Still Learning....

I graduated over 2 years ago with my Masters, have been an assistant principal for 4 years now, and I am still continuing to learn.  Not a day goes by that I do not learn something new, deal with something new, or find a new way to reach a student.

As much as I learned through my classes, nothing compares to education that I continue to receive on a daily basis.  Students are changing, times are changing, and I continue to change with them to meet their needs.  One thing that I have learned is that I am never done learning if I want to be successful.

Daniel

Action Research Update

Action Research Project Title:  Technology Devices in Classrooms

Blog URL:   www.bourgeoiseducation.blogspot.com

Number of AR Project Documented Hours:  35 hours

AR Project Summary (at least 250 words): 

My research action plan is moving forward, but it has been interesting to say the least.  I have not logged that many hours in my research project yet only because so much of my project has to be done throughout this school year with the majority of it happening at the end of the school year.  My action research plan is on “Technology Devices in Classrooms.”  This year our school district implemented the use of IPAD mini’s in the classroom by giving each student and teacher an IPAD.  We are hoping to increase engagement in the classroom and help influence scores. 

Since the beginning of the year we have had our struggles with the technology in the school which has made the use of IPAD’s difficult.  This is evidenced in the surveys that I have completed with teachers and students this year.  I am going to continue to do surveys to determine the usefulness of the devices as well as see if they are increasing engagement in the classroom.  After the first round of surveys the information gathered is positive from students, but teachers are not as confident in the technology.  I am interested to see how this trend continues throughout the year.  Finally, I have gathered attendance rates from previous years and am beginning to track to see if this change in the classroom and school in general is bringing more students to school.  I am not starting to collect information on six weeks grades until the 2^nd six weeks, so I am focusing on the surveys and questionnaires at this point.  As the year goes on, I know I am going to be busier collecting cycle grades, attendance rates, as well as more surveys on the implementation of the IPAD minis.  

Finalizing Things...

As our school year winds down and we get closer to the implementation of the mini I-Pads next year, my research plan is getting ready to get very busy.  This week my site supervisor and I met and discussed some small changes to the research plan.

One plan that we did come up with during this week’s meeting is making the “grades” portion of my research more selective by narrowing it down to core classes within the different schools in our district.  We felt by making the research more direct to the core classes and the instruction that is in place we will get more beneficial results than using all classes within the school.  At the same time we are implementing these new devices, we are also upgrading our curriculum one core subject at a time, and we did not want the change in curriculum to sway my results.  Therefore, we are focusing my efforts on grade levels and subjects that have already had the same curriculum in place for at least this last school year so that the only variable between years is the I-Pads.

    Another issue that we discussed and our adapting my plan to is surveying the same students each six weeks instead of making it random every time.  We are wanting to see how these students feel and are being instructed over the whole year in regards to technology.

