Progress on my Action Research Plan

At this point in the program I have truly gained an abundant level of leadership skills through my studies in this program as well as working as a leader-intern in the educational field.  I have successfully created and implemented numerous tools collaboratively with my fellow team members in order to improve the climate and culture of our campus (campus action plan, vision/ mission, academic and behavior systems, support, and interventions, parental/community school-based partnerships, events and activities).

My field- based activities have involved experience with state and federal compliance, staff development, leadership team building, data analysis, school- parental/community partnerships, student discipline and instruction, state assessment, etc.  I am in the process of creating my active link for parents on our school website, as well as a “Parent Input” box in our front office.  Everything is falling into place as planned.  Once I have parental input via the website and front office,  we will be off to a great start to improving our rate of parental involvement.

Greatest Insight!!!

Until taking this course, I merely skimmed over the idea of "blogging".  This Course has forced my mind to evolve as a leader, and now I see great importance and benfit from utilizing a blog spot.  I am definitely going to create and implement a blog spot for my research purposes.

In addition to learning how to create and implement a blog, I received more practice with creating an action plan.  Earlier this school year, I was part os a collaboration for our campus action plan.  This cousre allowed me to create an action plan(from a=scratch!) by myself practically.  It was an easy, clear, concise plan which scaffolded the steps of building an action plan step-by-step.

This course was very beneficial and provided another opportunity of growth and experience for me.  I am presently working as a fulltime intern principal, and have had my first experiences with completing an action plan for the entire campus, as well as completing other compliance documents.  I believe that all leaders should receive training on how to identify issues on their campus as well as learn how to be proactive (as opposed to reactive) in helping shape the outcome on their particular campuses.

I strive to be that proactive force of nature!

Reflections about my Research Course:

In my reflection, this course was very beneficial and provided another opportunity of growth and experience for me.  I am presently working as a fulltime intern principal, and have had my first experiences with completing an action plan for the entire campus as well as completing other compliance documents for the campus.  I feel that all future leaders should be trained on how to identify issues on their campuses as well as learn how to be proactive (as opposed to reactive) in helping shape the outcomes on their particular campuses.

Before beginning this course, I had begun conversations about planning to create and implement programs to improve parental involvement on our campus.  Some of my research was already in motion, so it was really interesting and encouraging to have a couple steps already into the game during this timing of this course…I had already had the vision to improve the performance of our 9^th and 10^th grade students (through improved parental involvement) in mind.  Trying to think ahead of the game, this was a task that followed our current campus action plan this year, with the implementation of the new parental program(s) next school year.  Now that I have taken this research course, my focus is clearer, and I have an improved understanding that I have even more research to do in order to be the successful leader that I aspire to be!

I have thoroughly enjoyed completing the CARE Model outlined in week 4.  It really provided me with a great option in which I could present my action research plan to my site supervisor.  Having the ability to identify the issues that must change, identify the affirmations that must stay the same, and provide the SMART recommendations that could be implemented is a clear and concise way to present and propose the action research plan.  At this point, I feel comfortable enough to create a power point with these as my prompts for effective planning.

It remains obvious that Principals/Leaders would have all of the issues and dilemmas identified, and then choose to work towards a goal in order to address the issues.  Surprisingly enough, I do not believe that this is always the reality.  I believe many administrators recognize some of the problems, but simply remain clueless as to how to address the problems.  They have not/ do not take the necessary steps to effectively seek knowledge and address their specific problems.  If the leaders are not clueless/ unknowledgeable, they have fallen victim to not taking out the necessary time to effectively analyze and address their particular circumstance.  One of the first problems I, along with our other leadership staff members realized was that there was a major issue our campus.   The school was facing the low performance of the 9^th and 10^th grade students in relation to the level of parental involvement.  Now that our new leadership team has been placed, and I have taken this course, I am more confident in attempting to address and improve this issue!  

I favor Levin’s philosophy.  He believed that in order for change to occur, the driving forces for the change must exceed the resisting forces against the change.  Lewin believed that bringing about change begins with understanding the circumstances.  (Harris, S. Edmonson, S. & Combs, J.(2009): Examining What We Do To Improve Our Schools: 9 Steps from Analysis to Action. P. 95)

Thank you!

