Action Research Plan_Amy Zbylut

Here is my Action Research Plan.  It is also posted on my wiki at http://azbylut.wikispaces.com/EDLD+5301_Action+Research+Plan.

Action Inquiry:  What can we do to make PLCs more relevant and effective on our campus?
Goal:  Our goal is to find ways to make our Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) more relevant and effective.  We want all members to actively share, participate, and lead PLCs.  We also want our campus to have the shared vision that effective PLCs will increase student achievement and allow educators to grow professionally.  The goal of our PLCs is to enhance our effectiveness as professionals so that students benefit.  Action Inquiry:  What can we do to make PLCs more relevant and effective on our campus? Rationale:  Rosenholtz (1989) addressed how teachers' workplace factors affected the teaching quality.  Rosenholtz noted that teachers who felt supported in their own lifelong learning and classroom practice were more devoted and effective than those who did not receive such affirmation.  McLaughlin and Talbert (1993) confirmed Rosenholtz's findings, suggesting that when teachers had opportunities for collaborative inquiry they were able to develop and share acuity garnered from their experience.  Dana (2009) further emphasizes how PLCs enhance the possibilities for conducting action inquiry and cultivates a community of action inquirers.  The “action” in “action inquiry” produces participation, ownership, and results. Fichman, Nancy Dana (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge:  The principal as action Researcher.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. Hord, S. (1997).  Professional Learning Communities: What Are They and Why Are They Important?: Issues About Change, Volume 6, Number 1. McLaughlin, M.W. & Talbert, J.E. (1993). Contexts that matter for teaching and learning. Stanford, California: Center for Research on the Context of Secondary School Teaching, Stanford University. Rosenholtz, S. (1989). Teacher's workplace: The social organization of schools. New York: Longman.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Analyze the impact of our current PLCs to discover what is effective and ineffective.  Allow teachers to engage in self-reflection regarding their contributions to PLCs and ways to make PLCS more relevant and effective to them.	Participants:  Faculty & Staff Facilitator:  Amy Zbylut & Daniel Salinas	November 30, 2010 – December 3, 2010	Survey Monkey Computer & Access to the Internet Faculty & Staff (stakeholder participants)	Results from the survey will be used to initiate our action inquiry on “What can we do to make PLCs more relevant and effective on our campus?”
Establish routines for collective inquiry that enables team members to develop new skills and capabilities that in turn lead to new experiences and awareness	Amy Zbylut CILT Members PLC Members (Exclude administration, so educators can feel real ownership of the established routines)	December 6, 2010 – January 6, 2011	Paper Pencils Educator Voices (In order to share and collaborate on relevant and effective routines/schedules for leading, presenting, & sharing at PLCs) Computer (To type final copy of routines/schedules) Email (To disseminate final copy of routines/schedules)	Rough Drafts that were created through PLCs will be used to create final copies of routines/schedules.  Each PLC Math, Science, Reading/Language Arts, & Social Studies may create their own or decide to use one for all content areas.
Create PLC Norms based on what an effective PLC should look like or the mannerism in which it should operate	Content Area PLC Chairperson	December 6, 2010 – January 6, 2011	Paper Pencils Educator Voices (In order to share and collaborate on relevant and effective PLC Norms to follow during PLCs) Computer (To type final copy of PLC Norms) Email (To disseminate final copy of PLC Norms)	PLC Norms will be followed and evaluated at future PLCs.
Incorporate research based articles, videos,  & book studies that allow our campus to implement what was learned Topics Include: *Effective PLCs and their correlation to Student Achievement *Engaging students *Integrating Technology (Provide the skills or job-embedded professional development to allow teachers to implement technology)	Content Area PLC Chairperson Daniel Salinas Loretta Darden Amy Zbylut (Provide the skills or job-embedded professional development to allow teachers to implement technology)	December 2010 – April 2011	Research Based Articles Internet Paper Books Videos Money (Staff Development-Line Code)	Collaboration and discussion on research based articles, videos, and book studies.  Applying what was learned to our classrooms and campus. Discussing the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of what was applied from previous studies/PLCs.
Analyze the impact of our changes to the PLCs to discover what was effective and ineffective.  Address changes that should be in place for future PLCs.	Participants:  Faculty & Staff Facilitator:  Amy Zbylut & Daniel Salinas	May 2011	Survey Monkey Computer & Access to the Internet Faculty & Staff (stakeholder participants)	The results from the survey will allow us to maintain the positive aspects of our action inquiry on PLCs. The results from the survey will also be used to initiate further action inquiry on “What other measures can we take to make PLCs more beneficial to educators and students?”

