Week 5 Reflection

The knowledge gained in Week 5 regarding quality indicators to assess plans really helped me.  This week made sure that I had developed a well thought out plan.  I learned that I needed to find time to assess prior readings about my topic and determine whether or not this information could be useful for my current study.  As I develop my plan, I need to always think ahead.  Thinking ahead will guide me to any extended wonderings that may develop from my study.  Thinking ahead will help me concentrate on how I will later disseminate my plan to others.  What do I hope to accomplish from this research and how can I use it?  It's been a great class and a really comfortable environment to learn.  Dr. Abshire has been wonderful exhibiting a real sincere desire to see us all succeed.  Creighton has answered all questions promptly and you were left knowing that his goal was to make sure that we had everything that we needed to be successful in this course.  I'm really looking forward to my next course.

Week 4 Action Research Reflection

This week I met with my site supervisor to make changes to my action research plan.  He suggested that I may want to include if possible, a control group to help make comparisons at the end of my study.  This would allow me to compare students with no afterschool intervention to those with afterschool activities and those with afterschool reading activities.  This made alot of sense and I have added it to my action planning process below.  Until I met with my mentor about the study, I had reservations about whether or not I'd chosen an appropriate study with merit.  My site supervisor helped to confirm that this was a well thought out study and very appropriate.  He was very excited about the study and couldn't wait until we start getting some of the data returned.  I can see now why this part of the assignment (meeting with the mentor) was important.  I have learned alot about the research process in this class and I'm excited to start putting my learning into action.

Week 3 Developing an Action Research Plan/Reflection ET8041 EDLD 5301

This week's activity helped me to verify the purpose of my action research study.  Harris, Edmond and Combs (2009) assisted us in reflecting on all of the actions found behind the scenes of our proposed action research project using the action planning template.  I can agree with my site mentor's comment that this study will help me as I plan effective and impactful activities for the afterschool program.  I can understand now how action research is not just about gathering data but it is a very systematic approach to exploring new ideas as seen in this draft of my action research plan.

Action Planning Template
Goal: Determine whether or not nontraditional reading activities impact the reading skills of new generational students. Assist the regular school day effort in helping students reach their mastery level of academic performance in reading by offering more innovative embedded reading activities in afterschool.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Share final research question with Site Mentor to clarify objectives, do students that participate in nontraditional reading activities in afterschool perform better in reading during the regular school day and on reading exams than students who participate in other afterschool activities?	Program Manager Site Mentor	February 2012	Meeting Time with Site Mentor	Analyze objectives and proposed outcomes based on research question.
Site coordinators will complete a short questionnaire to determine what activities can be identified as either nontraditional or traditional reading activities.	Site Coordinators Program Manager	February 2012	Questionnaire Activity Rubric	Site visits to verify questionnaires using an activity rubric
Retrieve activity information for students.  Pull pre and post grades and demographics for students.  Retrieve TAKS .  Contact Technology contact to use student id’s to retrieve control group information for study.	Program Manager Technology Department	February – May 2012	TX21 Tracking System Gradespeed	Examine data for completeness and errors.
Comparisons will be compiled that depict what percentage increase in grades occurred for the students who participated in traditional reading activities and the percentage increase of those students who participated in nontraditional reading activities.	Program Manager	May 2012	Excel Spreadsheet	Analyze the percentage differences to determine if the nontraditional students excel or share similar outcomes with the traditional readers.
Percentage increases will also be compared between the nontraditional reading activities and other 21st century activities other than those traditional reading activities.	Program Manager	May 2012	Excel Spreadsheet	Analyze percentages to determine if the nontraditional readers have increased percentages.
Comparisons will be charted to assess and demonstrate the effectiveness that nontraditional reading activities have had on students who participate in these type activities during afterschool.	Program Manager	May 2012	Graphs	Analyze chart to determine noted differences and percentage increases and/or decreases.
Review student data to determine patterns or similarities in student demographics.	Program Manager	May 2012	Excel Spreadsheet	Determine if demographical data depicts any implications of outcome.
Findings will be discussed with Site Mentor to determine implications of the study.	Program Manager Site Mentor	May 2012	Meeting scheduled with Site Mentor	Analyze and discuss need for further action and use of study.
Findings will be disseminated to site coordinators in the site coordinator monthly meeting.  Findings will also be shared with school administrators and community partners in the Taskforce advisory meetings.	Program Manager Site Coordinators Taskforce Advisory Committee	June 2012	Reports and Charts	Analyze as a team, findings from the report to determine if there are any implications for programming currently used in afterschool and if changes need to be made
Site coordinators will use findings to plan future activities.  The goal will be to insure that nontraditional reading activities be explored during each term of 21st century programming and on each campus of 21st century activities to determine if support is needed.	Site Coordinators	August 2012	Team Meetings	Ongoing Analysis of prospective reading activities and their benefits.

