Action Research Plan - What best practices using Dell Latitudes are going to work at Bayside Intermediate to support engaged learning

OUTCOMES	ACTIVITIES	RESOURCES/ RESEARCH TOOLS NEEDED	RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS ACTIVITIES	TIME LINE	Benchmarks/ ASSESSMENT
Setting a Shared Vision that we will focus on how to design assignments that are more empowering and be able to engage students in a learning community with 24-hour support.	Share vision at a Faculty Meeting	Time one the agenda	Mr. Majewski, Susan Wells, Terry Conaway	August 19 – 23, 2013	Where are you in your technology skills? Survey
Assign faculty to groups for training at similar skill levels.	Analysis where faculty are in line with technology skills and using Latitude with students.	Completed Surveys	Terry Conaway	August 26 –  mid Sept  2013	Data Analysis
Encourage teachers to begin planning and using Latitude in classrooms.	Set up 1st workshops on how to use Latitude in classroom using the focus on how to design assignments that are more empowering and be able to engage students in a learning community with 24-hour support.	Handouts, scheduled times	Terry Conaway Susan Wells	Oct 3 -  4, 2013  – early release and  1st Professional Dev. Day	Post workshop evaluations
Reflection on additional trainings	Evaluate Staff Development day in Oct.	Post workshop evaluation forms, walk-through random classroom evaluation.	Terry Conaway	Late Nov	Analysis of data
Encourage teachers to continue planning and using Latitude in classrooms to engage students in critical thinking skills.	2nd – Professional Development day continue providing workshops on using Latitude in classroom while focusing  designing assignments that are more empowering and be able to engage students in a learning community.	Examples of successful lessons using tablets in classroom that engages the students and builds critical thinking skills. Handouts, presentations	Susan Wells Terry Conaway	Jan 20, 2014,	Post workshop evaluations
Reflection on additional trainings	Evaluate Staff Development day in Jan.	Post workshop evaluation forms, walk-through random classroom evaluation.	Terry Conaway	Late Jan – early Feb	Analysis of data
Encourage teachers to continue planning and using Latitude in classrooms to engage students in critical thinking skills.	3rd – Professional Development day continue providing workshops on using Latitude in classroom while focusing  designing assignments that are more empowering and be able to engage students in a learning communities.	Examples of successful lessons using tablets in classroom that engages the students and builds critical thinking skills. Handouts, presentations	Terry Conaway Susan Wells	Feb. 14 – 17 – Early release and Professional Development day	Post workshop evaluations
Reflection on additional trainings	Evaluate Staff Development day in Feb.	Post workshop evaluation forms, walk-through random classroom evaluation.	Terry Conaway	Late Nov	Analysis of data
Encourage teachers to continue planning and using Latitude in classrooms to engage students in critical thinking skills.	Have volunteer teachers to present ways they have incorporated the latitude and share their best practices with other faculty	Presentations by individual teachers	Terry Conaway Volunteer Faculty	March 7, early release day	Post workshop evaluations
Reflection on additional trainings	Evaluate Staff Development day in Mar.	Post workshop evaluation forms, walk-through random classroom evaluation.	Terry Conaway	Late Nov	Analysis of data
Evaluate and reflect on best practices being used and preparing for additional training offerings needed.	Interviews and skill survey with teachers on level of comfort using the Latitudes in the classes.	Survey, personal interview questions	Terry Conaway	April – mid May	Interviews conducted evaluations and completed surveys by faculty

How educational leaders might use blogs

The blog allows educational leaders to share ideas and maybe learn something new. Having the ability to share ideas, concerns and possible solutions with a peer group without having to set up a meeting time is a great plus in any administrators busy life. Technology has many advantages and this is definitely one of them.

Action Research,how am I going to use it?

Action research is a systematic way of problem solving that starts with setting the foundation or identifying the problem. Once that has been done gathering and analyzing date that affects the issue can be started allowing the researcher to gain a deeper understanding of the issue at hand. As you go through the process self reflection is required to gain a better knowledge and understanding of the problem with your own and other's skills and ideas contributing to the solutions and finding patterns that work.  This allows you to determine which direction you will be taking begin acting on the solution. As the work is being done self reflection continues and the progress is evaluated to sustain the improvement.

The action research is pretty much the same as the design process taught in my class, which I use everyday. This allows me to keep my self on target and organized in my thinking. I use the systematic approach as I plan for lessons and work with students and classroom management.

As I being my action research project for my degree I know that using the steps will enable me to have the best chance of success, as I have experienced the results previously on other projects I have taken on.

The best part of the process for me is allowing me to chunk the task for completion and the self reflections.  I think of it as taking small bites out of the work and seeing its completion progress occur. As a task oriented person, this is extremely important to me if I want to be successful.