My action research project is underway and in the observation and evaluation phase.  I have already had to make a change to my student pool due to an injury to a student that required surgery and a major loss of school time.  The student athlete came down with appendicitis and had to undergo an emergency appendectomy.  This medical issue made his data skewed and he was no longer a viable candidate for the research.  I was able to find another student who met the parameters needed and continue the research.  The replacement student was involved in the same sports and had a similar schedule and GPA to the student that was removed. 

This project will continue for the rest of the school year and is re-evaluated at the end of every six weeks in order to monitor the progress of the students as well as the data that is collected, organized and observed.  I also look for things that might make their data unusable or a poor representation compared to the rest of the group.  I do this in an effort to have the most accurate data possible to draw a hypothesis from. 

So far the project has run smoothly and produced solid data that will be charted and observed.  I will wait until the end of the school year to draw a conclusion from the data so that I have the most complete amount of information possible under the circumstances.  I am looking forward to the evaluation and conclusion phases of the project as well as presenting the findings to my administrative team.

My action research project is underway and in the observation and evaluation phase.  I have already had to make a change to my student pool due to an injury to a student that required surgery and a major loss of school time.  The student athlete came down with appendicitis and had to undergo an emergency appendectomy.  This medical issue made his data skewed and he was no longer a viable candidate for the research.  I was able to find another student who met the parameters needed and continue the research.  The replacement student was involved in the same sports and had a similar schedule and GPA to the student that was removed. 

This project will continue for the rest of the school year and is re-evaluated at the end of every six weeks in order to monitor the progress of the students as well as the data that is collected, organized and observed.  I also look for things that might make their data unusable or a poor representation compared to the rest of the group.  I do this in an effort to have the most accurate data possible to draw a hypothesis from. 

So far the project has run smoothly and produced solid data that will be charted and observed.  I will wait until the end of the school year to draw a conclusion from the data so that I have the most complete amount of information possible under the circumstances.  I am looking forward to the evaluation and conclusion phases of the project as well as presenting the findings to my administrative team.

Updated Plan

Action Research Template
Goal:  Determine the connection between regular physical activity and overall academic performance.
Action Step(s)	Person(s) Responsible	Timeline Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Identify students for sample group using specific criteria (blind sample group)	Aidan Callahan and school counselors	September 3rd, 2013	Student schedules and GPA's	Evaluate the most comparable grouping possible within the assigned categories
Gather 1st six weeks data.  Including tardies, referrals and GPA	Aidan Callahan and school counselors	August 26th-October 4th	Student GPA's, Tardies and discipline referrals	Create a spreadsheet and line graph to analyze student data
Gather 2nd six weeks data.  Including tardies, referrals and GPA	Aidan Callahan and school counselors	October 7th-November 8th	Student GPA's, Tardies and discipline referrals	Create a spreadsheet and line graph to analyze student data
Gather 3rd six weeks data.  Including tardies, referrals and GPA	Aidan Callahan and school counselors	November 11th-December 20th	Student GPA's, Tardies and discipline referrals	Create a spreadsheet and line graph to analyze student data
Gather 4th six weeks data.  Including tardies, referrals and GPA	Aidan Callahan and school counselors	January 6th-February 21st	Student GPA's, Tardies and discipline referrals	Create a spreadsheet and line graph to analyze student data
Gather 5th six weeks data.  Including tardies, referrals and GPA	Aidan Callahan and school counselors	February 24th-April 11th	Student GPA's, Tardies and discipline referrals	Create a spreadsheet and line graph to analyze student data
Gather 6th six weeks data.  Including tardies, referrals and GPA	Aidan Callahan and school counselors	April 14th-May 30th	Student GPA's, Tardies and discipline referrals	Create a spreadsheet and line graph to analyze student data
Review sample groups for changes	Aidan Callahan	End of Each Six Weeks	Student Schedules	Look at student schedules for changes in athletic classes or PE and adjust or remove accordingly
Review 2013-2014 data from sample group	Aidan Callahan	June 4th, 2014	Student GPA's, Tardies and discipline referrals	Organize the spreadsheet of information as long as the visual items such as line graph
Analyze and Interpret data	Aidan Callahan and site supervisor	June 11th, 2014	Spreadsheets of data along with visuals	Evaluate the data looking for connections between performance and activity
Share results with administration and make recommendations	Aidan Callahan	June 18th, 2014	Presentation materials	Presentation of findings and recommendations

