AR Project Summary

I have been continuously working on completing my Action Research Project throughout the last two semesters.  I have spent a total of 200 hours or more on this project. I have choosen the most important task to complete beginning with collecting all data and information to complete the project.  Looking at the data of the students really showed me how important data is as a factor for determining the next steps to take.  As I reviewed my action plan, I was able to interview the AMI/ARI teachers and get their points of view on the assignemnts.  I was very surprised by responses. I wanted to know the following:

How effective is the ARI/AMI/ program?

How does it Benefit students and their learning?

Explain the cost effectiveness of the program?  Why you disagree or disagree with this decision?

What data does your findings indicate for the future of Ira Cross if the program is implemented next year?

It was intersteing to listen to their views about how they felt about the program.  I did how ever notice that they did not know how cost effective the program really is.  That mad me feel proud that I am being an action researcher or investigator for this project.  I am interested in knowing how cost effective it really is as well.  I have mad another appointment with administration to discuss the cost effectivess on the program.  Now that I know the ARI/AMI teacher are not aware.  I will be sure to also include them within my action research and notify them with the final results/evaluation of the rprogram.  Mrs. Johnson indicate dthat she is interested in knowing about the cost effectiveness of the program.

I have also ben able to track some of the data for the students for ARI/AMI to see how well the students are performing in the skills for Math and Reading.  I can say that some of the students that were in the program and have been dropped of put back on the wait list, needed to be placed back into the program as being active learners.  Their scores on some test and grades in the classroom have dropped.  The goal is to place those students back on the list of being active learners in the program.  I believe that the program does improve learning and helps build the gaps for struggling students that need enrichement and reteacing of two different teaching styles to be successful.  I also think that the program is reaserached based and proven to improve understanding to improve test scores and grades.  I just think that it would be less cost effective to have the para professional work with the struggling students along with the teacher. 

As I continue to complete the action research plan, I am making changes as I go on and learn more about my findings.  I am anxious to see how well the students have or have not made progress from the beginning of being placed into the program.  This is my next step in my action research plan.

Reflecting on my Path

The data collected will help me gain further insight on the importance of cost effective programs.  I was told that I could compare the cost effectiveness of other programs versus the alternate programs.  I can add more ways to get the data from students and possibly look at other programs that are actually benefitting and improving the students learning. If the students are not showing improvements through the data collected, this will help me make a decision, especially if the students are not improving

After reviewing the program and if it is cost effective enough ,then I will review other programs and take the same plan to improve.  If it is not, then finding an alternate way will be helpful.

“Cost” includes everything! I will definitely look at if actually pulling students out of the regular classroom environment benefitting them.  CSCOPE has allowed for every teacher to teach the same content.  How will the pull out program help if the same content is being taught, just by another teacher?

I may be able to consider a volunteer to teach a small group of students, a certified teacher from another school district or even a retired teacher as a tutor.  I could even consider a certified substitute or a student’s teacher from a university.  The cost effectiveness can include all ideas mentioned.  It is important to follow my plan of research in order to make relevant conclusions if the ARI/AMI (accelerated Reading and Math Instructional) programs are preeminent. I will continue to evaluate other programs that are.  I may even have to review what other campuses are implementing for student learning programs.

