Man, I really struggled with identifying a research topic for our Action Research Plan.  I will be going back into the classroom this year (after being a Specialist for two years) and I am feeling so overwhelmed with everything that will be on my plate.  My campus is really pushing several initiatives this year AND our Principal is very anxious about the STARR as we did not do as well as she had expected.  Therefore, I want to focus my efforts on researching a topic that is meaningful to both myself and my campus.  I feel like I have narrowed it down to the use of common assessments and PLCs.  Is anybody else overwhelmed?

Educational leaders who blog....

Educational leaders could use blogging in various ways. Principals could use blogging to encourage professional growth in their faculty. For instance, a principal could post an article that was relevant to the campus vision on their blog and encourage his/her faculty to read and respond. It would be a great way for principals to get a pulse on their faculty's interest and support of the campus vision and on pedagogical articles.
Additionally, it would be a great opportunity for principals to network and talk, share and learn from each other. Specifically, principals of campuses with similar demographics and/or climates can collaborate on such issues such as State testing, resources, budgets, parental involvement, attendance, etc. It would be a great start to a professional learning community.  Finally, blogging can be a useful tool for leaders to reflect on their decisions, actions and goals.  It could be used as a journaling option.

Action Research...

Action Research is research that focuses on the concerns of those involved or the practioners (Dana 2009). It extends beyond the examination and analysis of textbooks and various publications.  Action research encourages the practioners to look at multiple resources (publications, peers, experts, stakeholders, and data) to come up with the best plan.  However it does not stop there.  It is necessary for the practioners to schedule time to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan and to reflect on the course of action.  Further data is taken to assess the plan of action and if necessary, additional research is done to fine tune the plan or to create a new course of action.  The core concept of action research is that it is collaborative and it does not stop once a plan has been agreed on.  It continues as the plan is unfolding and will continue until the goal has been attained.    

Another key component of action research is that it needs to be meaningful and relevant to the people involved.  Stakeholders will have a sense of urgency to find a solution because it matters to them.  They will have a vested interest in tracking the progress of the plan they collaborated in and will be more apt to continue researching to make improvements.