What I've learned about Action Research...

All our lives we wonder about things and test them out. Based on the outcome, we either learn that our findings are worth repeating or something we best not attempt again. So in essence, our entire life is like one big research project.  We wonder, collect data, analyze the data, make changes (or not), and we might, or might not, share it with others. I realize I have over-simplified the subject, but action research seems very natural and logical. In the workplace, it means taking this same approach to improve the whole organization or even just parts of the organization. In our personal lives we might not be so systematic and intentional, but when you are considering the ramifications of change within your organization, it is very important to be systematic and intentional. It is not something you jump into without thought or reflection.  One author I have read this week, Nancy Dana-Fichman, states that if you are using action research, you are joining hundreds of administrators and prospective administrators in becoming the “head learner” in your school. Action research works and has many benefits because it is personalized. It focuses on the concerns of the stakeholders and not on the concerns of outsiders. It also works because the stakeholders can participate in the design, data collection, and interpretation of the data. For these same reasons, action research differs from traditional educational research.  Action research happens from within the organization, has tremendous buy-in, and is appealing because the stakeholders can be a part of the process.  I am looking forward to my action research project, watching & reflecting on the whole process, and hopefully being apart of positive change in my school.