Action Research

Action research is when an administrator takes a look at their own practices and makes sound decisions based on his or her reflections. Action research is a vital tool for everyone in the education business because it reinforces our professional growth. We should hold ourselves accountable when it comes to growing as professionals because rules, regulations and grading are consatntly changing. The ability to continually learn and develop as an administrator is vital to personal success and the success of the school. To become an effective administrator, action research must be a tool that is utilized on a daily basis. The great thing about action research is that the administrator is directly involved with the research process, so problems or recommendations will be well developed. I feel that there are numerous ways I can use action research. I have always considered myself to be a hands-on learner and I believe action research is a branch of this. When people are collaborating to solve problems or form conclusions the results can be very beneficial to the team. Action research is based on knowledge acquired through studies performed using people that are actually at the school and know the situations there. Action research is more likely to lead to a feeling of investment for the administrator. Often times traditional research is coming from professionals who may have never stepped foot on your campus or been in contact with your students, thus causing a gap in perception and reality.