Sample Action Research Plan

1. SETTING THE FOUNDATION

The purpose of this action research project is to determine a principal's most effective methods of communicating student success and achievements to the community in order to facilitate a higher sense of satisfaction among community members that the school is accomplishing goals, and to give the community a stronger connection to its school.

This is an important project because fostering community involvement and a sense of well-being with local schools is a key factor in education. From a marketing standpoint, this project is important in order to give the community a sense that the school is using it's tax dollars wisely and efficiently; the next time a bond issue comes before voters, they need to know that paying higher taxes is worth the sacrifice. Also, parents need to know that when they drop their students off at school in the morning, or put them on the bus, that everything is being done to foster success, and those efforts are actually paying off in student achievement. Newcomers to the community need to have faith that their children will either have the same opportunities from which they have just come, or will have the opportunity to fare better than before. Businesses need to know that locating their offices in the community is a worthwhile investment in that the future workforce will be qualified to fill positions in the future, and will have the skills to excel.

I will select two former principals from district administration, one high school principal, two middle school principals and three elementary school principals. I select this sample size and representation (1) given the accessible nature of the two former principals during the summer months, and (2) because of the quantity of schools in our district, one high school principal out of four, two middle school principals out of seven, and three elementary principals out of fourteen is an acceptable representative sample

2. ANALYZING DATA

This action research project will be conducted from two to three data sources: the interview, the survey, and the principal’s journal review (if available). In chapter 3, Dana describes her data collection strategies, and as my project of determining the most effective form of communication with a school's community lends itself to more qualitative data, qualitative sources should be the most reliable. I will construct an email-based interview for my target group to complete, which will give them the greatest opportunity for reflection in providing their answers. I will also construct a survey with specific and weighted answers for the target group to complete. Finally, I will ask the target group if they have journals, blogs, or professional writings available that they have created related to school external communication.

3. DEVELOPING DEEPER UNDERSTANDING

The quantitative data returned from the survey will serve as a good comparison of the qualitative data returned from interviews. This data will allow me to see how a particular principal has implemented their techniques in a real-world setting, and will allow me to compare my action research findings to what the principal may have already implemented. Also, the input of the professional writings or reflective journals will confirm or deny the information found from the surveys and interviews as practices actually implemented by the principal and how he feels they are accomplishing goals.

4. ENGAGE IN SELF-REFLECTION

I am a public relations professional with ten years of professional experience: four in the US Army and four in service directly as a communications professional in private business and education. I understand that people want to hear what they want to hear, and are most likely prone to gravitate toward their preferred methods of communication. In order to understand this bias, I am engaging in this action research to better understand the communication methods that others find more effective. I am an "educator" in the field of public relations because I want to help people to become more effective in their chosen forms of communication as well as become more effective in alternate forms. Educators in my field need to see all sides of an issue and understand all forms of communication to understand how to help others. Educators need to know who their publics are in order to reach them at their level of comfort and understanding. By reaching others at their level, teachers and administrators will build a higher level of trust and sense of community in their schools. Finally, to incorporate these beliefs into a mission statement, would be to say:

By understanding my biases and the biases of those I wish to educate, my mission is to help teachers and administrators understand all forms of communication as well as the comfort level of their publics in order to determine the most effective method of communication to all members of the school community.

5. EXPLORING PROGRAMMATIC PATTERNS

District Peak Student Enrollment for 2009-2010

33,798* as of 10/01/2009

District Student Enrollment

Elementary School (PreK-5)	17,449
Middle School (6-8)	7,093
High School (9-12)	9,256
Total	33,798*
	*10/01/2009

District Ethnic Distribution of Students

African American 12.95% American Indian 0.32% Asian 4.15% Hispanic 68.75% White 13.83%

Over the past decade, Irving ISD has experienced a significant increase in enrollment of English language learners.

Recent immigrant students are defined by the US Department of Education as students who have been in a US school for 3 years or less.

A new program that was introduced in the 1999-2000 school year was the Migrant Education Program, (MEP). The Migrant Education Program is special services targeting children of migrant workers who are engaged in temporary or seasonal work in agriculture or fishery.

Click graphs to enlarge.

Enrollment Growth of English Language Learners

(Limited English Proficient)

Enrollment Growth of Immigrant Students

Enrollment Growth of Migrant Students

Enrollment Growth of English Language Learners. (December 13, 2007) Retreived August 1, 2010 from http://www.irvingisd.net/publicinformation/enrollment_growth_of_ELL.htm

6. DETERMINING DIRECTION

The mandatory priorities for this project are (1) to identify all currently employed methods of communication from principal to the community and (2) determine which of the communication methods is most successful. The non-negotiable priority is that the principal will communicate with the school community, and in order to do that, teachers must communicate with the principal. This communication includes day-to-day achievements of students, special events occurring in classrooms, and teachers professional development that will improve instruction in the classroom.

The goal of this action research project is to determine a principal's most effective methods of communicating student success and achievements to the community. More information is required in the areas of: what type of communication methods are principals currently employing, has a principal from the focus group already conducted this type of study, and has the campus improvement committee already recommended its preferred method of communication. Limitations of this research project are that all members of the research group may not be available during the time-line due to summer vacations, staff interviews or professional development commitments.

The most important finding is that more than half of the focus group provides feedback and that the most effective communication method for the majority is determined. The non-negotiable activities that must be conducted are a survey and either electronic or in-person interviews. The availability of professional writings for journals is not essential to the success of the above stated priority.

7. TAKING ACTION FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT

Click to enlarge

Harris, S., Edmonson, S., & Combs, J. (2009). Examining what we do to improve our schools: 9 steps from analysis to action. Larchmont, N.Y.: Eye on Education.

8. SUSTAIN IMPROVEMENT Since this is not a committee-driven action research project, Lewin's Force Field Analysis (Harris, 2009) is most appropriate to determine future success of this plan.

1. The current situation is that most principals are using multiple forms of communication with their school communities, perhaps without knowing which form is most effective and which forms can be discontinued.

2. The proposed change is that principals focus on the most effective method of communication, while spending less time on the less effective methods.

3. If no change occurs, the school community will continue to operate as before and perceive the school as before. In some cases, this may not be a bad situation, but in others, the poor communication with the community may show the school as insensitive to their needs and unable to educate their students effectively.

4. The forces driving the proposed change are:

• fostering community involvement and a sense of well-being with local
• give the community a sense that the school is using it's tax dollars wisely and efficiently
• parents need to know that when they drop their students off at schoolcolor:blackcolor:white in the morning, or put them on the bus, that everything is being done to foster success, and those efforts are actually paying off in student achievement
• newcomers to the community need to have faith that their children will either have the same opportunities from which they have just come, or will have the opportunity to fare better than before
• businesses need to know that locating their offices in the community is a worthwhile investment in that the future workforce will be qualified to fill positions in the future, and will have the skills to excel.

5. Forces possibly resisting any recommended change would include the principal who cannot see the purpose in focusing on one method of communication and decreasing the time and effort spent on other forms.

6. The change is viable and realistic. A point system could be constructed once all data has been collected.

7. In order for change to be implemented, principals must buy-in to the recommendations. That this study is being conducted among current and past principals allows for a greater sense of ownership of data collected and recommendations made.

Eight-step process and Force Field Analysis adapted from:

Harris, S., Edmonson, S., & Combs, J. (2009). Examining what we do to improve our schools: 9 steps from analysis to action. Larchmont, N.Y.: Eye on Education.