What I have learned about action research

Action research, or sometimes called classroom research to practitioner inquiry, is a process where by which the teacher or principal reflect on their current teaching practices for learning and improving the school. It is a constant circle of reflecting and trying to make improvement for student learning. This practice involves much more than sitting through a staff development and taking in what the university expert researchers have developed over years of controlled experiments. This is the teacher taking control of problems they see in the classroom and taking action to make a positive change that will benefit their students needs. As education changes we can use this process to enhance our professional growth as we see problems arise. When we notice that a certain group of students are not performing well we often ask why. By taking this action to solve the problem we are doing so in a natural setting where we can research and apply what we have learned to that group of students. The best way to get our students to learn to ask questions and take an inquiry approach in their learning is to model it for them. Action research is a great way for teachers and administrators to take ownership of what is going on in their classrooms and on their campus and make steps towards improving their education.