Identifying Areas Of Action Research

In chapter two of the book Leading with Passion and Knowledge The Principal as Action Researcher by Nancy Fichtman Dana, the author describes nine areas of major wonderings of many school leaders. The areas are as follows:

• Staff development
• Curriculum development
• Individual teacher(s)
• Individual student(s)
• School culture/community
• Leadership
• Management
• School performance
• Social justice or equity issues                            (Dana, 2009, p. 30)

Wonderings are what drive research inquiry.  A wondering is a question that one may have about a topic or need area in your school or district that can be explored through research. We will be using these wonderings about current school needs to help with our action research projects.

This week’s lesson allowed me to read and reflect on these nine critical areas and identify which area my proposed research topics would fit into. I identified the potential following topics for action research

• The effects of behavior management training on classroom management (Staff Development)
• Effectiveness of mandatory summer remediation on STAAR retesting results (School Performance)
• Effects of a behavior management program on athletics (Management)
• The affects of incentive based verses no incentive based behavior classroom (Individual Students)

I have decided to continue my action research on my current topic, Effects of a Behavior Management Program on Athletics, until I receive word from my site supervisor to change it. The purpose this study is to monitor the effectiveness of a behavior/discipline management program in athletics. Over the past two years our athletic failure rates and discipline placements have been high when sports are in season and get worse in the off-season. This is particularly true of our freshman class. To my knowledge there has been no action taken to remedy the situation save for talking to individual student athletes about their behavior. This has led me to point out this area as one of immediate need in our school.

Wonderings: What effects will the accountability system have on classroom behavior, How will it system effect the number of failures at progress report and six week report times? What effects will an accountability system have on the number of discipline referrals and alternative placements? What effect, if any, will we see in athlete GPA?

As a researcher I will collect current data over discipline and grades and document any shift that occurs over the course of this project. I will also document any unexpected consequences of the research. I believe that becoming proactive about student athlete behavior, in and out of season; will help to promote a culture of positive behaviors and improve our school culture.

 

 

 

 

Work Cited:

Fichman, Nancy Dana (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press