EDLD 5326 Week 5 Update

Action Research Project Title:  Professional Learning Communities

Blog URL:   http://bridgettnull.blogspot.com

Number of AR Project Documented Hours: 20

AR Project Summary (at least 250 words):

My research project is going well.  Prior to school starting, I met with my principal and my team leader to brainstorm possible structures, particular needs, etc.  This was very important because I was brand new to this campus.  Professional learning communities were completely unfamiliar to this staff, and they were unaccustomed to being required to attend meetings more than once per month.  I planned and organized introductory materials for a staff development session, and I presented to the staff during orientation before school started.  These presentations were completed in three sessions so that the groups were small and could offer question/answer opportunities.  Each team (grade level and subject) were required to submit their calendar of meeting dates, which is one day per month.  This day is not to take the place of a planning day but is an additional meeting.  Each team is allowed to choose their PLC material so that their specific needs are being addressed.  I'd also like to note that because PLCs are brand new to my campus, my principal and I decided that starting small is the best way to win over the staff.  PLCs are occurring only within teams and not as one large collective group.  I will be conducting periodic surveys and questionnaires to compile data, and I will also be attending PLCs for different teams as my conference schedule allows.  My goal is to remain available to all staff members for questions or assistance as needed.  I teach 5th grade ELAR, and we had our first meeting this past week.  We asked our librarian to come in and help us with BookShare, an online audio program reserved for children with special needs.  This program is completely free to these students; they need only an account and a device.  This PLC was very important to our team because we have a very large group students that are eligible for this program.  We need to understand how to use the program so that we can help the students when questions arise.      

EDLD 5301 Final Thoughts

I have to admit--I was not looking forward to this class.  The idea of a whole class being about research sounded like the most boring thing ever!  I couldn't have been more wrong.  I learned a lot during this class, and everything is extremely useful.  For the purpose of this post, I tried to think of the top three things that I am taking from this class.  So, here goes...

#1:  An action plan can be about any topic, and the topic can come from some other source.  (Really!!!)

#2:  There are actually written strategies that are designed to help you sustain your improvements while looking towards the future.

#3:  Someone that doesn't know how to reflect can LEARN how to be a really good reflector.

While these things are different, they have one very important thing in common.  WILLPOWER!  The researcher must have the dedicated willpower in order to successfully conduct his/her action project.  I also like to think that you need a good amount of stubbornness as well.  You can't give up, and change is never easy.  I suppose that's why you should choose topics that you're passionate about.  What concepts!  Drive, dedication, passion--the list could go on and on.  There is literally no aspect of education that we couldn't affect through the use of action research.  I can't wait to see how we grow as professionals from this process.   

Action Research Project Update

So, I've been working on this research project for a couple of weeks now.  I've read your comments, and I've been in close contact with my principal.  Based on all comments and feedback, I will not be making any revisions at this time.  I think that the majority of this can be tied to the type of project that I am undertaking.  I know that changes will be needed and will become apparent as the project progresses.  I'll be updating everyone periodically.  Please continue to offer suggestions and feedback; I always love to read your thoughts!

My FABULOUS Plan!

So, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for...

I am awaiting your feedback from the edge of my chair, so hit me with those comments!

Action Planning Template
Goal:  To implement professional learning communities as a way to help teachers learn and grow, and to pinpoint how the principal can best facilitate this process
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1.  Meet with principal to discuss need for professional learning communities	Null Ferguson	June 2013- June 2013	None	Interview, results from faculty survey
2.  Meet with ELA team leader to share plan, discuss importance, and gain insight into current practices during meetings	Null Wallace	July 2013- July 2013	Explanation of PLCs, statistical data showing pros and cons, example topics that could be used	Interview, field notes
3.  Solicit feedback from department members individually concerning current practices as well as their preferences for collaborative learning opportunities	Null Dept. members	August 2013- August 2013	Online survey tool	Survey
4.  Analyze results from survey to develop the best way to approach department members concerning PLC implementation (The goal is to get everyone to buy in to the need.)	Null	August 2013- August 2013	None	Field notes, results from survey
5.  Meet with department members to present plan.  Share the explanation, statistics, and example topics from initial team leader meeting	Null Dept. members	Sept. 2013- Sept. 2013	PowerPoint, explanation of PLCs, statistical data showing pros and cons, example topics that could be used	Field notes, focus group interviews
6.  Develop a schedule with principal and team leader that will provide a set amount of time for collaborative learning activities	Null Ferguson Wallace	Sept. 2013- Sept. 2013	Calendar	Interview, field notes
7.  Work collaboratively with principal and team leader to generate a list of possible PLC topics that also address the desires of dept. members	Null Ferguson Wallace	Sept. 2013- Sept. 2013	Electronic searches, educational journals, educational publications, past experiences in PLCs, survey results	Focus group interview, field notes
8.  Begin PLC implementation using the agreed upon calendar and topics from steps 6-7	Null Dept. members	Monthly, Sept. 2013-May 2014	Will vary--resources will depend on the topic being addressed	Field notes, video recordings
9.  Conduct periodic interviews and surveys individually, small group, and whole group to gather ongoing feedback	Null	Bimonthly, Oct. 2013-April 2014	Online survey tool, questionnaires	Field notes, survey results, questionnaire results
10.  Continually tweak PLC procedures and topics as needed based on collected data	Null	Ongoing, Sept. 2013-May 2014	Will vary based on results	Field notes, survey results, questionnaire results, interviews, video recordings
11.  Meet with principal and team leader periodically to assess progress and collaborate on any needed changes	Null Ferguson Wallace	Ongoing, Sept. 2013-May 2014	Will vary based on results	Focus group interview, field notes, results from other evaluative tools as necessary

Week 2 Reflection

Wow, what a week!  I went from not really knowing what a blog was to creating and posting on my very own.  I think I'm going to like this outlet of sharing.  Being able to "speak" my thoughts freely is invigorating.  Even more importantly, people can respond.  How cool is that?  As I went through this week's activities, I was reminded once again that education is indeed grounded in research.  I'm also reminded that research is ever-growing, and that education must grow with it.  Good administrators and teachers are constantly reflecting and working to make changes for the better.  Why?  Because educators never stop learning!  When one reaches the point that he/she doesn't want to learn anymore, it's a sign to get out of education.  We owe it to our students, fellow teachers, and administrators to be the best we can be.  The action research project is going to serve as an outlet for that learning.  What am I passionate about?  What bugs me that I want to critique?  How can I make a difference?  The old saying, "one person can make a difference," comes to mind.  It only takes the idea of one person to snowball into something great that can make the lives of others more fulfilling. 

Leaders Using Blogs

I'm new to this whole blog thing, but I can quickly see how leaders could use them effectively.  My school practices professional learning communities.  We have a weekly rotation for the type of PLC that is meeting on which week.  We rotate with the following schedule:  administrative, departments, and grade levels.  How cool would it be for each department to have its own blog to share with the school?  We are often called upon to share in order to learn from one another, and it is more important than ever to incorporate technology.  Blogs could also be a great way for the administrative team to share current happenings, thoughts, etc.  I see them as a way to continue to build relationships via the world wide web.