ENGLISH 7_Q4_LESSON 2_ Employing a Variety of Strategies for Effective Interp...
Improving Instruction through Data-Driven Methods
1. After review my action research plan and reviewing “Examining what we do to improve our
schools: 8 steps from analysis to action,” I made modification and added steps to my action
research plan. My revised draft of my action research plan covers all eight steps listed in the
book “Examining what we do to improve our schools: 8 steps from analysis to action.” However,
I found that my steps do not correspond in the same order as they are listed in the book. The
steps in the book are a guide or template to conducting action research. I believe that all action
research is unique and following a template exactly as it is written is not wise and is not in the
best interest of the research we are conducting for our unique campus and our unique
circumstances. Therefore, I modified the order of the step in the book and incorporated them
within the additional steps I added to my action research plan to meet our needs.
Mission:
Our mission on our campus is to exemplify student academics and student conduct In an effort
to achieve this mission we are always searching for ways to improve the educational process on
our campus. On area that we feel we may need improvement is disaggregating data and using
disaggregated data to drive instruction. Therefore we have developed the following action
research plan disaggregating data to drive instruction.
Action Research Plan
Goal:
The goal of the action research plan listed below is to improve the quality of instruction. We
believe that through assisting or faculty to effectively disaggregate data and use that data to
drive classroom instruction, we will increase our student academic success.
The Plan:
The first step in our action research is to conduct a need assessment and to evaluate the data
presented to determine if there is truly a need to conduct this action research project. Our
second step is to develop a true understanding for the need of improvement. Although the data
has proved we have a need for improve in this area, we need to understand why our faculty is
not proficient in this area; do they truly lack the knowledge and skill or are they choosing not
utilize it. Understanding why we need to conduct this project will be helpful in developing an
action plan to fix the need we have identified. Our third step is to reflect on what we have
learned about this project, what our plan are for this project, and determine if we will be able to
successful complete this project. We want to reflect early in this process before getting deep
into the project and discover we lack what it take to complete this project. If we lack any
knowledge, skill, or resources that we can foresee, we want to work to rectify those problems
before moving on. Reflection on this action research is a process that we will conduct
throughout the project.
In steps four and five we will be gathering data from principals and teachers in our district as
well as academic data from libraries, articles, journals, book, and more on the methods and
strategies that are being used to disaggregate data and how to use disaggregated data to drive
instruction. Next in step six, we will analyze all the data we collected in steps four and five and
develop a list of methods and strategies for disaggregating data that we believe is best for our
campus based on the understanding of the needs assessment we obtain in step 2 of the action
plan. In step seven we will develop a plan of how to implement the methods and strategies we
2. determined in step six that meet our campus needs. The implementation plan is another action
plan within itself; it will contain the sample population we will use, how to train faculty, how we
will put the methods and strategies into action, as well as how to monitor the implementation
and make necessary adjustment. Finally steps eight, nine, and ten are implementing the plan
(taking action), monitoring the progress of the plan, and conducting the final evaluation of the
project respectively. In the finally evaluation process, we will determine if the project is
successful, make necessary adjustment, and start the process over again to expand the
research to a large population until new method and strategies have been implemented
throughout the entire campus.
Disaggregating Data to Drive Instruction
Goal: To improve the quality of instruction by using disaggregated data to drive
instruction and student achievement.
Action Step(s) Person(s) Timeline Needed Resources Evaluation
Responsible Start/End
1. Conduct a Project 8/2/10 1. Observation from This action
Need Leader Through walkthroughs and step will be
Assessment (Myself), and Professional evaluated
(Using data Associate 8/6/10 Learning Community based on a
collected from Principle (My meeting, etc. report that will
observations Site 2. Academic be developed
from Supervisor) Excellence Indicator by the persons
walkthroughs System Report identified in the
and responsible
Professional section; the
Learning report will
Community identify the
meeting, I will need for this
determine if action
there is a need research
for this based on data.
project).
2. Understand Project 8/9/10 1. Observation from This action
the Need For Leader Through walkthroughs and step will be
Improvement (Myself) and Professional evaluated
(We will Associate 8/11/10 Learning Community based on a
interview Principle (My meeting, etc. report that
individuals and Site 2. Faculty and Staff identifies why
use focus Supervisor) data is not
groups to disaggregated
understand by teacher or
why faculty used to drive
does instruction.
disaggregate This report will
data and use it help when
to drive selecting
3. instruction. method and
strategies in
step 4.
