How educational leaders might use blogs.

Educational leaders can use blogs to communicate and to learn.  By posting findings, questions, and research leaders can communicate to a desired audience easily and frequently.  By observing responses to questions or research leaders can learn from others and their experiences.

What I have learned about action research.

I have learned that action research is not just about examining someone else’s work and simply writing reports or gathering multiple sources on the same topic to write a paper.  Action research is about focusing on an issue at your school that needs to be addressed or asking a theoretical question that you can take a systematic approach to solving.  It involves taking that issue that needs to be addressed or question and researching information and findings related to it, then developing a plan to attempt to solve the issue/problem or answer the question.  It is about changing something that needs to be changed or looking at new options or directions for your school or yourself.  It can be personal or school wide.  Action research can be conducted and implemented in many different ways.  Small focus teams or PLC's could be used, coursework focused on inquiry can be effective, or creating leadership teams that can share responsibilities of a goal or research project and deal with the problems as a group.  Administrator inquiry also has many benefits.  You become part of the issue by being involved and it provides a vehicle for professional growth.  Another and in my opinion most important benefit, is you become a role model for other, teachers and students.