EDLD 5301 - Action Research Reflections

Wow, Week 3 sure has been a beating!! Even though I knew what my goals were for my action research plan, actually thinking about them as a researcher was a bit more challenging! I am excited to start my plan and hope as I start collecting data, it all makes sense and is clear! I enjoyed reading more about each of the 8 steps in the Harris book as well as how to share my research. Something that seems so simple (sharing research) requires a lot of prep work to ensure I reach my audience in a researcher type setting! Bring on Week 4!

EDLD 5301 - Action Research Draft

Action Planning Template
Goal: To observe if technology does or does not affect student achievement in fact fluency. To have 3rd graders showing fact fluency mastery before entering 4th grade.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Multiplication and Division Fact Pre-Test (25 Questions)	Myself	October 24, 2011	Pre-Test Worksheet	Grade the pre-test Record pre-test scores
Establish a list of Internet websites for students to practice their multiplication and division facts.	Myself Computer Tech Aide	October 24, 2011	List of websites Bookmark websites on student favorites	Carefully review each worksheet to ensure accuracy, ease of use, and fact fluency
Create and locate various non-electronic multiplication and division games for the control group to use for fact fluency.	Myself Third Grade Math Team	October 24, 2011	Fact Fluency Games	Organize fact fluency games so that students can easily access and understand the games.
Purchase small, hand-held electronic fact fluency games. Keep Neo2 Cart in my classroom for easy fact fluency practice.	Myself Principal	October 31, 2011	Electronic fact fluency games Neo2 Cart	Ensure purchased hand-held games are easy to use, easy to access, and won’t disrupt learning Make sure students understand how to access the fact fluency quizzes on the Neo2.
Implement all internet and electronic fact fluency sources. Implement all fact fluency games/stations.	Myself	October 31, 2011 – Ongoing throughout research	Internet websites Electronic hand-helds Neo2 Station/Center Games	Conduct a weekly 25-question quiz over learned multiplication and division facts. Score quizzes to collect weekly data.
Multiplication and Division Post-Test (25 questions)	Myself	May 21, 2012	Post Test Worksheet	Grade the post-test Record scores

EDLD 5301 - Week 2 and 3 - Reflections

My action research topic is starting to come together nicely! After speaking with my site mentor, we were able to clear up some questions we had for each other. My action research question will be: How does various uses of technology impact student mathematical fact fluency? I will be collecting data on my students and their weekly fact fluency development. One class will be able to use various uses of technology while the other class will only use paper and pencil type activities. I hope I can find enough growth and/or data to actually report on the topic. I'm getting a bit nervous!

How Can Educational Leaders Use Blogs?

Educational leaders can use blogs to reach their students, faculty, and district stakeholders. Blogging can be a very valuable tool because it reaches people quickly, they are easily accessible, and it becomes an online journal for an educator. Blogging also provides great educational value to students of the 21st century. It provides students the option to have the world at their fingertips. They are able to tour the world through other people’s thoughts, pictures, and facts. Blogging also gives the learners the option to communicate with all kinds of people. As an educator, I will try everything in my power to reach the digital natives; blogging gives me that option while allowing the students to use technology on a daily basis.

Action Research

As a professional educator, I must be constantly willing to change and accept new challenges. If someone would have asked me a week ago to define action research, I would have probably gave them quite the puzzled look. Now that I have embraced the new challenge of creating an action research plan, I feel I can adequately define action research to an 'outsider'. Action research is having a desire to find a problem, dig deep to find research about the problem, plan out steps and strategies on how to resolve the problem, collect data on the strategies put in place, analyze the collected data, and then in the end, reflect on the entire plan to see if the action research did indeed solve/help the problem identified. It seems like a lot of work, which I am sure it will be, but the clue is finding that one topic that sparks the flame and running with any and all ideas that come to mind. I have no doubt that I will definitely be able to use this type of research in my classroom. I believe all educators complete action research on a small scale almost daily. As educators, we always see problems, we quickly try to solve the problem, and then take the time to reflect on the process. Yet, I will definitely use an action research plan in my daily teachings, as well as my professional opportunities in the future. My students are relying on me daily to educate, guide, and increase academic growth - I feel I can do this more adequately by implementing action research plans.