Changes to Action Research Plan are in Red
SCHOOL VISION: To research extracurricular drug testing program possibilities and/or implementation.
GOAL: To answer the following question(s):
1. How can innovations improve and facilitate change in a district such as implementing a drug testing prevention program for students involved in extracurricular activities in grades 7-12?
2. Is there ample support (i.e. parents, students, community, financially, logistics, research) to justify an extracurricular drug testing prevention program?
3. Can an extracurricular drug testing prevention program improve school discipline referrals and decrease drug usage?
Action
Step (s) Person (s)
Responsible TIME LINE :
Start/
End Needed Resources Evaluation
Research pros and cons for random drug testing. Me
John G., Students, Teachers, Parents, Community Members Start: June
End: July
Internet
Surveys
Teachers, Parents, Students, Community Members Tally data conducted from research and surveys
Present findings to school board.
Me July Gathered Information
See if school board desires further looking into implementation of a program.
Me
School Board
Supt. Start: July
End: September Gathered Information If research is done effectively enough the school board should agree with seeking implementation
Research different random drug testing programs. Me
John G.
Sunny M. September Internet
Local Hospital and Health Services Organizations
Have school board choose one program.
Me
School Board End of September Gathered Information Choosing of one program researched.
Write program into student code of conduct handbook and make sure it is legal. Me
Supt
School Lawyer October
November Gathered Information, Supt, School Lawyer
Implement random drug testing for extracurricular activities. Me December 1st Gathered Information, Supt, School Lawyer Was I successful in implementing some sort of random drug testing program?
Friday, August 6, 2010
Care Model
Examining What We Do to Improve Our Schools Sandra Harris, Stacey Edmonson, Julie Combs
Tool 8.1 CARE Model: Planning Tool
Identify Concerns that must change (look to the future)
(Assign points to concerns from 1 to 3 in the order of the most important issues to consider.)
1. Drug/Alcohol use among students in jr. high and high school must decrease.
2. Perceptions of the community and what is allowed and accepted must change in the eyes of surrounding communities.
3. Drug/Alcohol education must be implemented.
Identify Affirmations that must be sustained (look to the present)
(Assign points to affirmations from 1 to 3 in the order of the most important issues to consider.)
1. Tight knit community.
2. Students that rely on the school for nurture and education.
3. Parental support of school.
SMART Recommendations that must be implemented:
(Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely)
(Assign points to recommendations from 1 to 3 in the order of the most important recommendations to implement.)
1. Student drug/alcohol use to decrease by 25% in first year of implementation of drug prevention program.
2. Drug/Alcohol education be provided by the 2nd semester of school.
3. Perceptions of drug and alcohol use to change by the end of the first year.
EVALUATE – Specifically and Often
(Identify the best ways to evaluate the implemented recommendations.)
1. Surveys given at the beginning and end of the school year to determine drug/alcohol use and how often.
2. Make sure drug/alcohol education is often and is at least implemented by the 2nd semester and then maintained throughout the rest of the school year.
3. Survey given at the beginning and end of the school year to determine how perceptions have changed toward drug/alcohol use.
Tool 8.1 CARE Model: Planning Tool
Identify Concerns that must change (look to the future)
(Assign points to concerns from 1 to 3 in the order of the most important issues to consider.)
1. Drug/Alcohol use among students in jr. high and high school must decrease.
2. Perceptions of the community and what is allowed and accepted must change in the eyes of surrounding communities.
3. Drug/Alcohol education must be implemented.
Identify Affirmations that must be sustained (look to the present)
(Assign points to affirmations from 1 to 3 in the order of the most important issues to consider.)
1. Tight knit community.
2. Students that rely on the school for nurture and education.
3. Parental support of school.
SMART Recommendations that must be implemented:
(Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely)
(Assign points to recommendations from 1 to 3 in the order of the most important recommendations to implement.)
1. Student drug/alcohol use to decrease by 25% in first year of implementation of drug prevention program.
2. Drug/Alcohol education be provided by the 2nd semester of school.
3. Perceptions of drug and alcohol use to change by the end of the first year.
EVALUATE – Specifically and Often
(Identify the best ways to evaluate the implemented recommendations.)
1. Surveys given at the beginning and end of the school year to determine drug/alcohol use and how often.
2. Make sure drug/alcohol education is often and is at least implemented by the 2nd semester and then maintained throughout the rest of the school year.
3. Survey given at the beginning and end of the school year to determine how perceptions have changed toward drug/alcohol use.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Action Research Plan - Phase One
SCHOOL VISION: To research extracurricular drug testing program possibilities and/or implementation.
GOAL: To answer the following question(s):
1. How can innovations improve and facilitate change in a district such as implementing a drug testing program for students involved in extracurricular activities in grades 7-12?
2. Is there ample support (i.e. parents, students, community, financially, logistics, research) to justify an extracurricular drug testing program?
3. Can an extracurricular drug testing program improve school discipline, achievement, and drug usage?
Action
Step (s) Person (s)
Responsible TIME LINE :
Start/
End Needed Resources Evaluation
Research pros and cons for random drug testing. Me
John G., Students, Teachers, Parents, Community Members Start: June
End: July
Internet
Surveys
Teachers, Parents, Students, Community Members Tally data conducted from research and surveys
Present findings to school board.
