Action Research: Common Assessments

What effects do common assessments have on math and science instruction? In this research, we will look at the benefits common assessments have on teacher instruction and student learning. Teachers will collaborate to create these assessments. This helps them to focus on a common destination. Then, the curriculum and lessons can be designed to lead the students to this destination. Students will receive a more complete, consistent, and focused learning experience. This focused learning will help teachers identify gaps and weaknesses. They will collaborate and improve early in the learning process. Student scores on math and science benchmark and TAKS exams will improve and be more consistent across the campus.

Educationl Leaders & Blogs

Collaboration is an essential tool of successful learning. Continuous learning is a characteristic of successful school leaders. Blogging provides an avenue for school leaders to learn and collaborate. Educators, especially on secondary campuses, have a tradition of working in isolation. This is also true with principals. They may have staff to collaborate with, but how often do they get the opportunity to collaborate with other principals in a non-competitive environment? Blogging allows principals to share their thoughts, insights, suggestions, and concerns in an open-environment. They can receive feedback from other principals (new through retired), teachers, STUDENTS, PARENTS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, etc. They can use this feedback to develop and mold their own learning and leadership. It also provides an insight into his/her beliefs and philosophies. This insight helps build relationships and shared visions. All of these benefits increase the success of the leader and the school.

• Action research is diagnostic, prescriptive, and cyclic. It is not done simply because a directive was given to research a topic. Nor is it done because some expert and some conference said “X” is the answer to all educational woes, so we must research and implement it. Action research is engaged and implemented to address a specific concern. Action research can be done at the district level to address a district-wide issue. It can be done at the campus level by a principal or other campus leader. It can also be done by teams of teachers to address more specific issues. Content teams may establish goals and use action research to improve scores on content specific tests. Grade levels may address knowledge gaps and vertical alignment. Our campus has divided our teachers AND students into smaller “teams.” These teams use action research to address concerns for individual students on their team. Regardless of the group dynamics and specific goal, action research is an ongoing process. DIAGNOSTIC: The teams identify a need and establish a measurable and obtainable goal. They research the characteristics of the issue and best practices to address it. PRESCRIPTIVE: The research is used to develop and implement a plan, with a timeline. The goal will be measured again. Research is done, again, to determine the effectiveness, concerns and successes. CYCLIC: This research is used to modify the action plan and timeline. The cycle is then repeated.