EDLD 5301 Week 2: Reflection on Video Interviews

Video Interview:  Johnny Briseno

In the interview with Johnny Briseno, he identifies action inquiry as a process that requires a person to look at the qualitative and quantitative data.  In this interview, he implements an action inquiry on a teacher’s comment that her class only has a 50% passing rate on TAKS compared to a 75% passing rate the previous year.

In the first step of his action inquiry, he suggests that we look at the home environment or outside factors that may be contributing to the difference in scores.  As an educator, I know this step is vital to finding a solution to this action inquiry.  I have learned from experience that many factors outside of the school walls can affect the productivity of students.  I also know that outside factors can affect the productivity of teachers.  I have seen many educators that are struggling in their personal life bring their problems to work.  Some people have not mastered the ability to leave personal life at home and work at work.

Briseno reaffirmed my belief that data is not only numbers.  All educators and campuses should look at the qualitative and quantitative data when addressing action inquiries.

Video Interview:  Dr. Kirk Lewis

In the interview with Dr. Kirk Lewis, speaks about “Expectation Graduation”.  Expectation Graduation is a project that requires action inquiry on the way curriculum and instruction is being implemented.  Its goal is to promote higher graduation rates amongst high school students by evaluating how the curriculum and instruction affects dropout rates.

Dr. Lewis suggests that an action inquiry on student engagement and graduation rates must first be evaluated through content and instruction.  Is the curriculum relevant and rigorous?  Are the teacher’s instructional methods engaging students?

Dr. Lewis raises some interesting points regarding student graduation rates and student engagement.  I believe that many students dropout, because they are bored and not engaged in the classroom.  I also believe that many students take dual credit courses or try to graduate a year early, because school is not engaging them.  Speaking from my own personal experience, I was not engaged in high school and I decided to take all my Junior and Senior credits in one year.  I did not want to dropout, but I could not imagine wasting another year of my life in high school.

All of the video interviews, made me realize that educators must be life-long learners that learn how to engage students of the present.  Educators need to be willing to be involved with action inquiry instead of letting someone else solve their problems.  Ownership of solutions must include all stakeholders.

Action Research: Motivating High School Students

Here is an interesting topic brought up on our Discussion Board:

 

Genevieve wrote:

How can we motivate high school students to want to learn? It appears some students do not care about their education.I would love to be a student in this day and age where we literally have the world at our fingertips because of technology and the internet.The students seem to be so lazy and do not want to put effort forth in their classes, even in computer classes.Sometimes I feel that we are not preparing them for college.It really bothers me when I have to constantly encourage them to complete their work so the students will have a grade instead of a zero. I think a big factor is that I am a digital immigrant and they are digital natives. Students today do not know what it was like to not have technology available to them. They have always had access to it.

An action research study would be beneficial to find out what it will take the students to get interested in their own learning and encourage them to want to learn as much as possible.

My response:
I think some students need a reality shock. Technology is integrated into so many jobs/careers now days and even "Digital Natives" are not prepared. I think you can be a "Digital Native" who lacks real employable skills. Students may be able to "Google" this and "Remix" that, but can they hold a real conversation or write a business letter without using "...." or "emoticons"?
Your action research topic reminds me of a tragic remark that a military pen-pal made to one of my students. He was trying to explain the importance of education and writing skills used in the military. He said, "You would be amazed at how many soldiers who refuse pen-pals or struggle with writing their "death" letters, because they lack writing/spelling skills." Could you imagine not wanting to wish your family well and telling them your final thoughts, because you were ashamed of your educational capabilities? You have the bravery to fight for our freedom, but lack the confidence in voicing your final word. The soldier even expressed his concerns that so many people are willing to risk their lives in the military, because they think it is their only chance to receive financial aid for a college education.
I would like to see more high schools focus on dual credit courses and trade skills. I think it would motivate students to get to be more involved with work study programs in high school. Just like we prefer job-embedded training, I think students prefer job-embedded classes in high school. Not many high school students want to skip a football game, party, or other experience in order to work towards their future.
We can reach most of them during the school day, so we need to address issues or limitations that are within the normal hours of school.

