Week 3: Action Research Draft

My action research question or inquiry will be: 

 

Will the implementation of a new science lab increase the achievement of students on the science STAAR?

 

Here is the draft of my Action Plan:

 

Action Planning Template
Goal:  Effectively implement a new science lab on campus to increase student achievement on the science STAAR.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Disaggregate and analyze STAAR data from 2012-2013 school year	Vicki Dibler, Leigh Anderson, Maria Lucero	May 2013	2012-2013 Science STAAR data	Disseminated STAAR data by science objective and student expectation
Provide professional development training with teachers to explain standard operating procedures of the new science lab	Vicki Dibler, Ellen Baumler	August 2013	All teachers, Vicki Dibler	Survey giving feedback on professional development training
Create a science focus group of teachers to communicate science needs	Christina Razura, Connie Campos, Chris Rodriguez, Anita Romero, Lisa Hernandez, Cathy Collins, Leigh Anderson, Maria Lucero	August 2013- Ongoing	Quarterly meeting time, meeting location	Meeting notes, agenda
Create a weblog to communicate science information with the school community	Vicki Dibler	August 2013- Ongoing	Available computer to participate in blog	Blog postings, feedback from school community members
Conduct a Community Science Night at R.E.L. Washington Elementary	Entire campus, parents and students	March 2014	Science Club members, Science data to provide meaningful activities, gymnasium, cafeteria, community members, science supplies, volunteers	Sign-in Sheet to document attendance, surveys from parents to provide feedback
Collect student surveys	Vicki Dibler	May 2013	Students of each grade level attending science lab weekly	Survey results from students
Disaggregate and analyze STAAR data from 2013-2014 school year	Vicki Dibler, Leigh Anderson, Maria Lucero	May 2014	2013-2014Science STAAR data	Disseminated STAAR data by science objective and student expectation
Compare 2012-13 STAAR data to 2013-14 STAAR data	Vicki Dibler, Leigh Anderson, Maria Lucero	May 2014	2012-13, 2013-2014 Science STAAR data	Report on implications of data from 2 schools years

 

 

 

Format based on Tool 7.1 from Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools

(Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)

 

 

There are many new components of action research that I learned about this week. Reading about the variety of wonderings made by educational leaders, according to Dana (2009), gave me a new perspective to the direction I felt would be best for my interests as an educator. As I gathered topics of interest for my action research plan, I focused mainly in the area of curriculum. I began researching other works in published journals that might guide me to my final action research plan. I learned that there were many people who have already done some research in the area of science lab implementation, but did not directly link their results to student achievement on standardized test in Texas. This will be the direction I take in my action research plan. While finalizing my decision for action research, I also kept in mind the comments made by educational leaders in video segments I viewed this week. I recall the importance to research an idea or wondering you have interest in. My experiences with the subject area of science helped me make my final decision easier.  Teaching science is my passion, and I am anxious to investigate if implementing a science lab on our campus will increase student achievement on the science standardized assessment.

Action research is a valuable tool I will use in many ways as an educator. It will be a process I can use to change and reflect in my practice of educating my students and fellow colleagues. Through the use of action research, I will be able to use my wonderings on various issues to drive my instruction and develop clear understandings with others. Action research is a perfect plan to enrich any professional development encounters. With its systemic model, action research will give me a road map to follow through the process. I will be able to take a purposeful question, develop strategies to resolve the problem, and test these strategies for their effectiveness. Since action research helps educators draw conclusions based on data, and continue onto a new areas of improvement, I can see its use through our campus educational improvement committee.  Using this process of inquiry, I can see myself constantly reflecting on my experiences, as well as collaborating with my colleagues. Action research will give me an ample amount of time to gather information, test the various strategies I choose to explore, and reflect on my findings. Through the use of action research, I feel that I will be able to make a true commitment to continuous school improvement and feel successful in my endeavors.

Educational leaders can use blogs in many ways. I plan to create a blog for my Science Club to communicate with our school community the great investigations that are taking place among our students as well as providing information on meetings and activities taking place. I can also see blogging as a means of receiving feedback from parents and students on things they are enjoying and any improvements that could be made to our club. Blogs as Dana states, "uncover the thinking that occurs in the school and within a blogger's own mind (2009)." With this said, I can see blogs used effectively in an educational setting when educators share best-practices that take place on their campus. This will give others an opportunity to use an educator's success in their setting.