Action Research Plan

I have made a decision to do my action research over Professional Learning Community (PLCs) implementation on my home campus.  Below you will find my Action Research Plan!

School Vision: To enhance and promote a lifelong love for learning in a climate that fosters trust, acceptance, and success for all people while preparing individual students for the challenges of tomorrow.

Goal: To research the implementation of Professional Learning Communities within Highland Middle School, at all grade levels, to ensure that we are working towards improving student achievement.

L. Roberts’ Revised Action Plan

Action Steps	Person (s) Responsible	Timeline: Start / End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1. Survey Faculty Using Survey Monkey.	-Leah Roberts -Principal Approval  -Faculty Responsible for Responses	Give teachers one week to complete the survey.	-Survey Monkey  -Teachers will need access to the Internet.	-Review Results by reading responses, creating additional questions for my next step. -Reflect to make sure that there is enough here to actually complete research on – discuss with administrators before proceeding.
2. Research PLCs through the internet, published journal articles, published books, and other campuses who have implemented them.	-Leah Roberts -Campus Advisors	Prior to sending out faculty survey, and throughout the implementation of this plan.  Have a great deal of research done prior to first meeting with the PLC Action Committee.	-Internet -Library -Other campuses	-Discuss findings with administration -Compile information to bring to PLC Action Committee.
3. Email Faculty to Invite to an Action Committee to discuss PLCs on campus.	-Leah Roberts -Principal Approval -Teacher Voluntary Participation	Give teachers one week to volunteer.	Email	If possible make sure that you have teachers from each grade level as well as from different content levels to ensure that we get an accurate sample of the entire school.  If enough faculty members do not respond I will seek out one-on-one meetings with teachers from different areas, or possibly meet with them during their PLC time.
4. PLC Action Committee Meeting	-Leah Roberts -Principal Approval -Volunteer Faculty Members	First meeting should happen three weeks after the initial survey.	-Data pulled from the survey. -Additional questions and or concerns to discuss with the group. -Ask group to look for specific best practices, and examples of how instruction and assessments have changed as a result of using PLCs.  Bring these to next meeting. (Ask that teachers seek to find samples of assessments used before PLC implementation, and new assessments created with the use of PLC) -If possible compile a list of pros and cons that teachers have voiced about PLCs within our planning sessions. -Supplies to take accurate notes	Take results of meeting to administration to discuss how to further progress.
5. Look into observing different PLCs over time to see differences and or best practices.	-Leah Roberts -Principal Approval -PLC Approval	Because PLCs happen once a week this process would happen over several months.	-Notes	-Take accurate notes to see similarities and differences between different PLCs. -Discuss with administrators.
6. Meet with Administrators to Determine Direction of My Action Research.	-Leah Roberts -Administrators	This should take place soon after my meeting with the PLC Action Committee	-Detailed notes taken from meeting. -We will discuss whether my research is on point. -If I am seeking an obtainable solution that will help our teachers and students. -Determine the best course of action at this point.	Evaluate all information given to compile an order for the next meeting with the PLC Action Committee.
7. Meet with PLC Action Committee again.	-Leah Roberts -Principal Approval -PLC Action Committee	-This meeting should happen a month from the first meeting.  This will give members time to get samples if possible, as well as time to observe different PLCs and bring findings to the group. -We need to go over samples provided by teachers to organize a list of best practices to help all teachers better implement ideals of PLCs into their classrooms.  -Create data that shows student improvement.	-Data Samples -Observation Findings -Additional Discussions/Concerns for the group to consider -Notes	Bring findings of meeting to administrators.
8. Address Faculty at the Next Faculty Meeting	-Leah Roberts -Principal Approval -PLC Action Committee Members	Formulate all data to discuss findings with the staff. Tell them of upcoming survey to see if things have changed on campus.	-Technology Presentation of Data -Samples of Best Practices for PLC	Discuss with Administrators.
9. Final Survey	-Leah Roberts -Principal Approval -Faculty Participation	Create Survey in Survey Monkey to ask faculty about PLCs to find out if there has been a change in motivation towards them as well as evidence of higher student achievement.	-Approval of Questions -Survey Monkey -Internet Capability	Discuss Findings With Administrators
10. Continued Research	-Leah Roberts -Principal Approval -PLC Action Committee	Create a way for teachers to continuously provide samples of improved assessments with data showing improvement.  Discuss what this could look like with Administration and PLCAC. (Possibly have teachers turn in samples at department meetings – or have an online dropbox or area for them to be turned into the T-Drive). Allow for teachers to present best practices at faculty meetings to encourage one another to continue positive change for higher student achievement.	-Samples of Improved Assessments with improvement data.	-This has potential to show continued progress through PLCs which will eventually change with new TEKS requiring teachers to refresh assessments, and allow for ongoing research and sharing of best practices.

Week 2 Refelction

This week we heard from three different administrators about Action Research.  I really believe we have to be lifelong learners, and so we should always be ready to research, investigate, and change our practices for the better.  It is imperative that we empower our teachers to research problems and bring solutions to the entire campus.  We are all in this together, and we can all use data every day to make a change now.  We are lucky to be able to research now, but we have to admit that there could be a better way to do things.  I believe that things can always change for the better!

Leah Roberts

How Can Educational Leaders Use Blogging?

-          Blogging can be an excellent tool for educators.  I think that campus principals could have a blog to inform parents, staff, and students about the campus news.  This is a unique way to keep in contact with everyone and inform them of events on campus.

-          Blogging can also be used to have an open dialogue between staff members about issues of the day, and encourage professional conversations about how to improve our classrooms.

-          Blogging could also be used by our student leaders to have similar discussions about things in school, and to be a positive influence about campus events, and news.  This could be very tricky, and would have to have major limits, boundaries, and be closely monitored to ensure the safety of all students.

What is Action Research?

Action Research vs. Traditional Education Research:

I have learned that action research differs from traditional research in that is actively seeks to change something immediately while seeking data and research to prove what is best for a campus.  It is a way for administrators to inquire about issues on campus, actively work to see if change is needed, and implement change quicker than we have done in the past. Traditionally education research has been reactive in that it simply collects data to understand what is happening after it is obvious that something is not working.  Change does not necessarily go hand in hand with traditional education research because it is simply data driven. 

Implementing Action Research on My Campus:

I am considering using action research on my campus to assist my principal in looking into the effectiveness of Professional Learning Communities on our campus.   Our school district is strongly pushing towards effective and active use of PLCs on every campus, but teachers seem to be struggling with how to implement this into their planning.  Many teachers are confusing PLC time with common planning time, and I want to conduct research to find out what teachers know about PLCs, how teachers feel about PLCs, and how effective PLCs can improve student progress.  If I am able to effectively research this process, I will be able to help reduce stress on both teachers and administrators.  This could also greatly improve teacher assessments so that our school creates the most beneficial assessments for student learning.