Action research is actually based on events that are happening at the moment of the inquiry, while other methods of research are usually of events of the past. When I say that action research is having the opportunity to reflect on what is being done, I mean that during the process of a certain practice, the administrator can stop, reflect on what is actually happening and the outcomes, and with the help of the information obtained as results of the inquiry he/she can decide on what action to take to better that practice.
As Elliot (1988) describes, action research is a continual set of spirals consisting of reflection and action. For example I think that my campus needs some action research to find out if the grouping of the students is working at its maximal potential.
The steps that need to be taken are:
- Reflect on what is being done.
- Collect data.
- Analyze room for improvement.
- Take action.
Action research is a very useful tool, since it can definitely be used by educational leaders, how? I think that administrators have a very powerful tool in their hands, they can use action research to analyze if the programs used in school are working, if the grouping of the students are being beneficial for the students, to see what changes need to be made to get parents more involved, and of course they can reflect to see how can they improve the school culture.
Action research can be used in many areas, always with the support of good data, positive persons involved, and with the enthusiasm that change is always good.
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