Action Research Template

Action Research Template
Goal:  Determine the connection between regular physical activity and overall academic performance.
Action Step(s)	Person(s) Responsible	Timeline Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Identify students for sample group using specific criteria	Aidan Callahan and school counselors	September 3rd, 2013	Student schedules and GPA's	Evaluate the most comparable grouping possible within the assigned categories
Gather 1st six weeks data.  Including tardies, referrals and GPA	Aidan Callahan and school counselors	August 26th-October 4th	Student GPA's, Tardies and discipline referrals	Create a spreadsheet and line graph to analyze student data
Gather 2nd six weeks data.  Including tardies, referrals and GPA	Aidan Callahan and school counselors	October 7th-November 8th	Student GPA's, Tardies and discipline referrals	Create a spreadsheet and line graph to analyze student data
Gather 3rd six weeks data.  Including tardies, referrals and GPA	Aidan Callahan and school counselors	November 11th-December 20th	Student GPA's, Tardies and discipline referrals	Create a spreadsheet and line graph to analyze student data
Gather 4th six weeks data.  Including tardies, referrals and GPA	Aidan Callahan and school counselors	January 6th-February 21st	Student GPA's, Tardies and discipline referrals	Create a spreadsheet and line graph to analyze student data
Gather 5th six weeks data.  Including tardies, referrals and GPA	Aidan Callahan and school counselors	February 24th-April 11th	Student GPA's, Tardies and discipline referrals	Create a spreadsheet and line graph to analyze student data
Gather 6th six weeks data.  Including tardies, referrals and GPA	Aidan Callahan and school counselors	April 14th-May 30th	Student GPA's, Tardies and discipline referrals	Create a spreadsheet and line graph to analyze student data
Review 2013-2014 data from sample group	Aidan Callahan	June 4th, 2014	Student GPA's, Tardies and discipline referrals	Organize the spreadsheet of information as long as the visual items such as line graph
Analyze and Interpret data	Aidan Callahan and site supervisor	June 11th, 2014	Spreadsheets of data along with visuals	Evaluate the data looking for connections between performance and activity
Share results with administration and make recommendations	Aidan Callahan	June 18th, 2014	Presentation materials	Presentation of findings and recommendations

Week 2 Action Research BLOG

This week in Lamar I learned a lot about action research within public schools.  The three principal interviews gave great examples of action research topics that were needed within their district.  It was very helpful to hear specific real world examples of the action research process being put into affect.

When I went in and sat with my site supervisor we discussed three main topics of research.


The first action research topic that was identified within my internship plan is the review of methods used to encourage student motivation in the classroom.  I would research articles from refereed journals on motivation strategies, and discuss with selected administrators and faculty.

The second action reasearch topic that was discussed from my internship plan was the development of a questionnaire to distribute to parents addressing school policy, instruction, homework, activities and discipline.  This questionnaire would be distributed, collected and analyzed trying to find opportunities for improvement within our current policies and their effectiveness.

The third action research topic that was discussed has been added to my internship plan.  It involves a study in the relationship between excercise, specifically athletics, and academic performance.  The need for the study is not just a local need but one that permeates across America.

I am looking forward to the action research process.

Analysis of how educational leaders might use blogs

Today's educational leader can use blogs in their daily activities in many ways.  They can be used as a form of communication and recognition for parents, teachers and students.  An administrator could keep a regular blog with all of these groups with many uses.  For example, a blog for the students could be used like a daily announcement and could be projected onto the screen at the teacher's discretion instead of the daily interruption of announcements over the intercom.  That way the teachers could project this when it is best for their particular class.  A blog to the teachers could be used to keep them updated on schedule changes and activities as well as recognize those teachers who are going above and beyond the normal duties of the classroom.  It could be used as a motivational tool.  With parents a blog could be used to disseminate information needed about field trips, upcoming games and activities as well as updates during hazardous weather or school emergencies.  All of these could be easy, quick and powerful tools to a modern administrator.

What I have learned about action research.

The week one assignment focused on defining and understanding action research.  Action research is a systematic examination of a principal’s tactics and daily activities.  Once the examination is complete, it involves implementing a plan for positive change based on the findings of the initial inquiry/research.  This process can be extremely helpful to the administrative since it gives constant feedback and evaluation at a local level.

Action research can come in many forms.  Some of those forms include university coursework, superintendent and district meetings, leadership teams and professional learning communities.  The first two forms happen outside the principal’s school building.  University coursework involves university study like we are partaking in right now and allows for the relationships that are developed in the interactive process of educational evaluation.  Superintendent and district meetings can be very productive forms of action research where the administrators come together periodically with the focus of group action research based on current issues within their schools. 

The final two forms of action research happen at the campus level.  Leadership teams are a common occurrence in schools today.  The most often consist of a group of classroom teachers and an administrator who meet regularly and evaluate daily issues and assess ways to resolve these topics.  It is a good way to have regular feedback from teachers to administrators and to quickly resolve issues on your campus.  Professional learning communities are larger than leadership teams and are more focused on developing instructional strategies within the staff.

All of these forms of action research will be applicable to me both now and as an administrator.  Some of them are already being done on my campus and are a daily part of our activities.  I am currently doing the university form with Lamar.  Part of my internship plan is to begin to observe the administrative meetings within my district so that I can see action research at that level and learn from it.  Our campus already uses both PLC’s and leadership teams to help gain a consensus decision on most topics.