Discussion Question

Impact Reflection

As you have learned throughout your program, action research is primarily about encouraging teachers and other leaders to be continuous and reflective learners in their specific practice. Action research is considered a work in progress. It is iterative. Action research has strong implications for various types of organizations and can be an incentive in improving student learning, specifically. As part of becoming a reflective practitioner, you will engage in the process of deep thought and deliberation of the ways that you can become problem solvers and change agents (Buczynski & Hansen, 2014).

Initial Post:

1. Prepare for your initial post by reflecting on all you have learned through this course. In your post, explain in at least one paragraph and using scholarly resources to support your assertions how the continuous improvement efforts through the use of action research can inform progress of a school/community/organization. Then, in at least two paragraphs, describe how the action research implemented in this study will generally improve student learning. 

100 words minimum

Final Project
To complete the following assignment, go to this week’s Final Project link in the left navigation. 

Action Research Formal Presentation of Findings
  
This Final Project is designed to report what you have learned and to apply the information obtained from your action research in its entirety including the proposal, observations, data collection, analysis, sharing, and feedback acquired through collaboration with your peers. As a scholarly practitioner, you have had the opportunity to continue your exploration of action research principles and implement your intervention/innovation in the setting of your choice. 
To clarify, the planned action research intervention or innovation will occur in the approved setting while you are enrolled in EDU675. You will again submit the Informed Consent form during Week One of EDU675, verifying approval to conduct their AR intervention/innovation. The available settings for your research are limited depending on your personal situation:
As you have learned, the rationale of this type of research is to discover evidence that examines perceived problems in a given setting. Recall, the purpose of action research is to improve practice or to implement change for the purpose of professional development. Mills (2014) states “. . . educational change that enhances the lives of children is a main goal of action research. But action research can also enhance the lives of professionals” (p.13). Furthermore, action research is the process of telling the story of your research journey. This final project is your opportunity to tell the story of your research experience in the Masters of Arts in Education (MAED) Program. 

Writing the Final Project

Construct your final project to meet the content and written communication expectations below.

Content Expectations

• Introduction (1 point): Create a one-to-two paragraph introduction that provides a succinct overview of the scope and organization of the assignment.
• Context (2 points): In one-to-two paragraphs, explain what the reader must know about the organization/school setting to enrich their understanding of the intervention/innovation. (e.g., details about the organization/school, staff, number and type of learners/employees, programs, ages, locale, and any other pertinent details regarding the specific content of the project).
• Literature Review (3 points): In two-to-three pages, summarize the literature related to the problem using 4-5 scholarly resources including a brief historical overview and that expands the introduction and presents the current research published about the problem.
• Area of Focus Statement (1 point): In one-to-two sentences, discuss the issues that were addressed, how they emerged, and the goal of your research.
• Research Questions (1 point): State one-to-three questions addressed by the research in list format.
• Intervention/Innovation Description (3 points): In one page, describe the intervention applied for your action research study including comments on the type of adjustments you may have had to make to the intervention.
• Data Collection Strategies (2 points): In one-to-two pages, describe the data obtained through the observations using charts, diagrams, or other visual depictions of your data to supplement the description.
• Outcome Analysis (2 points): In one-to-two pages, explain the conclusions of the data analysis addressing the specific strategies that were successful, which strategies did not work as well as was anticipated, and how the strategies support the research questions.
• Learning Themes (2 points): In one-to-two pages, reflect on the research themes, including the unintended/unexpected outcomes, what worked well, what worked less well, and any process you would conduct differently.
• Action Plan (3 points): In one-to-two pages, explain the anticipated steps that are necessary to continue with this change initiative and the leadership strategies needed to implement them action plan.
• Conclusion (2 points): In two-to-three paragraphs, summarize the major outcome and analysis of the project including the gaps that were uncovered providing insight into the relationship between the topic of the literature review and your overall findings.

Written Communication Expectations

• Page Requirement (.5 points): 18-to-20 pages, not including title and references pages.
• APA Formatting (.5 points): Use APA formatting consistently throughout the assignment.
• Syntax and Mechanics (.5 points): Display meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling and grammar.
• Source Requirement (.5 points): References five scholarly sources in addition to the course textbook, providing compelling evidence to support ideas. All sources on the references page need to be used and cited correctly within the body of the assignment.

Required Resources

1. Read from your text, The change leader in education: Roles and strategies in the differentiated environment:
   
2. Mills, G. E. (2014). Action research: A guide for the teacher researcher (5th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.