Me July Gathered Information
See if school board desires further looking into implementation of a program.
Me
School Board
Supt. Start: July
End: September Gathered Information If research is done effectively enough the school board should agree with seeking implementation
Research different random drug testing programs. Me
John G.
Sunny M. September Internet
Local Hospital and Health Services Organizations
Have school board choose one program.
Me
School Board End of September Gathered Information Choosing of one program researched.
Write program into student code of conduct handbook and make sure it is legal. Me
Supt
School Lawyer October
November Gathered Information, Supt, School Lawyer
Implement random drug testing for extracurricular activities. Me December 1st Gathered Information, Supt, School Lawyer Was I successful in implementing some sort of random drug testing program?
GOAL: To answer the following question(s):
1. How can innovations improve and facilitate change in a district such as implementing a drug testing program for students involved in extracurricular activities in grades 7-12?
2. Is there ample support (i.e. parents, students, community, financially, logistics, research) to justify an extracurricular drug testing program?
3. Can an extracurricular drug testing program improve school discipline, achievement, and drug usage?
Action
Step (s) Person (s)
Responsible TIME LINE :
Start/
End Needed Resources Evaluation
Research pros and cons for random drug testing. Me
John G., Students, Teachers, Parents, Community Members Start: June
End: July
Internet
Surveys
Teachers, Parents, Students, Community Members Tally data conducted from research and surveys
Present findings to school board.
Me July Gathered Information
See if school board desires further looking into implementation of a program.
Me
School Board
Supt. Start: July
End: September Gathered Information If research is done effectively enough the school board should agree with seeking implementation
Research different random drug testing programs. Me
John G.
Sunny M. September Internet
Local Hospital and Health Services Organizations
Have school board choose one program.
Me
School Board End of September Gathered Information Choosing of one program researched.
Write program into student code of conduct handbook and make sure it is legal. Me
Supt
School Lawyer October
November Gathered Information, Supt, School Lawyer
Implement random drug testing for extracurricular activities. Me December 1st Gathered Information, Supt, School Lawyer Was I successful in implementing some sort of random drug testing program?
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Week Two
It was very beneficial to watch the videos on the three educators who talked about action research for their particular districts. It helps to hear them verbalize the avenues that they went through to get to where they needed to be based on their needs assessment for their school. The more I get familiar with action research the more I realize that to some degree I really know and understand more about it than I originally thought. It also makes sense because it is a hands on type of research where you look to actually apply it and see how it can be tweaked to fit your districts personal needs. There are so many topics that I would be interested in researching, but particularly:
Topic 1: How can the campus Principal improve teacher apathy and get teachers motivated to be life-long learners themselves and in turn motivate their students?
Topic 2: How can student discipline be improved to increase student and district learning?
Topic 3: How can innovations improve and facilitate change in a district such as implementing a drug testing program?
Even though I was originally drawn to topic 1, I am going to go with topic 3 because I believe it will address our personal needs of the school at the moment.
Topic 1: How can the campus Principal improve teacher apathy and get teachers motivated to be life-long learners themselves and in turn motivate their students?
Topic 2: How can student discipline be improved to increase student and district learning?
Topic 3: How can innovations improve and facilitate change in a district such as implementing a drug testing program?
Even though I was originally drawn to topic 1, I am going to go with topic 3 because I believe it will address our personal needs of the school at the moment.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Educational Leaders and Blogs
With the growth and use of blogs, educational leaders can jump on the wagon of communication in the 21st century. Blogs can be an easy tool to communicate with your staff, district, parents, and community. This would also allow quick feedback on subject areas and could also be used for survey type information about the kind of job being done as a district. Educational leaders can also use blogs between collegues to openly discuss ideas and problems that are being encountered so as to help each other with a support network. This would be very beneficial to new administrators or administrators who work in a small district and don't have a lot of people to bounce ideas off of. I can see blogs as being very influencial in the educationl setting for administrators.
Action Research
Action Research is definately a new topic for me. I am much more familiar with traditional educational research. But, just as the name implies, action research is active and on-going, and requires motion type effort to come to conclusions that would most benefit educational topics of concern to schools and administrators. One of the main benefits of conducting action research is to truly understand what it is that your students or district are struggling with and applying the research to fit those needs. The needs based assessment and research can render great applications for the desired need and an opportunity to discuss and apply what is best for the situation. It also allows a type of open communication and information sharing to discuss other options and to talk through possibilities that are related to the research that might fit your situation or district better. Probably the major benefit is the improvement of teaching. Through the action research process, teachers or administrators gain great insight and improve their teaching abilities and become better educators. This is of great use when it comes to topics like staff development, teachers, students, community relations, morale, etc. This type of research could be very beneficial for me in the area of teacher apathy. I want to research this area and use the information gained to work into my position next year as principal. I have many good teachers on my staff but over a 1/3 are already at retirement time or close to. I feel that I can gain great help from this topic and course by learning more about action research.
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