5301: Action Research: What I have learned

After completing the readings for the week one assignment I feel that action research has two awesome benefits that can be put to use by administrators and schools.

The first benefit is the way in which action research is geared towards helping a person find a solution to a problem or simply a better way of doing something. Using relevant literature and shared finding with others and then putting that new information to use in order to come up with a solution or finding that is directly related to the problem or issue at hand is a great way to ensure that administrators are putting into place the most relevant and effective policies or programs.

The second benefit that can be derived from the action research process is the cohesion that is created when people are brought together to come up with a solution to a problem using action research. The Dana text likened this process to that which might take place on a college campus where students are put into groups in order to work together to come up with a common solution to a problem or project. The cohesion that is formed amongst the members of the group is something that can really benefit staff members at a school.

I feel that I would be hard-pressed to find a common problem facing most schools that could not be solved by using action research. This highly applicable process could be used by most problem solving groups on a school campus. As an individual administrator I could put this process to use to both solve problems and as a way to look at myself and the job that I am doing critically.