The "Why" of it all...

One of the challenges facing school administrators is one of isolation.  On most school campuses, there are several English teachers, several math teachers, etc.  These teachers can collaborate and share information, techniques, and resources.  The principal, however, is the Lone Ranger.  He or she is the only one on campus with that job.  There are no other principals on campus with which to collaborate.  Blogs such as this one can be useful in mitigating this problem.

So, what is "Action Research"?

“Research” is a word that often brings back vivid memories of high school.  I remember the anxiety of anticipation as teachers warned of the Research Paper awaiting me and my classmates in our junior year English classes.  Preparing the actual paper required hours of poring over books in both the school and public libraries.  I even could be found searching the stacks of the famed Perry-Castaneda Library on the campus of the University of Texas.  Now comes a new M. Ed. course and the title is that ominous word again:  research.

However, that high school research was really just a compendium of research done by others.  All of the browsing of books and journals in the various libraries was intended to gather as much information as practical on the subject at hand.  The actual Research Paper simply brought all of this information together in a coherent way.  This new course, however, is different.  In this case, the research is called “administrative inquiry” or “action research.”

Nancy Fichtman Dana defines administrative inquiry as “the process of a principal engaging in systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practe and taking action for change based on what he/she learns as a result of the inquiry.”  (Dana, 2009, p. 2)  Unlike the work in high school, action research is intended not only to cover a subject, but to identify actions to take based on the research.  It is Dana’s hypothesis that a “administrator inquiry becomes a powerful vehicle for learning and school improvement”. (Dana, 2009, p. 3)

Combs et al illustrates Dana’s definition by analogy.  They compare action research to a visit to a physician.  The patient comes in with a list of symptoms.  The doctor then listens, asks questions, and orders diagnostic tests.  Systematically, the doctor gathers data until he is ready to make a diagnosis.  Together, the patient and doctor develop a plan of action to address the patient’s issues.  The last step is then maintaining the improvement the plan has made possible.  (Harris, Edmonson, & Combs, 2009, p. 6)  In this way, the research (gathering of data) is put into action (treatment and maintenance plans).

Traditional educational research also has the gathering of data and taking action in response to the data.  However, the difference between traditional educational research and administrative inquiry lies in who poses the questions and presents the solutions.  So often, education issues are studied by academics who are divorced from the day-to-day practice of educating young people.  As Dana puts it, “the [educational] practioner’s role is to implement the research findings of ‘outside’ experts… who are considered alien to the everyday happenings in schools.”  (Dana, 2009, p. 4)

Other educational research seeks to make description the prescription.  In other words, find what works and describe it.  Then, encourage others to do what was described.  Unfortunately, this ignores the importance of understanding and acknowledging contextual differences.  (Dana, 2009, p. 5)

Action research, on the other hand, is conducted by the actual educational practitioners.  They gather the data, reflect on their own practices and beliefs, and take action based on the data uncovered in the research.  When action research becomes a habit of leadership, it can become a powerful tool in professional growth and school improvement.  

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Harris, Sandra, Edmonson, Stacey, & Combs, Julie. (2009). Examining what we do to improve our schools. Larchmont, NY: 2009.

Dana, Nancy. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.