How I Can Use Action Research

I will admit that when I first read this course title (Research) that I was apprehensive about embarking on this five week journey. Reading pages and pages of information to form my own personal opinions about an assigned topic sounded unappealing and boring. However, after learning more about the systematic approach of action research and how the end result can positively impact students, teachers, and administrators I then realized this would help me in my professional growth in this masters program.

Administrative inquiry or action research is the process of identifying an area of concern, gathering and analyzing relevant information, developing a plan of action, implementing the steps necessary to resolve the problem, and then sharing this information with others. In reviewing the steps in an action research plan, I realize that I am already utilizing this approach in my current position.

The grant in which I now work has been charged with the responsibility of “looking into” the possibility of creating end-of-course exams for certain courses on our Crosswalk and whether or not end-of-course exams is a practical approach to validate the course outcomes. I now recognize that this task can be called an action research plan and that this investigation of EOC exams is our situation or problem to be solved.

We are now in the next phase of this action research plan which is collecting information from  various sources to determine if developing these exams will benefit the students. We have researched current testing procedures and policies and formed committees of secondary teachers and post-secondary community college faculty members across the state. These committees have met and worked together to discuss this possibility and to create drafts of exams that meet both the secondary TEKS and the WECM course outcomes for their assigned courses.

While the formulation of sample exams is still ongoing, the grant is concurrently evaluating these exams, conducting interviews of interested stakeholders, and evaluating the gathered information to determine if this is the direction in which we need to focus our attention.

Knowing now that action research plans are a part of my current position I can see that the utilization of this process provides great insight and benefit to current issues that are relevant to student achievement and success.