What is Action Research?

Action research and blogging is transforming the educational world. Both of these semi-new concepts (at least the blogging part to me) are giving teachers and administrators the opportunity to take charge of their own learning instead of relying on studies and research from outside sources. Action research or professional inquiry can be used to improve not only your own life, but the lives of those around you. Many times as teachers or administrators, we 'tell' people what to do and how it should be done, receiving mixed reviews. Practicing action research allows those who know the particular issue, to be an integral part of finding the solution. It has been found that when those faced with the problem are a part of finding the solution, they are more likely to facilitate the change necessary for improvement. We have to encourage this type of culture in our schools to see the academic achievement of students improve. In Harris' text, Examining What We Do To Improve Our Schools, we find that action research is not only asking questions, but it is the actual on-going process of thinking and questioning. It is a systematic way for us to move from the analysis of problem to the actions needed for improvement. As an administrator, it is easy to fall into the cycle of simply "putting out fires" as they arise. However, action reasearch can assist administrators in making the change from reactive leading to proactive leading.