Designing and Disseminating the Action Research Plan

Now that the topic of the action research plan has been identified, it is now important to organize or set up the plan.  Setting up the plan is very much like proving a hypothesis through the scientific process.  An action research plan should involve the following factors: a goal, actions, responsible parties if assigning tasks, a timeline in which the research should take, what materials used, and who is responsible for evaluating.  When organizing the plan it is important to include background information.  The stakeholders need to know why it is that the plan was first created.  The cycle of the action plan normally should take place over a period of an academic year.  An example of an action plan appears at the end of this blog.

At the conclusion of the plan, it is important to identify how and who the the information will be disseminated.  The following four components must be included in the presentation regardless of the format.  The four components include background information, the design of the plan itself, the supporting documentation, and the conclusions drawn by the researcher.

Example Action Plan

Goal:

To assess the effectiveness of the retake/retest policy of Klein ISD as defined and determined by each campus in regards to student learning.

Action Step(s)

Interviews with Geometry Pre-AP and Geometry Regular teachers at the four Klein ISD high schools.

Review the grading guidelines of each of the four Klein ISD high school Geometry PLCs.

Compile a set of questions that will address the impact of the retake/retest policy on student learning, teacher work, background knowledge of House Bill 3, and recommendations for how to proceed with the policy into the 2011-2012 school year.

Review House Bill 3

Review the Klein ISD Retake/Retest Policy as stated in the Klein ISD Handbook

Person Responsible

Dana Boyer, Math Instructional Specialist, Klein Collins High School

Timeline: Start to End

Start Date: October 4, 2010

End Date: June 7, 2010

Needed Resources:

Geometry Grading Guidelines form from Klein High School, Klein Forest High School, Klein Oak High School, and Klein Collins High School.

Interview responses from interviewees both written and recordings.

Klein ISD Retake/Retest Policy as stated in the Klein ISD Handbook

Text from Texas House Bill 3

Evaluation:

Dr. Amy Schindewolf, Site Supervisor