Reflections on Action Research 5301

Action research is a process, not a product, and a “powerful vehicle for learning and school improvement” (Dana, 2009, p.3). Through Action Research 5301 I have learned that principals who engage in action research save time, increase professional growth and achievement of themselves, colleagues, and students, and become a positive example to all stakeholders in a campus, district, or community. In addition, action research is closely aligned with the scientific process and communicating findings after conducting a high quality, valid research and action plan is an extremely important part of the process, which can be done in several ways. Researching questions or problems can save principals time and unnecessary frustration. In his interview with our professors, principal, Johnny Briseno, made Lamar University students aware that taking the time to read how others have addressed issues on their campuses could save us from having to “reinvent the wheel” (Briseno, 2010). When some readers did not agree with my plan to separate female and male students in science classes to see how achievement would be affected based on my own observations and conversations with colleagues Lisa Monroe and Jana Echols. I went online and read articles and referenced the one I found most intriguing in the American Educational Research Journal. I realize that I must have more than one reference in my action plan to increase the quality of the “wondering(s) and purpose” indicator, but it was a start. If I had found a great amount of evidence that indicated my plan should not me done, then I would have saved time by identifying new wonderings or issues to explore. When researching, principals have to carefully consider the context in which the tests they are studying were conducted and all other quality indicators. If I base my plan off of only one article, a non-reputable journal, or hear say from a couple of people, my plan may be a waste of time and low quality. As of my last communication with my site-supervisor, I am approved to carry out my plan and she is anxious to review my results (Braun, P. personal communication, September, 21, 2010) Through action research, a principal becomes the “head-learner” on their campus which can create buy-in for teachers and students to engage in their own learning. When done correctly, Dana says that principals can not only provide valuable transferable information to colleagues, but it set an example for them to grow through action research. She even offers the title of another book she wrote entitled “The Reflective Educator’s Guide to Classroom Research: Learning to Teach and Teaching to Learn Through Practitioner Inquiry” as a resource for principals to implement a book study to help teachers “embark on this journey” (Dana, 2009, pp. 184-85). Action research is comparative to the scientific method of problem solving because the steps are similar, and both often lead to new research and/or plans for improvement, instead of one correct answer.  In Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps to improve our schools, Harris describes how a patient visits a doctor and the processes that the doctor and patient go through to diagnose a health issue and then proceed to ensuring continuous improvement in her lifestyle, to illustrate the process of action research as a scientific process or journey (Harris, S., Edmonson, S., and Combs, J., 2010, p. 6). As a teacher of science for over ten years, I had a relatively easy time understanding the processes of action research; however, this will be the first time I have ever engaged in a scientific process as intricate as action research is proving to be, if done correctly. Conducting action research in a valid, reliable, and productive way involves careful planning and purposeful collaboration. During this course I have used my blog, discussion board and visits with my site-supervisor and colleagues to help me develop my plan and hope that I have designed it in the most reliable ways. One way I have tried to ensure validity is that I have considered variables in my plan carefully and tried to eliminate detail that may make my studies invalid. For instance, I am trying to get two different campuses with different demographics to complete the studies, using large samples of varied starting abilities, and providing survey and interview questions to both the classes that are being tested and classes that are in the control groups. A student questioned on our discussion board, “Are you expecting to use the same curriculum in both coed and single-sex classes?” (Hill, Dawn. Discussion Board, September 18, 2010). I must use the same curriculum for both classes or my results would be invalid.  Another way I am assuring the quality indicator entitled, Principal Research Design, is by including various methods of data collection as was suggested by Nancy Dana in Chapter Three of her book (Dana, 2009, pp. 71-104). Some of the methods I will use as Dana describes them are field notes taken during observations in classes and interviews with teachers and students, surveys, and data from assessments. To ensure the quality of inquiry based processes, data from several sources must be collected (Dana, 2009). Communicating the quality indicators during and after you conduct your action plan is important for your own growth and the possible growth of colleagues and others outside your campus. There are several indicators besides Principal Research Design that a principal needs to address and/or monitor while implementing an action research plan and there are several ways to communicate. To be of use to others, inquiry based action plan findings must be based on real data, be relevant to the context of study for the reader, have convincing purpose, and communicate what the principal has learned and how that could apply to their campus/district(s) (Dana, 2009, pp. 179-84). There were several ways to communicate research to interested parties. One way is by updating a weekly blog, which is a requirement of this course. Giving presentations or writing executive reports is two other ways of dispersing relevant information about findings. I may even choose to have an article published in an educational journal or address the school board with recommendations based on my research. My final thoughts on this course are ones that I must carry with me throughout the next eighteen months. Action research is a collaborative process because the more articles you read, professors, colleagues, and graduate students you bounce ideas around with, through blogs, discussion boards, and web casts, the more learning will take place and thus more revising to my plan. An action plan is a fluid document that should change as new information, or learning is available. I was fortunate in that I found an action plan that is going to help my school as well as myself, which is what Dr. Attaberry and Dr. Jenkins encouraged us to do. I look forward to carrying out my research action plan by carefully designing my surveys, interview questions, and methods of data collecting, collaborating with peers and professors, and communicating quality results and implications of my studies. Braun, Polly. "Re: Action Research Plan." Message to the Alycea Lewis. 21, September. 2010. E-mail. Briseno, Johnny. Interview with Lamar University Professors. Action Research, 2009. Dana Fichman, Nancy (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. J. Echols, personal communication, August 26, 2010. 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. Hill, Dawn. Week Four Discussion Board. Action Research 5301. Lamar University, September 18, 2010. L. Monroe, personal communication, October 1997. Shapka, J.D. & Keating, D.P. (2003). Effects of a Girls-Only Curriculum During Adolescence: Performance, Persistence, and Engagement in Mathematics and Science. American Educational Research Journal, 40 (4), 929-960.

