Nicole's Action Research

Action Planning Template

2011-07-28T21:11:00.001-07:00

Action Planning Template
Goal: Determine the effects of Reading Recovery on student achievement.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Interview students in first grade that are in Reading Recovery to find out how they feel about this program.	Nicole Reyes	September 2011-December 2012	First Grade students	Evaluate the students’ answers to see the impact Reading Recovery has on them.
Interview the Reading Recovery teachers to discuss how they’ve seen the student’s progress through the reading program.	Nicole Reyes	October 2011	Monica Frederick and Sandy Veach (Reading Recovery teachers)	Determine the effectiveness that Reading Recovery has on the students reading progress based on my interviews.
Gather data on students’ Reading Recovery history in order to identify growth from being in this program.	Lisa McLaughlin (Principal), Sandy Embry (Assistant Principal), and Nicole Reyes	February 2012 – Start gathering data on students’ scores/grades prior to joining Reading Recovery June 2012 – Review final grade/testing data on students in Reading Recovery	District Assessment testing data, Reading Levels, AIMS Data	Comparisons made from student data before and after Reading Recovery involvement will show effectiveness of the reading program. Evaluate what percentage of students improved academically after becoming involved in Reading Recovery.
Interview Erin Burke (the districts Reading Recovery Specialist) to discuss what program existed before Reading Recovery.	Nicole Reyes	November 2011	Erin Burke and data from previous reading programs (if any)	Evaluate the previous reading programs data and compare it to the Reading Recovery data.

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

(Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010)

EDLD 5301 Week 2

2011-07-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

I learned from Dr. Kirk Lewis to ask myself before beginning any research “What is practical for what I need?” I need to figure out what I need to know and decide if it can be applied to where I am at. Basically, I need to be prepared before I begin researching so I do not waste time. My research should benefit the student /staff at my school. I believe this is very important in doing what is best for my school.

Purpose and Significance of My Action Research Project

2011-07-14T20:23:00.000-07:00

I decided to go a different way with my action research project. In a couple of years Reading Recovery may no longer be around. Reading Recovery is a reading intervention that gives students extra support in reading. Because of budget cuts this program may be taken away.

The purpose of this research project is to investigate the impact of Reading Recovery. I want to investigate how the students grow throughout this program and what might happen if students are not given this extra support.

The significance of this project is to show that students are better off because of Reading Recovery. The students are the "key stakeholders." Reading Recovery allows the students to receive extra help in reading and this is done one-on-one with the Reading Recovery teacher. Not only will the students receive Guided Reading with me in a group of 4 to 6 students but they get another chance to be with the Reading Recovery teachers. Some students need extra help and this program gives them this and so much more.

How Educational Leaders Use Blogs

2011-07-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

“Weblogs are another excellent way principal-researchers can capture their thinking as an inquiry unfolds” (Dana, 2010). Administrators and teachers can use blogs as an “online diary.” They can “post commentary or news about the research they are currently engaged in” (Dana, 2010). Blogs can be used to combine text, images, and links to other blogs. Administrators can receive feedback from anyone based upon the news or research they blogged.

Action Research

2011-07-13T09:16:00.000-07:00

Administrator inquiry or action research “refers to the process of a principal engaging in systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice and taking action for change based on what he/she learns as a result of the inquiry” (Dana, 2009). Harris defines inquiry as “investigating in a systematic way” (Harris, 2010). “Inquiry is examining data, asking questions, and requesting more information” (Harris, 2010). Action Research gives teachers and administrators the information they need in order to continue growing professionally. I learned that “inquiring professionals seek out change and reflect on their practice by posing questions or wonderings, collecting data to gain insights into their wonderings, analyzing the data along with reading relevant literature, making changes in practice based on new understandings developed during inquiry, and sharing findings with others” (Dana, 2009).

Action research is not based upon outside research. It is based upon people who are involved in the design, data collection, and interpretation of data. Elliot describes action research as a “continual set of spirals consisting of reflection and action” (Elliot, 1988).

I learned that each spiral involves “(1) clarifying and diagnosing a practical situation that needs to be improved or a practical problem that needs to be resolved, (2) formulating action strategies for improving the situation or resolving the problem, (3) implementing the action strategies and evaluating their effectiveness, and (4) clarifying the situation, resulting in new definitions of problems or areas for improvement, and so on, to the next spiral of reflection and action (Elliot, 1988).