Action Research:

I’ve learned that action research can be a powerful tool for teachers and administrators. When I think of research, I think of a very formal and complex progress. I like the fact that action research is an informal way to reflect on your current teaching methods and analyze what is working and what can be improved. I am impressed at all the ways that action research is being used in educational settings. It wasn’t surprising that it is being used in university coursework. I did find it interesting that action research is becoming increasingly popular in school districts.  Dedicating time for this during principal meetings makes perfect sense.  With their hectic, everyday, schedules it is crucial that time be set aside for this reflection and improvement process. In addition to the action research project for this class, I could see my department meetings having time dedicated to the process of reviewing current processes and methods and analyzing what is working and what changes could be made.  This would ensure that everyone was up-to-date on the curriculum and that all members of the team were implementing it consistently.  It will be an adjustment finding the time for this practice, but will be very beneficial for the team.