Research Course Reflection

RESEARCH

Throughout the duration of this course, Research, I learned the importance to search for those topics that concerns administrators the most and how the results of those investigations can be use to create an environment of learning for all.
Administrator inquiry refers to the process of a principal engaging in a systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice and taking action for change based on what he/she learns as a result of the inquiry (Dana,2009). Using Dana's textbook to develop my draft action research plan was a great experience. Dana explains step by step what needs to be done to work on an action research project and also why is important to engage in inquiry as administrators. Also, Harris' book offers a lot of insight about working with action research projects and which strategies can be used to sustain improvement after finishing data collection and drawing conclusions.
While using the blogs and engaging myself in reading discussion boards help me a lot in developing my plan and also gave me the opportunity to exchange ideas with other prospective administrators that are eager to improve as professionals and to help their students and schools to achieve at higher levels as well.
Assignments provided me with the opportunity of express my points of view and also to develop meaningful ideas about the things that I consider can help my students to increase academic achievement. Analyzing different topics as homework, curriculum, UIL activities among other made me realize that there's a lot of benefit in doing research and collect data to find out different ways that can be use to keep our students, staff and administrators engage in what they do. Collaboration among classmates while working on the assignments were a must and reading each of the recommendations and analyzing the same topic from a different point of view was an excellent experience in assuring that our work as teachers and administrators is not only provide a lesson and an assessment, is building positive relationships to create an atmosphere where everybody have higher expectations among themselves.
While doing research on the Web, I found myself reading and searching about a lot of topics at the same time. At the beginning, it was hard to focus only in one topic because every article that I found, was teaching me something new. I had to set my mind and focus in what I specific want to research about to be able to begin with my project. Also, the lectures and the books used as reference for the class, have a lot of material and examples that while reading I wanted to know about everything and I wanted to use every single strategy and every single activity that was mentioned there.
Research class is the most interesting and meaningful class that I have taken so far while working on my Master's Degree. I know, that as a prospective administrator, I will take a lot of advantages about what I have learn so far and that the material provided my the professors, lectures, books, keep up with the blogs and having the experience to begin collecting data as soon as the school begins, will help me to apply this knowledge for the benefit of my students, staff and administrators and for the growth of our school at all.

Week #3

Action Research Project

Goal: Use homework as a tool of increase students achievement

Purpose:
For more than a century, attitudes toward homework have historically reflected societal trends and the prevailing educational philosophy of the time, and each swing of the pendulum is colored by unique historical events and sentiments that drove the movement for or against homework. (Vattererott, 2009).

Homework is a unique educational practice. Of all learning strategies a teacher may use, it is the only one that crosses the boundary separating school and home, encompassing the two worlds of school and home that all children inhabit. Given the complexity of family life and the diversity of students today, it is no surprise that the practice of homework is challenging-and in some communities, controversial. (Vattererott, 2009).

The ten-minute rule recommends that children receive ten minutes of homework per night multiplied by the child's grade level. That means, a 9th grader should have only 90 minutes (1.5 hours) of homework at night, while a 12th grader should have 120 minutes (2 hours).
With the creation of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), more pressure is put under Districts, Schools, Administrators, and Teachers to help low income students and special need's students to address the academic achievement gaps that exists. When homework is meaningfully designed, differentiated, and with a specific purpose, students may reach the stakes of learning and will increase their achievement levels.

As a science teacher, I am always looking for ways to motivate students and encourage them to do their homework. While assigning homework is an issue that, until recently, has seldom been questioned, I consider that homework in reasonable amount, designed with specific purpose, and differentiated for the diversity of students, can be a powerful tool to support and enhance learning, can be a tool to provide teachers feedback about learning, and provide students with adequate practice to sharpen the skills and find out where they need to work harder to deepen their knowledge.

Homework instill confidence within students when they successfully complete tasks on their own. (Vatterott, 2009)

Question:
What is the relationship Between Assigning Homework and Student Measures of Achievement at School?

Subquestions:

How teachers can design meaningful and differentiated homework?
How teachers can improve homework practices?
How teachers can implement homework effectively and equitably?
How can teachers implement homework strategies and support programs?

Method
To research the question under study, the IPC Department have design a procedure that is going to be used to measure the students' frequency in turning in homework on time. As the Team Leader, I will collect the data every two weeks using our gradebook system, “Skyward”. I will begin only with tenth graders and I will divide them by ethnicity. All IPC Department will use the same procedure to collect, revise and grade homework to have meaningful data to analyze at the end of each of the two weeks. Also, I will measure students achievement every six weeks using Skyward as well. A homework survey for parents adapted from the book of Cathy Vattererott, Rethinking Homework: Best Practices That Support Diverse Needs (2009) will be distribute to students and a representative sample will be analyze.

Throughout the research, I will be evaluating an existing after school tutorial program and its effectiveness in helping struggling students on doing their homework.

Along with the research, I will keep reading for further insights on how homework can increase students achievement. I will keep sharing my findings with the rest of the IPC Department Teachers.

People Involve
School Principal
School Assistant Principal
Intern
IPC Teachers
After school tutorial program manager

Data Analysis
As a Team Leader, I will distribute the data to each one of the Team Members and we will analyze how homework are helping students achievement. I will generate a list of best practices and strategies used by each one of the teachers and how we can improve what is been doing.
For the after school tutorial programs, the data and statistics will be provided by the Program Manager who is going to work with me in developing strategies to motivate students to participate in the program to increase their class achievement.

Timeline
September 3rd, 2010 - first set of data related to homework will be collected and analyze
October 1st, 2010 – first set of students' grades on IPC class will be collected and analyze
Homework data will be collected every two weeks from the beginning of the school year and Class Achievement data will be collected every six weeks from the beginning of the school year.

At the end of the academic year, I will present the data to the other Science Department Teachers and my goal is to expand the research to the whole science department.

Week #2

When I first began brainstorming about my research project I said to myself What I am going to research about? I am very interested in curriculum mapping but also I am very frustrated about homework. How can I help my students to master my class skills????

After reading and reading and more readings, I came to the conclusion that I can focus on one issue but keep learning about other things that concern me as well.

I will focus my action research project on School Performance:
What is the relationship between assigning homework and student measures of achievement at school? I know that all the learning and research that I will conduct will help my students to achieve at higher levels.

Action Research Week #1

Administration inquiry refers to the process of a principal engaging in a systematic, intentional study of his/her own administrative practice taking action for change based on what he she/learns as a result of the inquiry. (Dana, N.F. (2009)).

Through action research, administrators can reflect in their own practices asking questions about what they think are the issues that are affecting their schools. Reading relevant literature and making investigations about the issue that is being under study, administrators can share their findings with others.

Working in collaboration is an important step in action research. Getting together, informal or formally, administrators can share their best practices and can share relevant resources and strategies that they are using in their schools that are helping their students to achieve at higher levels.

As administrators, we understand that there are a lot of things to do inside the classroom and sometimes we forget that becoming a long term learner is very important. Being a role model for our students and teachers will help all of them to understand the importance of academic achievement. As administrators, we need to schedule time to research about those issues that are relevant to the school and becoming active learners, we will be capable to provide students, teachers, and parents with adequate information to help them walk through the rough spots of change.

Change takes time, but through formulating a question, making investigation, conducting research, gathering data and analyzing the data, we can improve the quality of our schools and we can help our students to achieve at higher levels.

Using blogs can help administrators to share best practices, literature and research about different educational and leadership topics. Blogs are useful to keep in touch with other professionals interested in the same themes and they are very useful know a days due to the busy schedules of administrators.