Choosing the right Path for my Action Research Plan

Within my action plan of research, In all actuality, I had about 5 topics that I had to narrow down to just one. The five topics of research included Parental Involvement, Behavior Referrals, At Risk Students on campus, Attendance and ARI/AMI Accelerated Reading/Math Instruction programs.  These are all important topics to research to help restore the school environment.  The parent communication at our campus could be improved.  We have had three principals in the last four years, which caused a lot of changes in the community.  This may have drove parents away, but this year already, parent involvement has improved.  The turnout for our Fall Fest was phenomenal!  Behavior on our campus has always been an issue whether it was for on campus or from the bus.  The bus referrals were at a higher percentage than the campus referrals. Why is that?  Attendance plays a major role in school and assists with all funding from TEA.  Recently, I just found out that when students are not presently at school the campus will lose funding.  This is vitally important because PRE-K students are more likely to be absent more than any other grade level in the school.  Why is that? This could have been researched to find out how to encourage the parents of the PRE K students to make sure their child is at school each day. This also gets monitored by TEA and included in the AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) data.  Why are parents not making sure that their four year olds are in school each day? What can we do as a campus to enforce the rule?  I also thought about programs that are beneficial, being that funds are released from the district to pay for certain programs.  What programs are we paying for? Some of them are not being utilized and some are not cost effective enough to improve testing. I thought about what programs we are using and how they may or may not value student learning. As I sat with my site supervisor, we found lots of important issues to research.  We reviewed my ideas and they were of high importance.  She mentioned that we are trying to improve on student learning as a whole campus.  Funds are still needed for relevant programs but funding has been cut.  She wanted to know what programs to keep implementing are cost effective.  When she noticed that I wanted to research the same topic idea, she became astonished. She and I decided to research the cost effectiveness of the ARI/AMI programs.  Are the programs worth students being pulled several times throughout the day from their regular classroom instruction? Are teachers being paid just to teach 11-15 students worth the cost of other materials and resources need for student learning? I thought that this would be a great idea to research, why waste money on something that we are not using or a program that is not effective.  The district has already had budget cuts, as a result, the resources that we need may not be available. For example, we are still in need of funds to pay for Study Island, which is a technology program that enhances students learning at school and from home.  Is the Study Island program more beneficial than the ARI/AMI programs?  The program does not allow for a teacher because it is student self-oriented and student friendly.  In life, most of us think of ways to save money, why not be an Educational Leader that save funds for the campus and research programs that will enlighten students cognitive skills for life-long learning.

Teaching may be regarded as a means of improving schooling, by focusing on generalized issues of the management of curriculum or class, or it may be seen as a means of engaging in a critical process of action reflection which is in itself education.
Jean McNiff, Action Research, Principles and Practice, McNiff,1988, xiii

Acquiescence is not a characteristic of an action researcher. He is resourceful, committed, tenacious, and above all, curious. He will not be satisfied with a given system if he sees elements of the system as unsatisfactory. He will seek to change it. In doing so, he refuses to be a servant, but becomes an acting agent. He rises above the role of a skilled technician and becomes an educator.
Jean McNiff, Action Research, Principles and Practice, McNiff,1988, 50

The notion of education as a commodity is essentially political, that is, has to do with power and who is wielding that power. It is a view that says the person who has the most power has the most of everything, including the most education. Education becomes a desirable STUFF, like money or property or clothes. If this is a prevailing attitude, teachers will be caught up in the net. The end product of their work will be functional, utilitarian, geared towards perpetuating a society founded on possessions, and believes that wealthy is healthy. This seems still to be a prevailing attitude in many areas of our educational system.
Jean McNiff, Action Research, Principles and Practice, McNiff,1988, 49-49

1. Planning 1. What is your concern?
2. Why are you concerned?
3. What do you think you could do about it?
4. What kind of evidence could you collect to help you make somekind of judgement about what is happening?
5. How would you collect such evidence?
6. How would you check that you judgement about what has happenedis reasonably fair and accurate?,
Barret and Whitehead, 1985, quoted in Action Research, Principles and Practice, McNiff, 1988, 57