At this point, I will not make any revisions to my action plan.  I really appreciate Dr. Mason’s feedback about my action research plan.  Her comment stated that my topic/ plan is realistic and attainable.  She gives me confidence to continue moving forward with my research. I have truly learned so much from this research course, and I am truly honored!  Thank you so much Dr. Mason for your support!

My Action Research Plan Challenge...

The challenges that I foresee arising within the implementation of my research plan pertain to the involvement and feedback from the parents. After I collect my data Sample A, which will indicate and rationalize the current relationship between our students' achievement and their parents' involvement...I then have to implement my new parental involvement system/ program. My challenge will be getting parents to participate in my new parental program. Without this "increased" level of parental involvement, I will not have the significant data from Sample B (resulting from increased level of parental involvement) to compare to my data Sample A.

I intend to avoid a possible lack of parental involvement by hosting short, fun parent -focused events and meetings. I hope to incorporate a small group of parents who will then communicate their excitement and knowledge about the opportunities that are available to them from our campus. I will utilize word-of-mouth by parents, mail out memos and call outs from the campus, letters to homes through our students, and active links on our campus website to communicate and educate our parents.

My Action Research Plan (1st Draft)

Action Planning Template
Goal: Evaluate the effectiveness of two specific programs which provide parents with knowledge about their child’s performance in school. Analyze the impact that parental involvement has on the academic performance and the attendance rate of 9th-10th grade high school students.  Implement strategies that can be utilized in order to improve the level of parental involvement, therefore improving the overall academic and attendance achievement of the 9th-10th grade high school students.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1.Collect list of parents with active Grade Speed accounts	Swift-Cox	May 2012- July 2012	Grade Speed online system	Analyze and log the comparison of total number of 9th-10th grade parents for our campus, and the total number of 9th-10th grade parents with active Grade Speed accounts
2.Collect 9th-10th grade failure lists from PEIMS rep.	Rutherford	May 2012- July 2012	Failure lists from PEIMS rep.	Analyze, compare and log the total number of 9th-10th grade students on the failure lists
3. Compile report of total number of failing students unattached to active parental Grade Speed accounts, as well as the total number of passing 9th-10th grade  students attached to active parental Grade Speed accounts	Swift-Cox	May 2012- July 2012	Failure list report, Grade Speed report	Analyze, compare and log the total number of failing students unattached to active parental Grade Speed accounts,  as well as the total number of passing 9th-10th grade  students attached to active parental Grade Speed accounts
4.Implement parental trainings/ meetings to facilitate awareness of support systems that provide knowledge of current student’s academic and attendance status.	Swift-Cox and fellow leadership team members	May 2012- July 2012	Grade Speed system, training/ meeting location, parent contact info.	Parent sign in logs from trainings/meetings, parent feedback commentary and evaluation sheets
5.Implement survey- based parental system, allowing feedback on the input, knowledge, and opinions of parents in relation to the academic and attendance status of their child in school	Swift-Cox and fellow leadership team members	May 2012- July 2012	Customized system for parents, call out system, mailing system, Survey Monkey, Google system	Compiled reports from collected responses from parents
6.Notify campus teachers and parents of findings from research, about the specific relation and impact of parental involvement and the success of the students 6a. Elicit feedback from campus staff and parents for suggestions on increasing parental involvement	Swift-Cox and fellow leadership team members	May 2012- July 2012	Meeting location, reports from campus- based research	Sign in logs

Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools

(Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)

Action Research Plan (Context & Setting):

Action Research Plan (Context & Setting):

The study that I will conduct includes a comparison of the impact of parental involvement on the passage rate of our entire population of 9^th and 10^th grade students on our campus. 

