Action Research and why it is useful!

Adminstrators today wear many hats in public schools. They must be able to resolve parent, student, and teacher conflicts alike. They must enforce dress codes, take action for TAKS scores and manage budgets. The workload for these individuals can be great, so it is very important that they are constantly looking for ways to improve and do their job more effectively and efficiently. This constant use of investigation is known as administrative inquiry. This inquiry, when used effectively becomes what we call action research. By looking at ones self and the job you are conducting, we can examine the good and the bad. In doing this we discover new ways to impove on the job we are already doing.

Action research allows practitioners to play the role of knowledge generators. Practitioners can use their own experiences to generate knowledge about their job. By analyzing their job and the success they are having, the practitioner can put new ideas into practice. Since the practitioner is researching their own problems, this makes them more likely to bring about change where needed in their job.

Action research can come in many different forms. It could be that an administrator feels they themselves, or their teachers need further professional development in certain areas. It could be the use of forming leadership teams in the district to further the campus improvement plan. It could also be taking administrative classes to further their education. Any kind of research that allows the practitioner the opportunity to better themselves and their students would be action research.

The benefits of action research are that it allows administration to attain real world evidence about what is going on at their school. School leaders can analyze this data and reflect on where change is needed in the school. If change is needed, then a plan can be put into action, but if no change is needed then the school can remain at status quo.

I belive that I already use action reseach. I try to constantly analyze myself and the job that I am doing. I think it is important to step back every now and then and look at the job you are doing from an outsiders perspective.