Week 5 Reflection

As I began this course, I was not sure as to what educational research entailed.    I did not realize the depth and steps involved in action research planning.  Choosing a topic to research was a small change.  I was not sure which avenue I wanted to explore.  Researching the use of technology in some type of setting was what I kept being drawn back to. Time and time again I see students struggling to comprehend what they have read. This is what led me to the Action Research plan that I have in place. In the end, my passion for the students that struggle in school won out.     

As I completed each week’s assignment, there were moments in which I felt the lessons were redundant.  Looking back, I can see how it reinforced all of the steps and thought processes needed to fine tune a well-crafted research plan.  Each week allowed me to focus on the plan as a whole, and also break down the steps and concentrate on the small pieces. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading other ideas and research plans on the discussion board and on student blogs.  There are so many great ideas, and I definitely will be following my colleagues’ research.  I am looking forward to seeing results, and using the knowledge learned from my colleagues’ research in my classroom.

The reading material was very useful during this course.  I loved having the templates and tools that were provided.  They not only helped with weekly assignments, but will also assist me during future steps in the research process.  I will be referring back to these resources while conducting my action research plan and will use during other projects/research as well.

I think one of the most informative lectures of this course were the videos of leaders discussing action research. Listening to them describe the process, the steps involved, and important things to remember brought the importance of action research. They are great leaders because of their dedication to finding the answers to the issues.  This means that they must examine very detailed, concise information, and not make quick judgments and decisions that are not supported by research.

I have increased my ability to produce a data driven, research based plan after completing this course.  It has also given me confidence to consider other action research plans, and to appreciate the thought process and time involved in making decisions.  Action research is a process that is necessary in making the choices in education.  It can also provide data that will change the entire direction of your plan.  I’m looking forward to developing my action research plan, conducting research, collecting data, and finalizing the results.