action Research is taking a problem that they call a "wondering" and then determining what is needed to solve the problem. The teacher or principal involved determines a problem that needs to be addressed for their school such as "Why are the fourth grade reading scores lower than the third and the fifth?" Then doing research. This may involve determining how many new concepts are taught during fourth grade. Developmentally what are 9-10 year olds going through that could affect their performance. Does the teacher require some training in a specific objective. Then taking the information to develop a plan to improve performance. Setting a time line and assessments to monitor progress. The benefits of this system is that it is designed for what ails the school. It is very specific so that teachers are concentrating on something vital and worthwhile to them. They are not having to sit through training on "Writing Skills" when that is not the problem.
Anyway the reason I like Action Research so much is that it is very similar to inquiry Science which I have taught long enough to have the children of the first children I taught. In inquiry Science there is a problem that may come from a key question then a hypothesis is developed, an experiment is created and performed. Trial and error come into play, sometimes the experiment must be changed, sometimes the hypothesis. When concluding analysis of all data, tables, graphs and charts are evaluated and the hypothesis is either proven, modified or disproven. The old saying "Inquiring minds want to know", definitely comes into play here.
I can use Action Research in many ways but what is on my mind currently is how to get a particular sub-group to do better on the TAKS test so that they will excell in Science and also in school. Can't wait to try this out this year at school.

Now for the next part of my assignment, how could an administrator use blogging? In our increasing technology based world blogging has become a part of everyday life for so many people. I know many famous people find it easy to do on a daily basis to get out their message. An administrator could use it to elicit feedback and suggestions from the staff or from peers. There would have to be some rules established for this before it is done. The rules would need to be established by a committee also so that it would not look dictatorial. Also blogging could be done to inform parents of upcoming events at the campus, also like a newsletter with snipits of information. I'm sure as the year would progress that there would be other situations arise where blogging would be great. One I can think of is returning late from a field trip. The administrator could blog up to date information that could be accessed by parents.

Signing off from middle earth,
Cheryl