Oh just thinking...

I have been thinking about our discussion post this week and it made me think about the importance of this class! Here is what I have been mulling over in reflecting on this course...

• ·      As I look back on this course, I think the greatest insight I gained was the value and importance of what action research truly is and how it should be carried out.  I think what specifically caught my eye in regards to the importance of action research is the way in which it can impact a teachers professional development and a school’s improvement.  I remember in the first reading assignment when we were asked to define the meaning of action research and how it can be used.  I enjoyed reading about the power it can give in “raising teacher voices in policy making” (Meyers & Rust, 2003) and how it was “a continual set of spirals consisting of reflection and action” (Elliot, 1998).  I think that after the first assignment, I was intrigued at how this process would engage me as a future “head learner” and inspire me to share the effectiveness and importance of action research. 
• ·      One topic that I would like to continue my further wonderings would be the process of implementing action research in my own school among other teachers and/or teams. 
• ·      I think to continue and build upon my applied knowledge in this area, I will conduct a mini- action research project and review literature on implementing effective action research among staff members.  Throughout the course I have been sharing what I have been learning with colleagues and there are several interested in trying their own action research.  I think that this kind of engagement in one’s own learning and wonderings would be beneficial among our learning communities.  I would also like to share this with my site supervisor and see what she thinks about doing this within our PLC’s.

Citations

Elliot, J. (1998). Educational research and outsider-insider relations. Qualitative Studies in Education, 1(2), 155-156.

Meyers, E., & Rust, F. (Eds.). (2003). Taking action with teacher research. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Thank you Thank you!

Week four is complete! Thank goodness! I just wanted to say thank you to those of you who provided feedback and suggestions for my action research plan.  I was tempted to post it again to my blog with all revisions made but I may wait a while to make sure I do not change anything else. I don't know about you guys, but I feel like I keep revising it every few days. lol.  I think I have finally got it this time though.

Here are the latest changes I made:

• I specified which students I would continue to study in the second year of research for vocabulary development. (Thanks Jennifer and Shelia)
• I also edited the start and end dates which was a tricky task.  My site supervisor and I have been working on this project since January and she said that I needed to show that in my action research plan, so I went back and fixed the dates!
• Lastly, I changed the font hahaha!

Again, thank you to everyone who has been helpful in this process and I am looking forward to the data collection that awaits! I hope everyone had a relaxing weekend and is ready to knock out week five! HERE WE GO!

revised plan :)

After some nice and quiet camping with the husband, I am back to finish posting action research plans and comments and what not.  I hope you all enjoyed your weekend or Spring Break and feel free to leave any comments regarding my revised plan! I really only added how I planed to share my findings but would love some tips if you all have any!


Thanks again and just think.... WE MADE IT THROUGH WEEK 3!!! We are almost done!