Action Plan Revised

Alycea Lewis’s Action Plan
Goal: Improve science achievement and for females and increase the number of females entering post secondary science programs and careers. I also hope to improve achievement for other historically low performing populations such as: African-American, Hispanic, and Economically Disadvantaged.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Explore 5th grade Science TAKS data for this year’s current 8th grade students	Alycea Lewis Jana Echols 8th grade Science teachers	Start by September 30th and end by October 15th	5th grade Science TAKS data for current 8th graders	Compare achievement between all demographic populations and between genders
Survey all students in 8th grade science to ascertain perceived science anxiety, perceived science competency, and effort expended on science before changing any classes to single-sex environments.	Alycea Lewis to find or develop relevant survey 8th grade science teachers to give surveys to students and collect Alycea Lewis to examine data gathered	Start by September 30th and end by October 15th	Surveys	Compile data from survey to use in comparison to “end of year” survey.
Survey teachers to ascertain how well students performed in the first six weeks (before splitting some of their classes into single-sex classrooms)	8th grade teachers on my campus 8th grade teachers on neighboring campus (if they elect to participate)	Start by September 30th and end by October 15th	Survey	Compile data from survey to use in comparison to “end of year” survey.
Before changes are made, conduct “snapshot observations” to make notes on class dynamics, strategies, what is happening in the classroom.	Alycea Lewis Jana Echols CCIS for other contents Polly Braun	September 20th – October 15th.	Snapshot forms	Hold onto forms for future comparison to classes after changes are made.
Split a large sample of students that are of a variety of ethnicities, economic statuses, and levels (special education, advanced, on-level) into single-sex science classes. The rest of the classes will remain coed.	Director of Instruction 8th grade science teachers on my campus Possibly 8th grade teachers and Director of Instruction at a neighboring campus	Split into classes by October 15th.	Data from District Tests Data from 2011 Science TAKS End of course surveys from students and teachers in both single-sex and coeducational classrooms.	Using: District Secondary Formative Assessments for 2nd – 6th six weeks grading periods. 2011 Science TAKS test End of course surveys from students in single-sex and coed science classes. Surveys from teacher observations of single-sex and coed science classes. - compile data and look for improvements in achievements for all populations.
Conduct “snapshot observations” to get a picture of the class dynamics	Alycea Lewis Jana Echols CCIS for other contents Polly Braun	Starting October 30th – Ending May 2011	Snapshot forms	Will be used to compare to snapshots taken before changes were made to classes
Analyze Data from formal and informal assessments, Lab performance, and 8th grade TAKS test for 2011	Alycea Lewis Jana Echols Cooperating teachers	Starting October 30th – June 2011	Data from assessments and labs	Compare data for single-sex classroom students to data from coeducational classrooms
Survey all students in 8th grade science to ascertain perceived science anxiety, perceived science competency, and effort expended on science in single-sex classes and in coeducational classes.	Alycea Lewis Jana Echols	April 2011	Surveys identical to surveys completed before classes were changed.	Compare the data retrieved from the surveys to surveys that were given to students before changes were made to see if students “feel” same, worse, or better, regardless of whether they experienced single-sex classrooms, or coeducational classrooms.
Survey 8th grade teachers to ascertain how much growth they feel students have made, if any, regardless of class placement.	Cooperating teachers Alycea Lewis Jana Echols	Start April 2011 – End June 2011	Surveys	Compare/contrast growth teachers explain single-sex and coeducational classes have made.
Interview students and cooperating teachers about progress/process and realizations and keep Reflective Journal AND Blog.	Alycea Lewis Jana Echols Cooperating Teachers	October 30th – June 2011	Interviews (well thought out) Blog and Journal	Use information to ascertain how effective/ineffective is changing students into single-sex classes on their learning/growth.
Keep track of students’ participation in Science Clubs	Alycea Lewis Kristina Moore Gloria Martin Frank Fraley	October 15th 2010 – June 2011	Sign in sheets for Science clubs and Club leader interviews	Observe if students in single-sex classes or coeducational classes participate more in Science clubs.
Encourage students and principals to continue research during students’ high school experience.	Alycea Lewis Jana Echols Principals at feeder high schools Students	Begin discussion January 2011 after some data collected End May 2011	Data collected thus far to get a “yes” Data collected during high school to prove success	Evaluate assessments and enrollment trends of single-sex science students vs. coeducational students.
Track students’ acceptance and completion of degrees in science and career placements	Alycea Lewis Students	May 2015 - 2025	Correspondence between former students and Alycea Lewis	How many students responding were successful in post-secondary endeavors in the area of science

Action Plan

Action Plans are works in progress.

