Action Research - My definition

Action research, a new term to those of us that have not taken formal classes in a while.  When faced with this portion of the assignment I started asking others “What is action research?” and found many answers.  I guess the easiest for me to understand is what action research is not.  Going to the library and digging through everything trying to find every resource available to document what I was trying to prove or disprove. 

I found the following quote to giving me an better understanding of action research.  “We are convinced that the disposition to study…the consequences of our own teaching is more likely to change and improve our practices than is readying about what someone else has discovered of his teaching” (Corey, 1953, p.70).   

From personal experience, I find my own learning is greatly enhanced by getting hands on activities.   “Give a man a fish; you have fed him for today.  Teach a man to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime” (Author unknown).  After watching the Academic Partnership Master’s in Education for Educational Leadership program for the last couple of years I see a well-developed, well prepared, and very confident individual completing the program.  I attribute this to their internship process of hands on experiences.   I compare this program to the one, which I went through with face-to-face classes and long drawn out lectures about many things not relevant to what we were expected to learn and I will definitely say I was shortchanged.  I did have a short internship but the individual I worked with was not prepared to give me any practical experience (I did a lot of lunch and bus duty), the whole one semester.  Even though I came out with the ability to take the ExCet exam and pass, I did not feel prepared to step into an administrative position.  I am not seeing this with the AP students completing the program now, they are ready, willing and able to take off running. 

I feel this is the ultimate in action research. This would be problem solving in the trenches so to speak, a much better method of preparation. 

The methods of usage in action research is endless in the educational setting is endless.  From brainstorming how to set up a workable schedule for students to how to get a bond issue passed. 

A blog would be a wonderful way to banter ideas and information around between colleagues and stakeholders.  You may have someone that will not talk during a discussion but will type into a blog when they have had time to stop and think.