I have learned that Action research is the act of building administrators and other stakeholders identifying a need, gathering data and making decisions based on the data gathered. The end result is a powerful professional development tool for principals and a ground work for solid teaching and learning. I learned that the difference between action research and traditional research is in action research, the researcher is the stakeholder and has an insiders' view of the issues that concern their particular campus as opposed to traditional research where third parties who have no concept of what is going on come in and conduct generic research not having a clue as to what is really concerning the people on the campus thus they provide solutions to problems that don't exist. Traditional research does not seek to provide real solutions to real problems. They provide hypothetical solutions to made up problems. Action research also provides the opportunity for campus wide collaboration which takes a lot of weight off of the shoulders of the building administrator. Action research can be used in numerous ways to improve the quality of education because it provides feedback over time that is specific to the campus and it allows educators to explore and enhance their teaching skills as well as leadership skills.
Educational leaders can use blogs to enhance staff collaboration, keep students and parents and people in the community informed about what is going on within the confines of the campus walls. Blogs are a good resource for teachers and administrators to share their vision and goals for the success of the campus as well.