Prensky (2006) points out that in comparison to the 10,000 hours of video games, 250,000 emails and text/instant messages, 10,000 hours talking on phones and 20,000 hours of television, the digital generation will have only spent 4,300 hours of reading by the time they reach age 21.  This study will prove and show others that afterschool programming can be instrumental in providing innovative reading opportunities for the new generation learner.

Harris, S., Edmondson, S., & Combs, J. (2009). Examining what we do to improve our schools
     8 steps from analysis to action. Larchmont, N.Y.: Eye on Education.
Prensky, M. (2006). Don’t bother me mom—I’m learning. St. Paul, MN: Paragon House.

Embrassing Differences - Week 2 Lessons Learned EDLD 5301 ET 8041

In week 2, I learned about subject areas that are great fields of study for action research.  Of the 9 topics discussed, I was particularly interested in two, school community culture and social injustice.  This interest was stimulated because both of these topics could connect through a common theme, embrassing differences.  Creating the culture of a school that does not conflict with beliefs and individual differences of students and staff members certainly involves much consideration.  As well, in districts such as ours where students of various cultures are assimilating, difficult tasks await administrators to make sure everyone is treated equally and fairly no matter their differences.  As schools strive to make sure the climate of a school is productively conducive for everyone, action research could prove beneficial.  Cochran-Smith and Lytle (1993), also suggested that research may be the answer when they wrote "they begin to envision alternative configurations of human and material resources to meet the needs of culturally diverse groups of students, teachers, and administrators" (p.80). 

Cochran-Smith, M., & Lytle, S. L. (1993). Inside/outside: Teacher research and knowledge, New York: Teachers College Press.

Response to Hawks Technology Trekker EDLD 5301 ET8041

"Don't reinvent the wheel". James listed this in reference to the review of literature surrounding your topic. I look forward to seeing what others have to say about my research surrounding traditional reading. I am sure that there are so many articles on the web and it may be difficult to determine which articles are valid and able to be used as background information. Not sure if any of the present lessons addressed that aspect of the research.

How Educational Leaders Might Use Blogs EDLD 5301 ET8041

An important preliminary aspect of research is determining what others have to say about a particular topic.  Blogs can serve as a tool to solicit various viewpoints on a research topic or to gain feedback from others.   In this way, blogs are used to collect data that could prove important to the final research project.  This writing procedure allows you to build upon data and information over a period of time and allows you to share your inquiry as it unfolds with persons in and outside of the district.  This type sharing is important for collaboration with persons you might not otherwise come in contact with throughout the scope of your research.  “Hence, blogging can be a wonderful way to share your research with colleagues that are 1,000 miles or more from your school” (Dana, 2009, p. 150).

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

What I've Learned About Action Research EDLD 5301 ET8041

Educators are constantly flooded with data and research throughout their careers.  Much time is wasted as administrators try to determine what information to keep and what information to discard.  Action research can offer a solution for this dilemma.  This type research actually allows individuals to look at their own specific practices and identify prospective areas of concern that are relevant for growth.  The data needed for action research is more readily available and accessible because much of the information is local and easily attainable.  This tool allows the researcher to take ownership of the process necessary to gain needed knowledge that lends to more successful learning. 

The process of action research includes exploring, reviewing and collection.  It involves change based on findings and sharing with others to advance improvements.  Action research is beneficial for professional development and growth.  "By cultivating this inquiry stance toward practice, principals and teachers play a critical role in enhancing their own professional growth and ultimately the experience of schooling for children" (Dana, 2009, p. 11).  It promotes a type of reflection needed in order to improve current processes. 

This type inquiry is not only beneficial for improving regular school day processes but can also help shape best practices in our afterschool programs.    There are so many options available for afterschool time.  Action research can actually help narrow some of these choices by identifying what has proven to be most beneficial so that these experiences provide the most efficient and effective use of time for our students.

In summary, through action research, we as educators through our own expertise possess the necessary tools needed to answer questions and find solutions to problems that will improve student learning environments. 

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