Week 5 - PSA

Beginning the project all group members put out solid ideas on what the PSA should originally be about, after picking s specific topic we all came together with a clear direction we wanted to go. After gathering photos, sounds, voice overs, videos, and music the original story line had to be shortened quite a bit. I think we did not account for the length of the videos and how much time that would take in our total 60seconds. It also turns out that the weather was keeping us from having quality video outside in a location we wanted to use. In the end I think all members are happy with the outcome and the final product. It is clear on the subject matter and uses all video requirements. All group members did a great job helping with their portion of the assignment and then some. I was the video editor but recieved helpful ideas from other group members that made this video a success. Thank you to all the members for everything. Great job ladies!

Week 2 - Video Editing

EDLD Week 1 - Personal Digital Story

Final Reflection of Course 2 in Research

   Beginning this course, the Dana text presented the reader with a day in the life of a principal or even just a portion of the day of a principal. Looking inward the demands on a principal seem overwhelming and unrelenting. Then we are shown the style and formatting of action research that is suggested to be used as a reflective approach to analyzing major school improvements to daily routines. One of the major themes of this course has been creating a shared vision with faculty and staff. This shared vision can create a compelling vision that takes people to a new place, and to translate that vision into action. (Harris, Edmonson, & Combs, 2010)

    Another underlining theme this course has been the word action. Action is the fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim. In this course the aim is shared vision and the ability to use the resources on campus to work towards this vision. School leadership will play a major role in keeping a shared vision in action. Administrations engagement in inquiry is one vehicle for making reflection purposeful and visible. (Dana, 2009)

    Action research can take on many different forms ranging from curriculum, individual teacher, individual student, leadership, and also school culture. The design of the research is the main component that keep thoughts and findings organized and user friendly. When organizing your action research have a clearly stated purpose and wonderings that you wish to seek data for within the research process. Once these are in place, select you method of finding data, collection of data needs to be precise and viable. Setting a timeline will help with staying on track and to show progression in the research. Analyzing data can be the ending but also just be the beginning of the research. Some projects may be open-ended while others will have a concise conclusion, in either final steps will be analyzing data collected.

    The CARE Model is another method used to examine improvement with a focus on sustainability while building for the future. (Harris, Edmonson, & Combs, 2010) This model emphasizes for components that are concerns, affirmations, recommendations and evaluations. Many times administration and faculty will just focus on changes that need to be made and lose the vision of what is working for the school and its counter parts. 

Action Research EDLD 5301

Action Research Plan Question: Are students responding to curriculum based questions on slide show? Will slide show have an impact on school culture? Will student involvement increase due to announcements and student work displayed over slide show?

School Vision: Our vision is to increase student engagement and participation in campus organizations during lunch hours through slide show presentation that contains subject related material, TAKS trivia style questions, TEKS subject questions, student achievements, and announcements.

Goal: Our goal is to reach all grade levels with a technology driven slide show that is presented with educational material and campus related activities to increase student engagement.

  

Outcomes	Activities	Resources/Research and Tools Needed	Responsibility to address the activities	Timeline	Benchmarks/Assessments	Revisions to the SIP/PIP based on monitoring and assignment
Meeting with site mentor about action research plan	Organized ideas for lunch slide show presentation, content, and research topics.	Speak sponsor of another intermediate school that has implemented slide show for resources and support. Site mentor and principal for goals on project.	Holly Odom	January 2011	Assessment of neighboring intermediate school's presentation to gather ideas.	Revisions will be made after assessment of other school's slide show.
Announce and show example slide show to faculty	Prepare example slide show. Open discussion initial response of project and ideas for content	Faculty and computer software for slide show format	Holly Odom	End of 2011 school year (May-June)	Assessment from faculty	Goals and content may be adjusted after assessment
Present to staff how data will be collected	Staff meeting and memo on how data will be collected in home room from slide show	Classroom quizdom software, online site, and paper assignment	Holly Odom	August – September	Teaching staff use of assessment material	Uniform way to collect data may be changed
First slide show presentation	“Welcome back and 1st week instruction” slide show	From teachers and upperclassmen	Some faculty and students. Holly Odom	August	Observation of initial response from students	none
Questions presented on slide show	First few questions are presented to students and collected by home room teacher	Assessment resources determined by principal	Faculty	September – October	Bi-monthly assessment of student participation	None
End of first semester data	Gather all data from first semester to analysis participation	Faculty collections and data resources	Faculty Holly Odom	December	All first semester data	Analysis all data from first semester. Adjustments may be made for second semester
Introduction of participation incentive	Announce to student body an incentive for participation in slide show questions.	Incentive information	Holly Odom	January	None	None
End of second semester data collection	Collect all data from faculty for second semester. Analysis and compare to first semester data	All data collected from year	Holly Odom Faculty	May – After TAKS Test	All assessments given	Journal and make conclusions from data collected
Present results	Meet with principal and site mentor to present action research	All resources gathered from action research	Holly Odom Administration	May	Assessment of action research	Make revisions for up coming year

Blog Reflection Week 2

Action Research is clearly a way of doing an continues in-depth inquiry into daily actions, faculty and student growth, and campus procedures. The nine components mentioned in the Dana text that may be a principals first passion of inquiry; staff development, curriculum development, individual teacher(s), individual student(s), school culture/community, leadership, management, school performance, and social justice. It would be hard to decipher which of these nine topics is more significant then the other. I feel all of the subjects have a intricate part of the over all functionality of a school making each one just as important as the next. As a principal you could decide more accurately which one is more important to take head on after analyzing the needs of your campus.

An important part of action research is the way you design your question of inquiry. At the end of this chapter in the Dana text suggestions are mentioned to help format the inquiring question. These include but would not be limited to; clear, concise and specific question; one whose answer you do not already know; free of judgmental language; phrased as an open-ended rather than dichotomous question; and “doable.” (Dana, 2007) These inquire tips can be used as a guideline to construct a successful inquiry question.  

Reflective Journals and Blogs

Reflective journal is a major component to action research but is only a one way street if your reflections are never expressed to an individual or group. Using a blog can be pivotal, with this type of reflective journal it now becomes a two way street once it is posted. Not only can your school colleagues and staff become apart of your action research but outsiders with common interests can as well. This can expand professional learning community and professional experiences for all participants. Again, blogs are useful tools when it comes to saving early written discussions and leaving thoughts on the posted issue or debate.