Action Planning Template
Goal: To see an increase in vocabulary scores in Istation with the use of Imagine Learning
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Survey teachers to identify current vocabulary instruction taking place in the classroom	Katelyn Turner	3/8/13	Survey through email	Using the results from the survey, about 95% of our staff was dissatisfied with our current vocabulary instruction provided by the curriculum.
Identify the student population for program seats	Disa McEwen Katelyn Turner	3/11/13	IStation scores STAAR Results Reading Curriculum Based Assessment scores for grades 2-5 Fluency wpm tables grades 1-2	Students were selected base on three factors - Istation scores in vocabulary category, Grades 4-5 STAAR Results and Reading CBA's results. Other factors taken into consideration were fluency scores for students in grades 1 & 2 along with students overall comprehension capability which directly correlates to vocabulary development. Due to our failure to meet AYP within a sub-population that group was also targeted due their lack of vocabulary development. Teachers were then allowed to select students within parameters set according to our needs as mentioned above.
Discuss program and implementation of IL (Imagine Learning) with teachers in grade level meetings	Disa McEwen Katelyn Turner	3/18/13	Imagine Learning brochure Student list per grade level	Discuss with teachers and document concerns and implementation times
Invite parent support to use program with students for in class use and vocabulary club	Disa McEwen Katelyn Turner	3/18/13	Vocabulary club letter	Collect communication logs verifying student participation in program
Register students in program	Laurie Seibenthaler (CTA)	3/22/13	IL program student identification numbers	Double check to ensure all students are entered before implementation
Install IL on classroom computers and distribute logins	Laurie Seibenthaler (CTA)	3/22/13	Access to computers IL program	Check all classroom computers and computer lab to ensure program is installed
Monitor usage of IL by teacher and grade level	Katelyn Turner	biweekly	IL usage and growth reports	Use reports from Imagine Learning to ensure student use and implementation
Compare IL data to Istation vocabulary scores	Katelyn Turner	monthly	Istation reports Imagine Learning growth reports	Using Istation and Imagine Learning reports, I will compare the vocabulary scores and usage reports to see if there is a correlation between usage of IL and growth in Istation vocabulary scores.
Share findings concerning effectiveness or ineffectiveness of using Imagine Learning to promote vocabulary development with site supervisor and staff	Katelyn Turner Disa McEwen	Will report at the end of this school year June 2013 and again in June 2014 after continuing my study	Prezi presentation Data Staff meeting	Using the prezi creating showing results of IL in vocabulary development, I will share my findings with my staff.  If the program is effective, I will continue to monitor and report back again with them after the following year. IF the program is ineffective, then I will go back to the drawing board and research other vocabulary development programs and strategies.

Plan Plan Plan...well I'm trying to plan

Hey friends! I am working on my action research plan and I am not quite sure if I am doing this right!! For all of you EDLD 5301ers out there, help me out...give me some feedback. I will be looking and posting on as many blogs as I can throughout the week.  I think I am going to set a goal to comment on at least 5 or 10 a day! Hope you're enjoying your Spring Break.. I better get back to my laundry. 

Action Planning Template
Goal: To see an increase in vocabulary scores in Istation with the use of Imagine Learning
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Survey teachers to identify current vocabulary instruction taking place in the classroom	Katelyn Turner	3/8/13	Survey through email	Using the results from the survey, about 95% of our staff was dissatisfied with our current vocabulary instruction provided by the curriculum.
Identify the student population for program seats	Disa McEwen Katelyn Turner	3/11/13	IStation scores STAAR Results Reading Curriculum Based Assessment scores for grades 2-5 Fluency wpm tables grades 1-2	Students were selected base on three factors - Istation scores in vocabulary category, Grades 4-5 STAAR Results and Reading CBA's results. Other factors taken into consideration were fluency scores for students in grades 1 & 2 along with students overall comprehension capability which directly correlates to vocabulary development. Due to our failure to meet AYP within a sub-population that group was also targeted due their lack of vocabulary development. Teachers were then allowed to select students within parameters set according to our needs as mentioned above.
Discuss program and implementation of IL (Imagine Learning) with teachers in grade level meetings	Disa McEwen Katelyn Turner	3/18/13	Imagine Learning brochure Student list per grade level	Discuss with teachers and document concerns and implementation times
Invite parent support to use program with students for in class use and vocabulary club	Disa McEwen Katelyn Turner	3/18/13	Vocabulary club letter	Collect communication logs verifying student participation in program
Register students in program	Laurie Seibenthaler (CTA)	3/22/13	IL program student identification numbers	Double check to ensure all students are entered before implementation
Install IL on classroom computers and distribute logins	Laurie Seibenthaler (CTA)	3/22/13	Access to computers IL program	Check all classroom computers and computer lab to ensure program is installed
Monitor usage of IL by teacher and grade level	Katelyn Turner	biweekly	IL usage and growth reports	Use reports from Imagine Learning to ensure student use and implementation
Compare IL data to Istation vocabulary scores	Katelyn Turner	monthly	Istation reports Imagine Learning growth reports	Using Istation and Imagine Learning reports, I will compare the vocabulary scores and usage reports to see if there is a correlation between usage of IL and growth in Istation vocabulary scores.