My Action Research Plan

Action Planning Template Goal: What is the Cost Effectiveness of students placed in ARI programs to ensure quality learning and instruction Action Steps(s): Person(s) Responsible: Timeline: Start/End Needed Resources Evaluation 1.Setting the Foundation Gather ARI and AMI data from my campus Shanay Cordova Nov.-Dec 2012 Review Spread sheet of how program is placed Review the Campus Improvement Plan 2.Analyzing the Data Review the percentages of the ARI and AMI data on my campus Shanay Cordova Nov.-Dec 2012 I will use the campus data entry forms Review the Campus Improvement Plan 3.Develop Deeper Understanding Review the results from the past 3 years standardized test of students in the ARI/AMI programs Shanay Cordova Gail Aviles Nov.-Dec 2012 Previous data spreadsheets and documentation reports Review the Campus Improvement Plan I will review the average of ten students Shanay Cordova Nov.-Dec 2012 Documentation and assessment scores Review the Campus Improvement Plan Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools (Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010) Action Planning Template Goal: What is the Cost Effectiveness of students placed in ARI programs to ensure quality learning and instruction Action Steps(s): Person(s) Responsible: Timeline: Start/End Needed Resources Evaluation Examine prior years test scores of all students for student performance on standardized tests Shanay Cordova George Gamble Recent test scores Review the Campus Improvement Plan Track how students have been performing up to date Shanay Cordova Mrs. Meadows Ms. Hutchison Mrs. Johnson Dec.2012-Mar. 2013 Documentation and assessment scores Review the Campus Improvement Plan Conduct an interview with the ARI/AMI teachers on the campus Shanay Cordova Mrs. Meadows Ms. Hutchison Mrs. Johnson Nov. 2012-Dec.2012 Ask 5 interview questions about ARI/AMI programs Transfer oral interview onto written document anecdotal evidence will be collected and compared with other interview data to determine the impact of the program Review the time that students are being pulled out of the classroom to see if it is meaningful Shanay Cordova Dec. 2012-Feb 2013 ARI/AMI schedules on a document or spreadsheet Review times and decide if time pulled away from regular instruction is beneficial, can the student learn the same material in class Action Planning Template Goal: What is the Cost Effectiveness of students placed in ARI programs to ensure quality learning and instruction Action Steps(s): Person(s) Responsible: Timeline: Start/End Needed Resources Evaluation 4.Engagement and Self Reflection Provide a survey about the effectiveness of the program Shanay Cordova Gail Aviles Jan 2013-Feb 2013 Survey with 10 adequate questions Review comments to determine the effectiveness of the program, review the positive and negative aspects 5.Exploring Pragmatic Problems Interview students that are in the ARI/AMI programs on how they think its effective or not Shanay Cordova Jan. 2013-May 2013 Student survey of 5 questions Transfer oral interview onto written document anecdotal evidence will be collected and compared with other interview data to determine the impact of the program Review the grades of the students in the program Shanay Cordova Nov. 2013- June 2013 Progress reports, report cards, LLI, SRI, SMI, MClass results 6.Determining Direction Gather ideas from the campus principal Shanay Cordova Nov.-June 2013 Data entry ideas and changes for the upcoming school year. Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools (Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)

7.Exploring Pragmatic Problems Interview students that are in the ARI/AMI programs on how they think its effective or not	Shanay Cordova	Jan. 2013-May 2013	Student survey of 5 questions Recorded voice	Transfer oral interview onto written document anecdotal evidence will be collected and compared with other interview data to determine the impact of the program
8.Taking Action for School Improvement Present findings to site supervisor.	Shanay Cordova Gail Aviles	Nov. 2013- June 2013	All information and data gathered from ARI/AMI programs for the entire year	Presentation (PowerPoint) of all Student data and comparison to previous year
9.Determining Direction Gather ideas from the campus principal	Shanay Cordova Gail Aviles	Nov.-June 2013	Data entry ideas and changes for the upcoming school year.	Brainstormed ideas on a notepad or electronically
10.Sustaining Improvement Present sent all findings on the ARI/AMI program to site supervisor. (Add remaining discipline referrals for the year) Go over the data from the presentation with site supervisor. Interview site supervisor to discover other trends noticed in the data. Discuss my research performance with site supervisor.	Shanay Cordova	Nov.-June 2013	All data gathered throughout the entire project. Power point Presentation and spreadsheets updated in May. Interview with site supervisor.	Quantitative data presented from the research on ARI/AMI Site Supervisors review of my research performance.

Week 2 Action Research Reflection

After identifying plans and ideas for my action research topic, I understand how action research can be a difficult topic to make a choice on.  I was engaged as I watch the three professional leaders give their responses to what they believed would be a great action research project on their campus.  Action research ideas have a wide variety of ranges between elementary. middle and high school. I began with ten ideas for research, then narrowed it down to 5.  I took the top two choices for action research and I am now being an investigator on my two topics. Sometimes action research could be researching what other administrators have implemented within their research plans and finding ways t implement them within your plans.  As a leader you have to find what works and be flexible and willing to change as well as gain creative ideas and get further insight from your peer professionals.As a teacher I know that I have always had ideas wondering in the back of my mind about things that work well and not so well in education.  I would think how could I fix the issue, what changes can be made and who do I need to meet with to discuss such plans and ideas. I am excited about starting my new research project on a topic that i know will weigh heavily in education today as it did yesterday. 
According to the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory,

"Action research is inquiry or research in the context of focused efforts to improve the quality of an organization and its performance. It typically is designed and conducted by practitioners who analyze the data to improve their own practice. Action research can be done by individuals or by teams of colleagues. The team approach is called collaborative inquiry."

