I am very
excited and pleased about how much I learned during this class. To be honest, the term, “research” doesn’t
always bring to mind warm, fuzzy thoughts.
However, the insight I gained about action research study and what that
entails was profoundly interesting.
Dr.
Arterbury’s and Dr. Jenkins’ insights helped guide me through each week. It was helpful to hear all of the steps and
processes that go into an action research study and their tone and words of
encouragement were surprisingly comforting, giving me verbal confidence that I
can, in fact, be successful in the great undertaking that is conducting an action
research study. For their weekly videos
I am truly grateful.
I also
greatly appreciated Dr. Briseno’s, Dr. Chargois’, and Dr. Lewis’ examples of
action research study put to work and their reflections on the importance of
supporting one’s action research study with qualitative and quantitative data,
sharing the results with others, and learning from others who have previously
conducted similar action studies and determining the relevance to any given situation
without reinventing the proverbial wheel.
It was also helpful to read through their dissertations to glean an idea
of what may lie ahead in my own continuing education/professional development.
I found
myself engrossed in all of the readings during the past five weeks. I learned the difference between traditional
research and action research (“qualitative or interpretive studies” rather than
“process-product research”). It was
helpful to read about action research studies in educational settings as well
as the real life benefits of conducting successful ones. Reading the nine passions that drive an
action research plan was extremely helpful (Dana, 2009). It gave me a credible, relevant frame of reference
from which to operate as well as the motivation to formulate a plan about which
I am passionate.
As data
collection is, of course, extremely important in conducting an action research
plan, I was grateful for all of the different means for data collection cited
in our readings (the use of field notes, interviews,
documents/artifacts/student work, digital pictures, video, reflective journals,
surveys, and literature) (Dana, 2009).
Through reading how each one could possibly be used in an action
research study, I was able to pick the ones that I feel will be most relevant
in my own study with confidence.
Although the
lectures and readings were extremely helpful during this course, perhaps the
most exciting tool I’ve taken from it is the creation of and participation in
blogs. Before this course, I had never even
read a blog before. Now I’m excited
about posting to my own and reading the posts of fellow classmates. In an ever-growing information age, blogs are
a very effective tool and, quite frankly, easier to use than most think.
In looking back at the past five weeks, I am
appreciative of how things all came together.
Each reading, lecture, and assignment functioned as its own little piece
of the puzzle. By staying the course, my
action research study is off and running.
Now comes the hard part – conducting it in its entirety. I will keep the field experts’ words of wisdom
in mind, considering the potential methods – Force Field Analysis (the forces
of change must exceed the forces against the change in order for it to work),
the Delphi method (rounds of stakeholder questionnaires), and the Nominal Group
Technique (assessing needs in particular group format). I will also heed the guidance found in the CARE
Model: Planning Tool (Harris et al, 2009) which provided a rationale and
framework for conducting my action research study.
I have the passion for the topic. I have the tools at my disposal for
conducting it appropriately. I have the
goals in mind for its effectiveness. My
hope is that I can execute a relevant action research study the produces
sustainable educational change.
