Action Research in Schools

Action research is a very beneficial tool that can help a specific school campus pinpoint a solution to an issue or simply answer a "wondering" or question.  From an administrators perspective action research is a process in which you take a step back and look at the campus as a whole and determine issues or areas that need improvement.  Once a problem is identified then one must come up with possible solutions for change.  Then based on the administrator alone or with the help of other staff members a route to the solution is picked and once implemented some form of data will be collected to determine if the proposed solution is actually the solution needed.  Along the way things might have to be revamped but the whole idea is to keep everything in house.  All ideas and change are created by the staff of a school and are geared towards helping students, teachers and administrators of that same school.
The benefits to conducting action research seem endless but some of the benefits that have been discussed thoroughly include the following:
 
1.  It helps eliminate the isolation of principals.  There is a saying “it’s lonely at the top” and there is a great deal of truth behind that.  Action research calls for the principal and all staff members to collaborate and come up with ideas, questions and solutions together.

2.  Teachers and students will look up to a principal that practices what he or she preaches.  If a principal wants his student and teachers look at themselves and find areas of question that need change then so should the principal.  Action research requires this to take place.

3.  It can help improve current practices at your campus.  For some teachers and members of a community it takes data driven research based on the particular students at your campus before they buy into certain procedures taking place.  Action research can provide reasoning and proof that certain practices are working and need to stay in place.

4.  Principals are constantly being bombarded by multiple management issues throughout the day instead of concentrating on leading a school.  Action research allows the principal time to get away from the endless duties and focus all attention on one issue or question.