Action Planning Template
Goal: Improve science achievement and for females and increase the number of females entering post secondary science programs and careers. I also hope to improve achievement for other historically low performing populations such as: African-American, Hispanic, and Economically Disadvantaged.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Explore 5th grade Science TAKS data for this year’s current 8th grade students	Alycea Lewis Jana Echols 8th grade Science teachers	Start by September 30th and end by October 15th	5th grade Science TAKS data for current 8th graders	Compare achievement between all demographic populations and between genders
Survey all students in 8th grade science to ascertain perceived science anxiety, perceived science competency, and effort expended on science before changing any classes to single-sex environments.	Alycea Lewis to find or develop relevant survey 8th grade science teachers to give surveys to students and collect Alycea Lewis to examine data gathered	Start by September 30th and end by October 15th	Surveys	Compile data from survey to use in comparison to “end of year” survey.
Survey teachers to ascertain how well students performed in the first six weeks (before splitting some of their classes into single-sex classrooms)	8th grade teachers on my campus 8th grade teachers on neighboring campus (if they elect to participate)	Start by September 30th and end by October 15th	Survey	Compile data from survey to use in comparison to “end of year” survey.
Before changes are made, conduct “snapshot observations” to make notes on class dynamics, strategies, what is happening in the classroom.	Alycea Lewis Jana Echols CCIS for other contents Polly Braun	September 20th – October 15th.	Snapshot forms	Hold onto forms for future comparison to classes after changes are made.
Split a large sample of students that are of a variety of ethnicities, economic statuses, and levels (special education, advanced, on-level) into single-sex science classes. The rest of the classes will remain coed.	Director of Instruction 8th grade science teachers on my campus Possibly 8th grade teachers and Director of Instruction at a neighboring campus	Split into classes by October 15th.	Data from District Tests Data from 2011 Science TAKS End of course surveys from students and teachers in both single-sex and coeducational classrooms.	Using: District Secondary Formative Assessments for 2nd – 6th six weeks grading periods. 2011 Science TAKS test End of course surveys from students in single-sex and coed science classes. Surveys from teacher observations of single-sex and coed science classes. - compile data and look for improvements in achievements for all populations.
Conduct “snapshot observations” to get a picture of the class dynamics	Alycea Lewis Jana Echols CCIS for other contents Polly Braun	Starting October 30th – Ending May 2011	Snapshot forms	Will be used to compare to snapshots taken before changes were made to classes
Analyze Data from formal and informal assessments, Lab performance, and 8th grade TAKS test for 2011	Alycea Lewis Jana Echols Cooperating teachers	Starting October 30th – June 2011	Data from assessments and labs	Compare data for single-sex classroom students to data from coeducational classrooms
Survey all students in 8th grade science to ascertain perceived science anxiety, perceived science competency, and effort expended on science in single-sex classes and in coeducational classes.	Alycea Lewis Jana Echols	April 2011	Surveys identical to surveys completed before classes were changed.	Compare the data retrieved from the surveys to surveys that were given to students before changes were made to see if students “feel” same, worse, or better, regardless of whether they experienced single-sex classrooms, or coeducational classrooms.
Survey 8th grade teachers to ascertain how much growth they feel students have made, if any, regardless of class placement.	Cooperating teachers Alycea Lewis Jana Echols	Start April 2011 – End June 2011	Surveys	Compare/contrast growth teachers explain single-sex and coeducational classes have made.
Interview students and cooperating teachers about progress/process and realizations and keep Reflective Journal AND Blog.	Alycea Lewis Jana Echols Cooperating Teachers	October 30th – June2011	Interviews (well thought out) Blog and Journal	Use information to ascertain how effective/ineffective is changing students into single-sex classes on their learning/growth.
Encourage students and principals to continue research during students’ high school experience.	Alycea Lewis Jana Echols Principals at feeder high schools Students	Begin discussion January 2011 after some data collected End May 2011	Data collected thus far to get a “yes” Data collected during high school to prove success	Evaluate assessments and enrollment trends of single-sex science students vs. coeducational students.
Track students’ acceptance and completion of degrees in science and career placements	Alycea Lewis Students	May 2015 - 2025	Correspondence between former students and Alycea Lewis	How many students responding were successful in post-secondary endeavors in the area of science