Action Research Plan – Technology Devices in Classrooms
Goal:  To determine the overall effectiveness the implementation of mini I-Pads has on classroom performance, student engagement/participation , and attendance issues at Boyd ISD, as well as how classroom utilization is impacted with the devices.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Survey students in grades 6 - 12 using questionnaires to gage true feelings of engagement in class and how they are reached on an everyday basis.	Daniel Bourgeois will create survey with input and approval from site supervisor, Scott Nedrow	May 6, 2013 – June 4, 2013	Internet Resources through computer lab using survey monkey software.	Students will complete the survey on engagement and participation in the classroom.
Survey teachers and support staff in grades 6 - 12 using questionnaires to determine levels of technology used in class, knowledge on technology, and how they feel technology can be better integrated into class.	Daniel Bourgeois will create survey with input and approval from site supervisor, Scott Nedrow and assistant superintendent, Barbara Stice.	May 6, 2013 – June 4, 2013	Internet Resources through computer lab using survey monkey software.	Teachers and staff will complete survey on technology uses in the classroom setting.
Survey area schools who have implemented I-Pads in their classrooms	Daniel Bourgeois	June – July 2013	School districts information as well as interviews from curriculum directors and technology directors.	Utilize information form similar schools to find how implementation of devices has influenced classrooms and students.
Research attendance rates from 2010 – 2014 in grades 6 - 12 to find attendance tendencies within the school district.	Daniel Bourgeois	August 2013 – June 2014.	AEIS  data from Texas Education Agency on Boyd ISD for all grade levels	Compare attendance reports over last few years to 2013-2014 to evaluate the impact use of new technology has on attendance if any.
Evaluate cycle grades from the 2012-2013 school year for 2nd -5th six weeks from each class in grades 6 - 12 and compare to same time frame for 2013-2014 school year.	Daniel Bourgeois, Charlene Wilson (PEIMS)	May 2013 – May 2014	Six weeks grade reports from each class from PEIMS coordinator for both school years	Compare grades from same grading cycles using the same curriculum plan to evaluate the impact of technology on classroom performance.
Interview random sampling of students in grades 6 -12 to determine usage of devices	Daniel Bourgeois, Nina Coody (Intermediate School Principal), James McDonald (Middle School Principal)	Every grading cycle of 2013-2014 school year.	Random number of students with same sampling questions.	Determine the continuous use, growth, and effectiveness of devices in the classroom.
Interview random sampling of staff in grades 6 - 12 to determine usage of devices in classroom.	Daniel Bourgeois, Nina Coody (Intermediate School Principal), James McDonald (Middle School Principal)	Every grading cycle of 2013-2014 school year.	Random number of staff with same sampling questions.	Determine the continuous use, growth, and effectiveness of devices in the classroom.
Student and staff follow up survey on I-Pad implementation in the classroom.	Daniel Bourgeois	May 2014	Internet resources from mini I-Pad tablets and survey on survey monkey	Determine the results of the survey at the completion of the school year to evaluate usage of devices in class and compare with the previous surveys taken.
Dissemination of findings	Daniel Bourgeois, with site supervisor, Scott Nedrow, assistant superintendent, Barbara Stice, and superintendent, Ted West.	June 2014	All materials gathered including survey results, attendance percentages, cycle average comparisons and any other data relevant to the research.	Complete and finalize data for research.

Action Research - Week 2 Understanding

This week, I realized that action research can be used in many different ways in the scope of the school setting.  For the most part, I assumed of only looking at school performance or testing when I heard the words action research.  I guess that I thought that was the only thing worthy of studying and trying to improve upon as a school district since that is obviously how we are "graded" in the eyes of the community or state. However, this week I was able to understand that any area is ripe for action research, and they all ultimately lead back to the same point...improving and understanding schools for the better. 

Educators and Blogs

I believe blogs can be very beneficial to the education process.  Education leaders can use blogs in the following ways to help in their school sytem:

• Communicate with parents and community members about upcoming events
• Ask for comments and concerns with the occurences at the school
• Praise for students and their successes
• Praise for teachers and their successes
• Have a news blog to help inform the public of school situations
• Provide an open forum to show transparency and promote involvement for the school

These are just a few ways in which educational leaders could use the beneficial aspect of blogs.

Action Research in Education

Whether it is from new administrators to veteran ones, action research is extremely crucial to the education setting.  Times are changing and so are the school systems in which we are involved in, send our kids to, or support with our taxes.  Traditional roles of research are no longer relevant to the education process as they have been in the past, but instead action research is now at the forefront. 

Action research allows for administrators and teachers alike to be more involved in the questions and “wonderings” that they have.  It puts the people asking the questions as the ones doing the research and answering the questions, all the while learning about all aspects that their question has raised.  I believe that action research puts the onus on individuals instead of relying on what steps people have done in the past.  It allows for individual freedom and clarity in the research process and instills a sense ownership in the researcher.

I will be able to use action research not only in my development as an administrator, but in my continuous development as an educator.  Action research will help me over the coming months and years develop new game plans for the school, and expand on new strategies from raising test scores to community involvement and every avenue in between.