Why educational leaders might use blogs?

Educational leaders might use blogs for several reasons.  Educational leaders could use blogs to share, discuss, and collaborate with other leaders across the world.  They could also use blogs to continue their professional growth and engage in new technologies.  Blogs are great resources for RSS feeds and allow leaders to stay abreast of current trends, methodologies, and technologies.
Leaders should also be able to model and advocate 21^st Century tools.  Blogs and wikis are a great way to start the “Digital Immigrant” migration (Prensky, 2001).

Fichman, Nancy Dana (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge:  The principal as action Researcher.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants: Part 2. On the Horizon, 9(6), 1-9.

Amy's Action Research Inquiry_EDLD 5301

During this week’s assignment, I learned that action research “enhances professional growth and brings about real change” (Dana, 2009, p.10).  Over the past several years, my district has implemented more hands-on action research.  Before this implementation, my district was taking the traditional educational research approach.  Our professional development classes consisted of strategies and methodologies that were being used in other districts or states.  Many educators felt these methodologies were not relevant to our individual campus needs.  Dana states, “a critical belief about learning is ownership” (p. 12).  Ownership is one of the key differences between action research and traditional educational research.  Using the action research method all stakeholders take ownership in the entire process.  Action research will more effectively bring about change, because it focuses on relevancy and ownership within the campus.

I also learned that action research and administrative inquiry mean the same thing.  One of the main concepts I like about administrative inquiry is it allows all campus stakeholders to give input on solutions and all stakeholders participate in the implementation of those solutions.  Administrative inquiry is an ongoing process that allows room for continual change based on an individual campus need.  This type of action research approach allows a campus to improve their campus with relevant change, because professional learning communities and campus committees are able to participate in the entire process.

Action research in an educational setting includes university coursework, district meetings, campus leadership teams, and professional learning communities (PLCs).  Conducting action research allows stakeholders to gain ownership for changes and improvements to their campus.  Campuses need advocates to motivate others, to increase ownership, and to facilitate greater productivity on the campus.  Administrative inquiry produces the advocacy and ownership that campuses need.

University coursework and continual professional development is one way to implement action research.  Some institutions devote an entire course to action research that allows students to collaborate as a Professional Learning Community (Dana, 2009, p.20).  Districts and universities offer opportunities to become part of a cohort.  Cohorts allow a diversified group of people with a common goal to share, evaluate, research, collaborate, and resolve problems together.  Many universities and districts are implementing blogs and wikis to expand the collaboration and action research approach.

Campus Instructional Leadership teams (CILT) are located on every campus in my district.  I think the district’s restrictive guidelines negatively affect the campus leadership teams.  On this aspect, my district is still stuck in the traditional educational research approach.  The limitations on how many CILT members and the stipend being paid effects the attitudes and morale at my campus.  Some people want to be on CILT just for the stipend and ineffectively represent our leadership team.  I am very curious to research how other districts select leadership teams on their campuses.

Professional Learning Communities are very beneficial to my campus.  The non-CILT members have an opportunity to collaborate and demonstrate their leadership capabilities.  The PLCs become continuous action inquiry sessions where the entire campus can feel engaged and gain ownership on the outcomes of best practices and research.  I want my campus to engage in an action inquiry on how to make PLCs more effective on our campus.

Fichman, Nancy Dana (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge:  The principal as action Researcher.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Harris, S., Edmonson, S., and Combs, J. (2010). Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps to improve our schools.  Eye on Education Press.

