Action Research Topic

This week I had to select an action research topic for my graduate research class at Lamar University. I am in the Educational Technology Leadership degree program so I wanted to select a topic in the area of educational technology. This area is so broad with so many possible topic choices. These ideas range from how can a school fund more technology in a classroom to what is the value of social networking in education. I have tentatively selected the following action research topic: Which format of electronic textbook better serves the needs of our K-12, 21st century learners, store and retrieve or on-line/interactive? I believe this topic to be of great value to our campus and district as well as to other districts wanting answers to this particular question. I look forward to beginning my first action research project.

How educational leaders might use blogs?

Blogs would be a very beneficial tool to educational leaders by providing a forum for educational leaders to collaborate on projects. A project could be as simple as collaborating on a meeting agenda to as complicated as working on an educational action research project. The blog would allow all participants to make comments and allow the originator to make changes as necessary.

What is action research and how might I use it?

Action research is the process by which an educational leader studies one’s own practice by asking a question, exploring existing research relating to that question, interpreting the findings, applying what was learned, reflecting on the change, and starting the process all over again. “Elliot (1988) describes action research as a continual set of spirals consisting of reflection and action.” Action research is a very influential tool for “learning and reform” and is intended to bring about some form of change. Action research unlike traditional research is conducted and used by the one that actually conducts the research which results in that research actually being implemented.

Educational leaders can use action research in many ways but I see myself using it in three ways; district-wide meetings, campus leadership teams, and professional learning communities. Some districts are replacing their traditional, non-productive meetings with action research by allowing their administration to cooperatively work on current district problems through action research instead of traditional methods. Secondly, leaders are forming leadership teams on their campuses to tackle campus problems through action research. Lastly, professional learning communities are formed by combining several campuses or districts into one collaboration to study their schools through action research with one’s peers.

Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.