The Action Research Network states that
Educational Action Research refers to taking a systematic look at some educational practice and recording what was done, why it was done, collecting data, analyzing the data and reflecting on how the results might influence future teaching endeavors. If done carefully and thoughtfully, Educational Action Research can improve an individual's teaching. If done by multiple teachers at a single school, it has the potential to enhance the overall quality of the school.

The strength of the action research approach to professional development rests upon a creative and critical dialogue between members of a community which includes teachers, academics, parents, industrialists, and politicians. We move ahead through creative leaps of imagination. We learn from our mistakes in detailed criticisms of our positions.
Jack Whitehead, Action Research, Principles and Practice, McNiff,1988, xi

Six questions to ask yourself as a professional leader or educator
1. What did the children do?
2. What were they learning?
3. How worthwhile was it?
4. What did I, the teacher, do?
5. What did I learn?
6. What do I intend to do now?,
Open University "Curriculum in Action", quoted in Action Research,Principles and Practice, McNiff, 1988, 47-48

As I became an educator, I would wonder how to analyze content and data on what students are learning and how well they learned the content taught to them. I would always depend upon data to help me see what my student's strengths and weaknesses were.  As a leader in practice, I have learned that was I was actually doing was action research, just amongst my classroom of students.  However, now, as I walk on the pathway to become an educational leader, I will be able to anaylize data under the school and its community as a whole.  I realize that I was conducting action research then, and will continue to do it as a principal.  It will be an ongoing process!

Action Research is inquiry or research in the context of focused efforts to improve the quality of education and performance.  Leaders analyze data to improve their own understandings (Educational Laboratory). This type of research will include leaders and teachers.  Action research is used to make lots of improvements throughout schools.  Most leaders can reflect on their leadership skills as teachers and educators think and review their teaching expertise and abilities to improve.  It gives us as educators the opportunity to explore and try out innovative ways to make the wise decisions using many educational resources.  Research requires that principals act as investigators and take the time to actually review the effectiveness of different measures being taken.  Providing and integrating an action research committee will provide a way for professionals to collaborate, give feedback, share ideas and decide what works towards making improvements.  The action research committee can review what teachers are doing teach and guide assessments. 

As principal, I will be able to use action research to help me determine the strengths and weaknesses amongst my campus and community.  I will be able to make decisions on what corrective measures to take to resolve issues or make improvements.  With curriculum and data, I will involve all teachers, aides and other staff members.  Together we will strive to create innovative ways to improve student success.  We will study actions and problems carefully and evaluate our findings.  The best way for me to learn is by doing and practicing trial and error.  All of the decisions will be looked upon as experiential and experimental. 

The main goal is to work together for the concerns of the campus, students and community.  We will continue to collaborate to bring about the improvements and changes.  Action research will always be an ongoing process, education is always changing and research in education will never end.  I call it a never ending pathway!

I have reviewed some of the important steps to take for action research.  These steps are according to examining what we do to improve our schools there are 8 Steps From Analysis to Action and requires the following:

Here are the steps to follow:

1.    Stating your Inquiry

2.    Collecting and Analyzing Data

3.    Develop and Design Understanding

4.    Engage in Self Reflection

5.    Explore Pragmatic Matters

6.    Determining Direction

7.    Taking Action for Schol Involvement

8.  Sustaining Improvement

Educators can use blogs for various reasons of communications.  They can use them for social networking with students, parents and other educators.  They can communicate and post ideas and thoughts.  Blogs can also be used to communicate with other leaders to share ideas and thoughts about current events in education, including action research. In the elementary school that I teach at, I currently have a classroom webpage for parents and students to be able to communicate with me on a daily basis.  We do have the opportunity to create a blog as well.  After this experience, I will include a blog on my teacher webpage for student and parent communication.