3. Action Project 8/11/10 1. Action Research In this action
Research Leader Through Plan step we will
Project (Myself) 2. Needs generate a
Reflection (We Associate and 8/13/10 check list and
Assessment
will reflect on Principle (My use it to
the project and Site evaluate this
determine if we Supervisor) step in the
have the action
resource, research plan.
knowledge and
skill to conduct
the project; if
not, can we
obtain them.
Determine it
the project
realistic).
4. Collect data Project 8/16/10 1. Computer and This action
on current Leader Through Internet Access. step will be
practice of (Myself) 2. Communication evaluated
disaggregating 9/10/10 based on the
Software (email,
data and using blogs, etc). product of the
data to drive data collected
instruction on 3. Software Tools from the
our campus (Access, Excel, surveys and
and in our Word, PowerPoint, interviews
district. etc.). which is a list
4. Survey Software methods /
(Survey Monkey) strategies of
how faculty
5. Teachers and and staff on
Instructional / TAKS our campus
Specialist. and in our
district
disaggregate
data and use it
to drive
classroom
instruction.
5. Conduct Project 8/16/10 1. Computer and This action
academic Leader Through Internet Access step will be
research on (Myself) 9/10/10 2. Software Tools evaluated
methods / (Access, Excel, based on the
strategies of Word, PowerPoint, product from
disaggregating the data
4. data and using etc.) collected from
data to driving 3. Search Engines research which
instruction. is a list of
4. Research methods /
Resources strategies for
(Academic Libraries, disaggregating
Electronic Articles data and using
/Journals, Books). it to drive
classroom
instruction.
6. Analyze the Project 9/13/10 1. List of academic This action
practical and Leader Through and practical step will be
academic data (Myself), methods / strategies evaluated
collected on Instructional / 10/1/10 compiled from the based on the
disaggregating TAKS research. product from
data and using Specialist, 2. District data the data
data to drive Teachers, software and data analysis which
instruction. Associate (Eduphoria, TAKS is devising
Principal (My data, District methods /
Site Common strategies that
Supervisor) Assessment Data, best work for
Benchmarks, etc.). the faculty on
our campus for
3. Software Tools disaggregating
(Access, Excel, data and using
Word, PowerPoint, it to drive
etc.). classroom
instruction.
7. Develop an Project 10/4/10 1. Finding This action
implementation Leader Through (methods / step will be
plan to employ (Myself), strategies devised evaluated
the findings of Instructional / 10/22/10 for disaggregating based on its
the action TAKS data and driving product which
research (In Specialist, instruction) from is a detailed
this step we Teachers, data analysis. plan for
will determine Associate 2. Software Tools implementing
our direction). Principal (My (Access, Excel, the findings of
Site Word, PowerPoint, the action
Supervisor) etc.) research
project.
8. Implement Project 11/1/10 1. Implementation This action
the action Leader Through Plan step will be
research (In (Myself), 2. 7th Grade Math evaluated by
this step, we Instructional / 4/29/11 accessing the
Department
will take TAKS instructional
action). Specialist, 3. Instructional calendars and
Teachers, Calendars and lesson plan
5. Associate Lesson Plans created by the
Principal (My 7th Grade Math
Site Depart., and
Supervisor) determining if
they are
fulfilling the
action items in
the
implementation
plan.
9. Monitor Project 11/1/10 1. Implementation This action
progress of Leader Through Plan step will be
action (Myself), 2. District Common evaluated
research plan. Instructional / 4/29/11 based on
Assessment (DCA)
TAKS and Benchmarks student
Specialist, process on
Teachers, 3. Progress Monitor assessments
Associate Reports and student
Principal (My progress
Site monitor reports
Supervisor) create by
faculty on the
sample of
students.
10. Evaluation Project 5/2/11 1. District Common This action
of action Leader Through Assessment (DCA) step will be
research plan (Myself), and Benchmarks evaluated
(In this step, Instructional / 5/27/11 based on
2. Academic
we will make in TAKS Excellence Indicator student
effort to Specialist, System Report. progress on
sustain Teachers, DCA and
improvement. Associate TAKS results
We will assess Principal (My and the final
the strength Site write up or
and weakness Supervisor) executive
of the action summary.
research,
determine if we
should
continue the
process, make
necessary
adjustments
and restart the
process by
broadening the
action into
other