Why use action research? How can educational leaders utlize blogs?

Why Use Action Research?
 

There are many benefits of action research.  First, it provides principals with a meaningful way to grow professionally.  It provides for more in-depth and active research.  Action research helps principals collaborate with other principals to find solutions to the ever-changing types of problems that they face on a daily basis.  In the past, many principals felt isolated.  With action research, these same principals now feel connected and have a different way to find solutions and grow.  Principals that use action research on their campuses  have teachers that have become more collaborative with other stakeholders.  This collaboration causes  stakeholders to buy-in more readily to the goals of the district and school. This, in turn, allows best practices to flourish.  Finally, action research becomes more proactive instead of reactive in relation to research. (Dana 2009)  It helps administrators to reflect on what is happening on their campuses more often than when they relied on outside sources for research.  They are the ones actively researching for solutions to problems.  This is important because they are involving themselves more in finding those solutions instead of relying on others.  As you can see, action research is becoming the best way to solve problems in educational settings.  Hopefully, more principals around the country will start utilizing this vitally important tool.  I plan on using it as I study to become an administrator and after I become one.  I also am going to start using active research to help me become a better teacher.  Doing that will help me to help my current students and the students that I will lead as an administrator in the future.

 Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
How Can Educational Leaders Utilize Blogs?

Educational leaders have used blogging to gain advice, to share findings, and to create networks for finding answers to many questions. The "Blog" has become a vital instrument in the educational community. Any educational leader can find the answers to questions and situations or advice from colleagues all over the world.  Blogging can help administrators capture and store thoughts and recollections safely so they can share them with colleagues and return to them at various times in the evolution of their action research projects.  They may gain new and deeper insights with each visit.