EDLD 5306 Course Reflections

When I started EDLD 5306, I envisioned a course that would focus on SBEC and NETS standards.  I also expected to learn more about copyright laws and techniques to engage the 21^st Century learner.  I am very pleased with the outcome of this course, because I now feel like I can assist my campus and district with understanding copyright laws.  I also feel more equipped to address the needs of the 21^st Century learner.  I feel that many of my colleagues will benefit from activities that I learned throughout this course.  The course also gave me insight on learning styles and personality traits.   I would like to share the Keirsey Temperament Sorter with my campus.   The Keirsey Temperament Sorter taught me that greater productivity occurs when I am aware of others' temperament.  I think my campus could benefit from surveys and personality tests.  Overall, the course was definitely aligned with what I had envisioned and it offered much more than what I originally predicted.

All of the topics discussed throughout this course were very relevant to the work that I do in my school.  The course helped me increase my knowledge base and many of the topics covered the duties of a Technology Integration Mentor (TIM).  I am the Technology Integration Mentor (TIM) for my campus.  As a Technology Integration Mentor, I support, develop, facilitate, and use Web 2.0 technologies in order to provide mentoring and integration of technology on our campus.  I also research, identify, model, and apply concepts and methods to integrate technology into Core Curriculum.  TIMs discuss, evaluate, and integrate 21^st Century teaching methods and technologies.  We also assist students and teachers with technologies.  Therefore, the topics evaluated in this course were definitely relevant to my work.

In this course, I expected to see more visuals or videos related to the implementation of a Technology Committee.  Our school has never had a Technology Committee and I would like to have seen this topic addressed more in-depth.  I think Technology Committees are a necessity for every campus.  I have created a proposal for a campus-based technology committee.  I suggested it includes the District Technology Department, Campus Administrators, Technology Integration Mentor (TIM), Campus Based Technician (CBT), Librarian and teachers from a variety of disciplines. I think the committee should meet regularly to discuss research-based decision-making, appropriate projects and goals.  It should also implement projects to improve classroom & campus technology integration.  In Who’s in control of the technology-integrated school, Price discussed the importance of technology planning.  Price stated, “Principals will have to meet with techies to plan how technology will be organized” (Price, 2005).  I think organization must be a focus for every infrastructure.

The EDLD 5306 course assignments were a bit overwhelming at first.  The first week was very time consuming and had me fearing that I would not be able to manage work, home, kids, and graduate courses.  After the first week, the course load became tolerable.  The web conference was an interesting experience.  It was ironic that we were learning about the 21^st Century technology available, but the quality of the audio and bandwidth did not seem 21^st Century.  "In order to maintain a certain level of learning, educators must make lessons as relevant to the student's lives as possible" (Prensky, 2008).  All the assignments were relevant and added value to my learning.  I did not have any problems with the courseware.  I did find it hard to answer some of the questions in the Progress Monitors, because some of the questions asked for percentages or numbers that I could not recall.

This course taught me about my learning style and personality traits.  The Keirsey Temperament Sorter taught me to seek-out and to listen to Rationals, because they are people who can help me solve problems more effectively and efficiently. I also learned that Prensky's definition of "Digital Immigrants", describes the majority of my campus (Prensky, 2001).   I want to help my colleagues become the "intellectual light" of their students' lives and I want my campus to walk away from "the darkness of the old-fashioned classroom” Prensky (2008).  The Internship Plan allowed me to evaluate the needs of my campus.  I am excited to have a guide that will help me improve my technology leadership skills.  I learned numerous details of the Draft Plan.  The Draft Plan gave me many ideas on how I can assist my campus with effective implementation of Technology Application TEKS.   Overall, this course was very relevant and offered a range of knowledge on how to become a technology leader effectively.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital natives, digital immigrants: Part 2. On the Horizon, 9(6), 1-9.

Prensky, M. (2008).Turning on the lights. Educational Leadership, 65(6), 40-45.

Price, B. (2005).Who’s in control of the technology-integrated school? Principal Leadership, 6(1), 51-56