Action Research

My initial thoughts on action research before the readings was "Oh no, not another research paper!". Much to my surprise I found out that I was not the only one to have these thoughts when reading the dreaded word research. Thank goodness it's not that type of research. Action research is more of an inquiry based study where I am allowed to pose a thought or question. That one thought is then analyzed through four different phases, each supplying me with more insight into my initial question with hopes of coming to a conclusion that will bring about a constructive change. This type of research allows for me to be an active participant in the learning process; it goes beyond studying theory and allows me to subjectively investigate theory from professional literature, take action based upon my reflections, and then use and share the results. This type of research will be beneficial to my professional development as a leader as well as provide effective learning experiences for students. The everyday challenges and probing questions I have on how to improve curriculum, instruction, and student behavior, as well as what opportunities would best serve to motivate our students, are excellent tasks for which I plan to engage in action research. The single most important fact that I've learned about action research is the importance of reflection. Reflection allows us to make sense of what we've learned and are experiencing and is a vital step towards deciphering what needs to be done differently in the future.