AR Project Summary Report

My action research project, Implementation of technology to increase teacher/parent communication, is taking off to a great start and is helping me out enormously this early into the school year. I have had to contact a few parents of students who are struggling to keep up and turn in homework. My action research project has made this job a great deal easier and more convenient than calling the parents and setting up conferences to meet with each parent. Once the school year gets going more I will be able to determine which uses of technology is working with the parents and which form isn’t really working out. So far I have determined that Facebook is vital and it seems almost each student’s parents do have Facebook and use it on a regular basis. However, I am finding out that twitter isn’t a common use of technology for the parents and it seems to not have much effect on my action research project itself. My principal was able to inform me of another new form of technology called “remind101” which is a program that will send out a text message to all my parents letting them get any message I want them to receive quick and easily via SMS. This has been a huge help because I am able to inform parents of homework I assign each night very fast and hassle free. I have realized with implementing new technology and tools to increase communication I just have to run it as a trial and error system and see what parents tend to like and use versus what they don’t use. Instead I’m able to maintain fluent communication on a daily basis and keep all parties informed.

GOAL:  To discover if integrating technology to better communicate with my student’s parents can effectively increase their grades and knowledge of the core content.   ACTION STEP(S) ACTIVITIES RESOURCES/ RESEARCH TOOLS NEEDED RESPONSIBILITY TO ADDRESS ACTIVITIES TIME LINE Benchmarks/ ASSESSMENT 1. Setting Foundation: Determine if implementing technology to better teacher/parent communication will improve students grades. Meet with Site Mentor and Instructional Technologist to determine if action research fits school and district goals   Proposal of ideas Self Site Mentor Instructional Technologist   August 19- August 24 Approval of Plan 2.  Analyzing Data: Determine best methods to reach out to parents to encourage and maintain more frequent communication Research various models for flipped instruction used in other content areas or in other schools   Access to Student’s Family information and data from Parents conferences.   Self Actively Involved Parents First week of school: August 26-August 30 Compilation of articles, podcasts, blogs as reference Record reflection of parent information forums and observation   3. Developing Deeper Understanding Test a few technology sources to get a feel for parental involvement   Conduct a preliminary test of different methods to determine which one has the most used source of communication Facebook Twitter Blogspot Email Phone Messaging System Self Actively Involved Parents August 26th - September 20th Written reflection on patterns and trends observed in the data Share reflection with site mentor   4. Exploring Patterns: Determine factors that prevent some parents from becoming involved Use alternative methods to contact parents who are not involved and politely try to figure out why Interview with parents Self Not actively involved parents September 23rd - October 18th List of observations made between data 5. Self-Reflection Attend training workshop on teacher/parent communication   Attend workshop Houston Workshop Self October 19th 2013 Attend workshop Reflection Journal 6. Take Action Find out how to get those reluctant parents more involved into their kid’s education.   Try to accommodate reluctant parent’s involvement from previous interviews and increase communication Interviews with parents that are not involved.   Self Not actively involved parents October 21st – November 1st Written reflection on what did not work and what does work for parents not previously involved 7. Determining Direction: Figure out which method worked best and what technology to base communication through   Correspond with parents on which technology source will be primary version Software to communicate with parents Computer Microphone Web Camera   Self All students parents Week of November 4th Creation or selection of technology source for communication 8. Sustaining Improvement Continuously evaluate communication and keep an open relationship for change and improvement.   Always be willing to adapt and adjust to change and/or new technology for bettering communication Parent/teacher communication data from semester 1 Self August 26th- December 23rd Data charts and parent surveys used to create a pattern list Decision made to continue model for remainder of the year outside of the action research.   9. Report Findings Write results from action research Share results with school administration and staff.   Gathered data Power Point presentation of action research plan Self Week of February 3rd  Completed preliminary action research paper Share paper with site mentor and discuss findings Reflections and

Week 2 Reflection

I learned a few important facts this week regarding my action research project. It was nice to sit down with my principal and go over it thoroughly. I think the project itself will be very interesting and give me a great deal of success connecting with my students parents. I am really looking forward to the school year starting and getting my project rolling.

Action Research

Action Research, commonly known as Administration Inquiry, occurs when Educational Leaders and teachers are allowed to implement school improvement strategies and modalities based upon self reflection and pro-action, not relying on qualitative and research oriented methods. Educational leaders and teachers were expected to remain in a passive role, to just receive and implement the suggested research; and not be problem posers or problem solvers (Dana, 2009, p 4). I have learned that almost any problem within a school district can be addressed through action research. It is a good way to let everyone’s voice be heard through this process. Action research is a way to find a solution for a problem using an “inside” source rather then implementing outside figures to come into an issue and address the problem. This in itself can make a staff feel like their opinion matters and their voice is being heard when a problem does arise. I mean think about it, who is going to know more about a problem someone who deals with it and has experience on a daily basis or someone that doesn’t have any kind of direct relationship with the concern? Another aspect of research which does not allow educators any real reflection is the concept of qualitative or interpretive work, university research designed to assist educators in school improvement initiatives. Therefore, action research has enabled educational leaders and teachers to engage in reflective action in the development and design of the educational process.

Educational leaders might use a blog to create an active and ongoing communication between themselves and their staff. It is an easy way for everyone to log on and check a daily message or ongoing news for any upcoming events. It is simple for educational leaders to adjust and add new material to these blogs where they can get messages across instantly to a mass number of people. A leader can also use a blog to pass along websites and resources that might be useful to better their staff’s educational process. These links would be a lot easier to follow through a blog rather than word of mouth in a meeting or personal conversation.