Selection and Rationale of my sample:

I selected to use our 9^th- 10^th grade population of students from our campus as my point of study.  In comparison to our 11^th- 12^th grade population of students, the data of our 9^th- 10^th grade student population reflect that this group has a higher % of academic failures in their regular course grades as well as their state- mandated assessments.  Currently, we have 153 ninth graders, and 167 tenth graders.  Therefore, my sample size will include approximately 320 students

I will conduct my research by:

1. Collecting the overall data of our current 9^th-10^th grade parents who have an active Grade Speed account (this account allows parents to set their own standards for online notifications about the progress of their child)
2. Collecting the overall data of our current 9^th- 10^th grade parents who actively participate in our active parent survey about their knowledge, opinions, and input about the education of their child
3. Collecting the overall data of our current 9^th- 10^th grade failure lists
4. Collecting the overall data of our current 9^th- 10^th grade failure lists
5. Compiling a spreadsheet showing the number, percentage, and graphical comparison of the findings of how many students pass/ fail in relation to their parents who are actively knowledgeable and involved in the Grade Speed and our survey- based parental program

My Reflection on Week 2: Real Life Action Research

My blog reflection: Before you begin research, identify an area/ areas of need where you believe your students, faculty, and surrounding community will benefit from the research.  This will make the research more meaningful as well as useful.  Keep in mind that these great leaders that have come before us have vision, and the capacity/ ability to influence others around them and bring about change!  We as new leaders have a responsibility to master (in our own way) the art of research, reflection, and influence in order to continue the ongoing goal to improve all aspects of the education industry for the benefit of our children.

Parental Involvement and the Performance of High School Students

My Action Research Proposal

My purpose of my proposed action plan is to analyze the impact that parental involvement has on the academic performance and attendance rate of our high school students on my campus.  I will research how many of our campus parents are utilizing our district- provided program which allows parents to create a customized account online in order to remain knowledgeable about the academic and attendance status of their child.  I will also research the percentage of those students with failing grades/ attendance issues whose parents have not created the online account that updates them about their child’s performance in school.  In order to attempt to improve parental involvement on our campus, I will implement a survey program that allows parental feedback, and I will track the success rate of the program.  Hopefully, I will gain more ideas for increasing parental involvement on our campus, therefore benefitting and empowering the parents, the students, the teachers, the campus personnel, the campus administrative team, and the school community as a whole.  If this survey program is successful, the benefits will go to the entire school body and the surrounding community. The specific benefits that could come from the success of improved parental involvement are:  

1.) Improving the academic performance of students on our campus

2.) Improving the attendance rate of the students on our campus

3.) Fortifying the supportive bond and trust between the community and the school

4.) More successful  students, parents, and community

How educational leaders might be able to use blogs:

How educational leaders might be able to use blogs:

Educational leaders can use blogs as a source to network between leaders, teachers, students, and community members.  Blogs can be a great resource to all of these groups when reflecting and trying to find possible new ways to improve current situations, trying to obtain knowledge about current events and news, sharing opinions, allowing for broad collaboration on what has worked/ has not worked for others, as well as a way to check for consensus and comprehension about a certain topic.

What I have learned about action research, and how I might be able to use it:

What I have learned about action research, and how I might be able to use it:

Recently, I have learned that action research helps a person effectively change their "practice"...that is, their ways and procedures to getting things done.

With action research the focus shifts from the external/ outside experts to the administrators on the “front lines”/ campus-based.   The campus- based administrators in turn, formulate their own questions and/or problems, collect data and interpret the data surrounding/ pertaining to their questions.

I view action research as an act of reflection that has been created and fueled by an administrator.  A strong leader will always find time to analyze and evaluate the activity/ non-activity his/her campus by creating a regularly scheduled meeting time for reflection among their team/ organization.  Reflections can effectively take place during leadership team meetings, as well as, during regular PLC/ Department Chair meetings.  A strong leader will lead by example by reflecting on what works and what does not work when addressing the specific needs of their campus, and provide the necessary training so that other team/ organizational members will know how to reflect and evaluate past and current actions/procedures.  When certain plans/ systems have not proven as effective for the needs of the leader’s campus, they will brainstorm as well as collaborate with their team to find alternative ways to effectively address the issue at hand.  Action research is an excellent starting point to an administrator’s quest to improve his/her campus.