EDLD 5301 Reflections

The thing I most appreciated about this course it that it took the concept of research from being something that other people do, and turned it into something that I can do. If we want to be leaders, we need to learn to identify things that need improvement in our schools. Once we have identified something that needs improvement, we can take responsibility and research ideas to implement change. In today’s world where there is so much information available to us, we can take advantage of existing research, as well as collect our own data, to determine ideas and solutions that we can use. My "light bulb" moment during this course was during week 3 when the term "research project" suddenly went from being a huge nebulous task to something understandable, interesting, relevant, and most importantly, doable. The thing I most appreciated about this course was being led, step-by-step, to that conclusion. I feel as if the course was designed to help gently guide us to find a relevant project as well as to understand the research process. I’m anxious to see if research that I do will be able to make a difference in our school with our students, and I’m already thinking ahead to other projects that we might be able to undertake in the future. I'm interested in learning more about how to share and apply the results of action research. There are so many worthwhile and competing goals in education, that having a great idea, even one supported by research, isn't always enough to implement change. In order to learn more about sharing effectively, I'm going to try to trust in the process we're learning and go through what we have outlined, one step at a time. I need to focus on completing my research first, so I have relevant data and research to develop and support ideas for change. Then I will shift my focus to learning and applying effective ways to communicate my findings and ideas. One of my favorite quotes from the course was: Nothing within a school has more impact upon students in terms of skills development, self-confidence, or classroom behavior than the personal and professional growth of their teachers…When teachers stop growing, so do their students. Barth’s work (as cited in Dana, 2009, p. 32) Barth succinctly states what I have always believed, that it is important to be a life-long learner, especially in rapidly-changing technology-related fields. However, I don’t think I realized the impact that my continued growth would have on my students, and I’m encouraged and provoked to press on. Dana, N. F. (2009). Leading with Passion and Knowledge. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin and American Association of School Administration.

Draft Action Research Plan

Action Planning Template
Goal: How can we increase enrollment in Computer Science courses in CISD, especially for women?
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1. Setting the foundation. Meet with site mentor and campus Principal to discuss the importance of Computer Science (CS), and the value of engaging young women in STEM courses.	Linda Woessner Meet with Mike Rhodes, Sharolyn Overby	Nov 28 - Dec 2	Email, Meeting times,	Completed meetings and discussions.
2. Analyzing Data. Research and collect available resources to understand the status of CS Classes and enrolment in CISD as compared to the State and National rates.	Linda Woessner Coordinate with Chris Stephenson from CSTA, among others	Dec 2 – Jan 2 (and ongoing)	Internet search of available resources of all types. Discussion Groups. RSS.	Written summary of information gathered. Numerical data compiled in charts and graphs wherever possible.
3. Developing Deeper Understanding. Survey the current student population to determine attitudes towards CS. Compare differences in attitudes between male and female students. Continue to look for current research.	Linda Woessner Carroll Sr. High STEM teachers	Conduct survey from Jan 17 – 31. Data analysis from Jan 31 – Feb 29.	On-line and paper survey.	Completed survey by as large a population as possible. Data summarized, analyzed, and broken down by gender.
4. Engage in self-reflection. Examine CISD course offerings and policies to determine if there are any ways to broaden the appeal of CS courses for all students, especially females.	Linda Woessner Mike Rhodes, Carroll Sr. High Teachers	Feb 1 – Feb 29	School policy descriptions, and course descriptions.	Written summary of results.
5. Exploring Programmatic Patterns. Begin to formulate ideas that could be implemented on our campus to encourage increased participation in CS and STEM courses.	Linda Woessner Discuss and receive input from Campus Decision Committee, Department Coordinators, and Guidance Department	Feb 1 – 29, 2012		List of potential ideas.
6. Determine Direction. Choose specific steps to be taken.	Linda Woessner Mike Rhodes	March 1 - 23	Resources dependent on plan of action.	List of ideas we can implement on our campus.
7. Taking Action. Develop a written plan of action. Include the following: a)Promoting National CSEdWeek to raise awareness of CS Education in the district and community. b)Actively recruit during course enrollment period, and c)Rewrite CS course descriptions	Linda Woessner Coordinate with Campus Webmaster, Publicity Department, and KDGN team.	CSEdWeek preparation and planning: Nov 1, 2011 to Dec 10, 2011 Enrollment period: Jan 2012	Promotional Materials: Posters, video announcements, website updates, flyers, district email blast	Successful promotions during the week of Dec 4 – 10, National CSEdWeek