How can Blogs be Valuable Tool?

I can see blogs being a revolutionary tool for educators.  Blogs have already changed the nature of how people receive or attain the news of today.  I can foresee the same type of impact on education.  The same way we will utilize our blogs to communicate our ideas concerning our action research projects, a principal can blog about the changes on his campus.  He can discuss the STARR test and it's implications, and discuss issues such as dress code, tardy policies, and cell phone use.  It can also be tool for him to communicate to his staff concerning his own action research.  I see a scenario where parents log on to a Principal's blog to find out information about events at the school instead of making phone calls to the secretary for that information.  We should always strive for new ways to communicate.  Here is another tool.  We should seize the day and make the most of it.

My Thoughts on Action Research

Action research can be a valuable tool for all educators.  It is basically how we all learn.  We inquire! As humans, we are naturally inquisitive.  I have told my students many times, when you follow the scientific method, you are following the natural learning process.  I believe that action research is much like that.  It is a process of  inquiry about an educational topic that leads to knowledge and benefits for the entire school.  In an action research project, you investigate in a systematic way, much like a scientist in a lab.  The administrator then takes action based on his findings.  Most of the time this leads to more questions that demand another action research project.  In this way the administrator becomes a lifelong learner, and the school reaps the benefits of the knowledge gained.

The principal also becomes a role model for his teachers.  I would hope that the department heads of the school would follow the Principal's lead, and pursue action research as a tool to become lifelong learners as well.  This would greatly enhance the achievement of the school, and promote ownership in the learning process.  The action research project also causes the administrator to slow down and take a look at what is really going on in the school.  With the daily grind being what it is, this inquiry helps the principal look into the working of and issues of his school.  He normally runs through his day putting out fires of one sort or another.  The action inquiry helps him find answers to questions that he might have otherwise put off until another time, or help him to develop new programs that would benefit the achievement of his school. 

I believe that I can use an action research plan to help improve the technology at our school.  I plan to compare the achievement of surrounding schools that have laptops in the classrooms for student use, with ours that does not.  We don't have any computers in our classroom available for student use.  My district has computer labs, that are shared by all classes in the school.  I also plan to use action research in the future to analyze curriculum plans that are being used at our school, the discipline since returning to the use of ISS, and the benefits of morning tutorials versus those after school.