Course Reflection: EDLD 5301 Research

The EDLD 5301 Research course has provided me with a multitude of strategies and methods that will allow me to become an effective action inquirer and educational leader.  The literature, video lectures, blogs, email notifications, and discussion forums have been extremely beneficial during this course.

The tools provided by Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps to improve our schools (Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010), has assisted me with the development and implementation of my Action Research Plan.  The Harris text provided many useful tools for beginning action researcher.  In the future, I will continue to use the Tool 7.1 and Tool 8.1 CARE Model: Planning Tool (Harris, Edmonson, and Combs, 2010).  Tool 7.1 and Tool 8.1 are useful and relevant to the action inquiry process.  These tools will assist me in effectively designing future action inquiries. 

In Leading with passion and knowledge:  The principal as action Researcher, I learned about five quality indicators that will assist me with the results obtained from my research project (Dana 2009, pp. 179-184).  I also learned numerous strategies used in the development, implementation, and evaluation of a research plan.

The video lectures from this course were relevant and presented in a comfortable atmosphere.  The professors spoke formally and informally which provided a sense of comfort and welcoming.  Their flow from one point to another made me wonder how many “outtakes” were created during their session, because it seemed so natural and easy to follow.  I do video production for our school and I can spend hours editing video to flow as good as our EDLD 5301 lectures.

The blogs and email notifications regarding updated blogs assisted our cohort with online collaboration.  I noticed that many classmates had not set-up RSS feeds for other classmates’ blogs and some classmates needed extra assistance with various assignments.  I set-up a cohort 16 email contact group through our Lamar email accounts to resolve this issue.  Since the contact group has been set-up, several classmates have used the email to collaborate about various topics.  We also have used the email to notify others that our action research plans have been updated for evaluation and comments.  Using the blogs to review classmates' action research has given me ideas for future inquiries.  The comments posted on my blog have also assisted me with my action research.  My action research plan is located on my blog at http://azbylut.blogspot.com/2010/12/action-inquiry-what-can-we-do-to-make.html.

The discussion boards and other collaboration methods have assisted me in my journey of becoming a life-long learner.  EDLD 5301 positively enlightened my teaching quality and supported my life-long learning by providing the tools to become an effective action inquirer.  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.  I feel this course has given me the affirmation that Rosenholtz mentions in Teacher's workplace: The social organization of schools (Rosenholtz 1989).

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.

Rosenholtz, S. (1989). Teacher's workplace: The social organization of schools. New York: Longman.

Action Inquiry: What can we do to make PLCs more relevant and effective on our campus? (Revised)

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. In order to implement and evaluate this Action Inquiry, we will use tools and improvement sustainment methods outlined in Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps to improve our schools (Harris 2010, pp.94-99). 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. 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 and schedules for leading, presenting, & sharing at PLCs) Computer (To type final copy of routines and schedules) Email: (To disseminate final copy of routines and schedules)	Rough Drafts that were created through PLCs will be used to create final copies of routines and 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.
Use the Nominal Group Technique to analyze the impact of our changes to the PLCs to discover what was effective and ineffective.  Identify concerns and routines that should be sustained for future PLCs.  Address changes that should be in place for future PLCs.	Participants:  Faculty & Staff Facilitators: Amy Zbylut & Daniel Salinas	May 2011	Nominal Group Technique tool Meeting Place for all staff members Faculty & Staff (stakeholder participants)	The results from the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) activity will allow us to maintain the positive aspects of our action inquiry on PLCs and to initiate further action inquiry on “What other measures can we take to make PLCs more beneficial to educators and students?”

Sustaining Improvement: EDLD 5301 Week 4 Reflection

During this week’s reading, I read about strategies for sustaining improvement on my campus.  I learned about several methods that are used to sustain improvement and forecast possible hindrances to the improvement process.  In, Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps to improve our schools (Harris 2010), three methods mentioned are Force Field Analysis, Delphi Method, and the Nominal Group Technique.

Force Field Analysis

Force Field Analysis consists of the idea that “in order for change to occur, the driving forces for the change must exceed the resisting forces against the change” (Harris 2010, p.94).  I think this concept is very relevant, because too many resistant forces will negate the progress of change.  I have seen this happen many times on my campus.  I think the Force Field Analysis would answer the questions educators have when it comes to change.  Here are two questions I hear often during Staff Development:

1)    Why do we have to do this?

2)    What is wrong with our current method/program?

In, Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps to improve our schools, seven steps are recommended for the Force Field Analysis (Harris 2010, p. 95).  If you want to reduce the resistant forces, then use the following Force Field Analysis steps during the development of your Action Inquiry:

1)    Describe the current situation.

2)    Describe the proposed change.

3)    Identify what will happen if no change occurs.

4)    Identify the forced driving the proposed change.

5)    Identify the forces resisting the proposed change.

6)    Determine whether the change is viable.

7)    If the change is viable, what is needed for implementation?

Delphi Method

The Delphi Method is an approach to sustaining improvement through collaboration, surveys, and questionnaires.  Stakeholders participate in decision-making and implementation of changes by providing feedback on the identified “action inquiry” topic.  The feedback and results are shared with all participants and then revised to form a similar level of consensus on the “action inquiry” topic.  The text recommends using these steps to incorporate the Delphi Method:

1)    Identify the problem or action inquiry

2)    Present the problem or action inquiry to all stakeholders

3)    Retrieve feedback/responses from the stakeholders

4)    Return all the feedback/responses to participants

5)    Participants read all the collected feedback/responses and then have them rank the data

6)    Collect everyone’s rankings and compute the average and frequency of the ratings

7)    Return the ratings back to participants and continue as needed until a general consensus is reached

I have used the Delphi Method on my campus in the form of surveys and email communication.  I also have incorporated it with EInstruction’s Remote Response System.

The Nominal Group Technique

The Nominal Group Technique is an approach to problem identification and resolution involving the stakeholders from start to finish.  This technique allows stakeholders to identify perceived problems/issues.  It also gives stakeholders ownership in the entire process.  This technique is great to identify individual perceived problems/issues.  It also allows us to see the shared perceptions of problems/issues.  To use the Nominal Group Technique, follow these steps:

1)    Individuals silently write down their perceived problems/issues. Do not allow discussions at this time.

2)    Each group member presents, but does not discuss, one of the perceived problems/issues on his or her list.  The perceived problem/issue is recorded on chart paper.  The leader then asks each person for a second idea, and so on, until all ideas are recorded on the chart paper.  All ideas are recorded in the order they were presented.

3)    The leader reads each idea on the chart paper and asks if there are questions, interpretations, or clarifications.

4)    Finally, participants rate each item from no importance (0) to top priority (10).  The leader then collects and calculates the ratings and records the cumulative rating for each item.

After calculating the ratings, the campus may want to focus on the perceived problem/issue that had the highest rating.  A campus can take the results and form an Action Inquiry on the top identified problems/issues.  This method allows for continual ownership amongst all stakeholders.

My campus has used this method before without giving it a name.  It was effective for some of our issues, but we still had individuals who felt they were devalued since their individual issue was not a top priority for other stakeholders.

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.