What is Action Research to me?

What is Action Research to me?

Action research is the process of discovering an educational need and taking deliberative action to create a change.  Action research is a vital tool because the administrator becomes an active participant in the change.  Rather than seeking an outsider’s advice for a school that he or she does not know, the administrator can identify the issue first hand because he or she knows the climate and needs of his or her school.  Action research focusses on the concerns identified by the administrator where traditional research focusses on concerns identified by an outside party.  When an administrator conducts action research, he or she collaborates with others who know the school.  They can identify the educational change, collect the necessary data, interpret the data, and decide on what course of action to take next.  Traditional research lacks the expertise of those who work at the school.  It doesn’t allow administrators or teachers to have ownership therefore decreasing the chances of “buy in” to a particular plan or solution.   Action research is necessary for administrators and teachers to diagnose what needs to be improved and allows them to monitor the success and short comings of educational changes.  This type of research also promotes reflective practices and professional growth.  Educators should constantly be reflecting on the decisions they make and evaluating the success of initiatives.  School leaders will not grow if they do not explore and implement changes.  Doing things as they have always been done will produce the same undesirable results, but by conducting action research, administrators can see the need for improvements or changes, implement them, and reflect on the changes.