Week 2 EDLD 5301

Teacher development has traditionally been provided through occasional in-service sessions in which teachers are presented with new techniques to apply in their classrooms. Action research can make staff development a part of teachers' daily reality. It provides a central strategy for development and makes staff development an integral component of the school environment in which it operates. Staff development through action research attends to teachers' and organizational needs, offering teachers a means to unite theory and practice and to actively participate in the decision-making process.
If teachers are to be actively involved in the educational decision-making process, they need to be constantly questioning, reflecting upon, and looking for ways to improve their instructional practices. They must also make educated decisions about the instructional process. Action research provides the necessary link between self-evaluation and professional development.
Action research is a great staff development tool because it gives teachers a way to explore, test and improve their classroom practices. However, in practice, allotting time and resources for teachers to conduct research is the main difficulty in using action research as staff development. Without time and monetary support, how can teachers do it? Where can we get the funds to support teachers in their professional development? Each administrator must search for creative ways to fund research, perhaps using monies earmarked for other programs with lower priorities. Staff development and improvement of instruction should be the ultimate priority.
I believe that for teachers to fully embrace the principles and philosophy of action research they need to begin by reinventing themselves. Teachers must look at themselves and their teaching strategies, as if for the first time, and try to see themselves as the central object of their research if true change is to occur. We can only address the outside world after we have addressed our individual internal ones. We can only create alternatives to the existing methods and structures after we have restructured ourselves.

How can educators use blogs?

A better question perhaps would be how can educators not use blogs and other 21st century technological advances. Blogs and other social networking media simply provide ways to allow students the opportunity to exchange information with their teachers and fellow classmates about whatever the creator of the blog wishes.The more that the students are engaged in some way the better the opportunity to reach them on their level of learning.

What I Learned about Action Research

There are many uses for action research. It is used in curriculum development, as a strategy for professional development,as part of pre-service and inservice programs,and in systems planning for schools and districts. The active participation of teachers and others is part of what makes this a viable and useful tool. The investment of time and energy by the participants provides a sense of ownership and connection to the process and outcomes. Activities of action research and the mindset of those involved in the process become an integral part of the professional repertoire of many educators. When they see the value of their work as they progress through the steps and the reflection time that is used to discuss strategies and methods,they find that the benefits go far beyond student achievement. Practitioners develop skills in analyzing their own teaching methods and begin to unconsciously utilize the principles of action research in their professional life. Action research will not provide all the answers to our questions about how students learn or what educators can do to improve practice. But action research happens at the place where these questions arise; it happens where the real action is taking place; and it allows for immediate action.