EDLD 5301 Week 2 - Lessons Learned from Week Two

This week I learned so much from conducting the assigned readings and watching the interviews provided in the courseware, that I feel more than prepared to conduct a successful action research study. This week, I met with my supervisor to discuss different topics of interest for my action research study. There were two that really stuck out and I had a hard time deciding which one to chose. I was not sure whether to conduct my research on "What can be done to eliminate the incidence of bullying at my campus?" or "How can technology be implemented in the ESL classroom to further the success of ESL students?" It was not until after I watched again the interview video of Dr. Kirk Lewis, Superintendent of Pasadena ISD, that I made my final choice. As I listened to Dr. Kirk Lewis, he said some words that really struck a chord in me. He mentioned that when conducting research, it is of upmost importance that the topic the inquirer chooses is relatable to him/her. An inquirer may choose any topic he wishes and conduct impressive research on it. However, if the topic is not relatable to the inquirer, then he/she has no use for that new knowledge. Since my main goal in enrolling in this master's program is to further my knowledge of technology and how it can foster student success, I ultimately decided to conduct my action research on “How can technology be implemented in the ESL classroom to further the success of ESL students?” This is not only a topic that really interests me, but it is a topic that if researched well enough, could bring numerous benefits to the ESL community at my campus. Now that I have made my final choice, I am more than excited to see what research is available to further my knowledge of this topic.

EDLD 5301 Week 1 – Blog Usage by Educators

Blogs are a very powerful tool in the field of education. Educational leaders can use blogs to reflect on their practice as they conduct action research. Blogs also allow educational leaders to form part of an extensive network of educational leaders that share the same interests. This allows leaders to comment on each other’s posts and provide feedback that contribute to the growth of the blogger as a leader (Dana, 2009, p.150). This fosters “collaboration Lastly, blogs can be used by leaders to go back to their previous blog entries and see how much they have changed and grown in their field. This provides motivation and helps guide them toward continuous improvement.

Reference

Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

EDLD 5301 Week 1 – Action Research Project

During this first week of class, I have learned a great deal about action research. Before enrolling in EDLD 5301, I did not know there was a difference between traditional educational research and action research; I thought they were both the same. As stated by Nancy Fichtman Dana in the book "Leading with Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher" (2009), the biggest difference between both is that action research focuses on the concerns of practitioners; “not outside researchers” ( p.5). This is exactly what makes action research so much better than traditional research; it is relevant to the person conducting it! In so many research projects that I have conducted in the past, I lacked motivation during my participation in them. Why? Because I could not relate to them. Therefore, I was not interested in them. By engaging in action research, the practitioner chooses a topic or problem, comes up with a question he/she would like an answer to, and conducts his/her research based on the chosen question. This is far more interesting than doing research on a topic that was given because it is something the practitioner really wants to learn more about. Also, action research provides more room for professional growth. By engaging in action research, the practitioner must look at himself/herself, and analyze and reflect on his/her work. By doing so, the practitioner is able to make improvements that will make him/her a better and more knowledgeable leader in the end. This is exactly how I plan to use action research. I recently graduated, so I plan on using action research during my first year of teaching to periodically analyze and reflect on my teaching. By doing so, I will continue to move forward on my teaching abilities and I will grow to become a better educator. If all research were conducted as action research, stronger leaders that are aware and confident of what they can offer would be seen in campuses all over.

Reference

Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.