Action Research for School Leaders

by Spaulding, Dean T.; Falco, John

• ISBN13: 9780131381049
• ISBN10: 0131381040
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-12-27
• Publisher: Pearson

Summary

In this authoritative, action-oriented guide, current and future school leaders, building administrators, and action research team members get the research skills they need to improve schools by increasing student achievement. With its focus on building-level action research, Action Research for School Leadersprovides readers with technical background and skills for reading and critiquing educational research, methods for applying current research and research methods, and a framework for conducting their own building-level action research for ongoing building improvement.

Author Biography

Dean T. Spaulding, Ph.D. is an associate professor in educational psychology at The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York. He teaches educational research methods and program evaluation. He is one of the authors of Methods in Educational Research: From Theory to Practice (2010) and the author of Program Evaluation in Practice: Core Concepts and Examples for Discussion and Analysis (2008). He has conducted program evaluation for the National Science Foundation (NSF), U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Labor, New York City Department of Education, and New York State Department of Education, to name a few.

 

Dr. Spaulding’s evaluation work includes instructional coaches and teacher professional development, E2T2 Technology Integration programs, online professional development (OPD), elementary school counseling programs, Teacher Leadership Quality Partnerships programs, reading and literacy programs, Math Science Partnerships (MSP), STEM, nanotechnology, changing teacher practices through action research, and Model Transitional Programs (MTP) for Students with Special Needs. For the past 15 years he has worked extensively with school-leaders-in-training in the greater New York City area. He continues to work with school data teams and school leaders to improve student performance. Dr. Spaulding also serves as a lead consultant with Z Score Inc. and can be contacted at [e-mail].

 

 

John Falco, Ed.D. currently serves as Director/Faculty of The Institute for New Era Educational Leadership and Innovation at The College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York. In addition to offering course work for New York State School Building Leader certification, The Institute provides professional development opportunities to educators throughout upstate New York.

 

Dr. Falco has served as Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent in upstate New York, as well as Deputy Superintendent, Principal, and teacher in New York City.

 

During his career, Dr. Falco has led collaborations that secured over $40 million in federal and state grants. He has served as a principal investigator for a U.S. Department of Education Technology Innovation Challenge Grant and co-principal investigator for a National Science Foundation grant. He has partnered with C-Span and Time Warner on cable-in-the-classroom pilot projects.

 

Dr. Falco serves as co-editor of K-12 Video-conferencing: Best Practices and Trends (2007). He has contributed chapters to edited books and authored and co-authored research papers and articles in the area of technology. He has presented at conferences including the National Summit for Technology, Washington, D.C.; New York State Council of School Superintendents’ conferences; New York State School Boards conferences; and New York State Reading Association conferences. Dr. Falco’s work has been featured in District Administrator and Education Week, as well as PBS television and Tech Valley Report .

 

Dr. Falco has won several awards, including being honored by the New York State Computer and Technology Educators as Outstanding Superintendent for 2000–2001. In addition, he was honored as Outstanding Superintendent on the floor of the New York State Assembly and by resolution in the New York State Senate. Dr. Falco received the Malinda Myers Education Partnerships Award from the Schenectady NAACP in 2004. The New York City Council recognized Dr. Falco as Outstanding Citizen in 1992 and on January 6, 2006 was named in his honor by proclamation of the Mayor of Schenectady.

 

Dr. Falco received his B.A. from City College of New York; and M.S. from Long Island University; an M.Ed. from Teachers’ College, Columbia University; and his Ed.D. from Seton Hall University.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

THE ROLE OF SCHOOL LEADERS IN SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT—PAST,

PRESENT, AND FUTURE

            Past to Present

Leadership Matters

Bootstrap Data: Information That Helps

Summary  • Key Concepts  • Discussion/Reflection

Questions  • Activities

 

Chapter 2

USING RESEARCH TO SOLVE THE PUZZLE OF SCHOOL

IMPROVEMENT

School Administrators’ Use of Research

Types of Research Administrators Encounter

Applied Research Versus Vendor-Based Research

Summary  • Key Concepts  • Discussion/Reflection

Questions  • Activities

 

Chapter 3

ACTION RESEARCH AND THE INQUIRY PROCESS

What Is Level 1: Classroom-Level Action Research?

Action Research, Naturally

Steps in Level 1: Classroom-Level Action Research

Summary  • Key Concepts  • Discussion/Reflection

Questions  • Activities

 

Chapter 4

SCHOOL-LEVEL ACTION RESEARCH

Steps in Conducting Level 2 School-Level Action Research

Identifying the School-Level Issue

Developing an Action Research Team

Types of Action Research Teams

Summary  • Key Concepts  • Discussion/Reflection

Questions  • Activities

 

Chapter 5

ANALYZING DATA AS AN ACTION RESEARCH TEAM

How to Analyze Data as an Action Research Team

Three Main Data Points for Needs Assessment: An Overview

Analysis Techniques

Summary  • Key Concepts  • Discussion/Reflection

Questions  • Activities

 

Chapter 6

EXAMINING PAST RESEARCH, AND REVIEWING

AND CRITIQUING CAUSE–EFFECT EXPERIMENTAL

RESEARCH

Examining Past Research and Literature

Databases

Selecting from the Review of Literature

Full Text and HTML

The Action Research Team and the Review of Literature

Analyzing the Review of Literature

Creating a Literature Matrix

How to Critique Cause–Effect Research

Experimental Research

How Should Action Research Teams Critique Experimental

Research?

Causal–Comparative Research

Summary  • Key Concepts  • Discussion/Reflection

Question  • Activities

 

Chapter 7

CRITIQUING AND APPLYING CORRELATIONAL AND

SURVEY RESEARCH

Correlational Research

Caution About Drawing Causality

The Correlational Coefficient

Types of Correlational Research

Statistical Significance

Using Correlational Research

Critiquing Correlational Research

Survey Research

How to Critique Survey Research

Survey Design and Development

Adapting and Adopting Instruments from Survey Studies

Summary  • Key Concepts  • Discussion/Reflection

Question  • Activity

 

Chapter 8

CRITIQUING AND APPLYING QUALITATIVE

RESEARCH

Qualitative Research

Methods Used for Qualitative Research

Access to Subjects and Settings

Examples of Qualitative Research

Types of Qualitative Research

Using Qualitative Research

Summary • Key Concepts • Discussion/Reflection

Question • Activity

 

Chapter 9

GATHERING DATA FROM STAFF AND OTHER

STAKEHOLDERS

Gathering Feedback with the Survey

Why Feedback Is Needed

Methods for Gathering Feedback

The Survey and the School Administrator

Effects of a Poorly Constructed Staff Survey

Basic Components of a Survey

Tips for Writing Quality Items

Administering and Collecting the Survey

Methods for Administering Surveys

Summary • Key Concepts • Discussion/Reflection

Questions • Activity

 

Chapter 10

STEP 2: DEVELOPING A PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL

IMPROVEMENT

Developing Quality Programs and Initiatives

Aligning Need to Program Activities

Introduction of the Logic Models

Why Use a Logic Model?

Logic Model: Basic Building Blocks

Showing Change with a Logic Model

Using Logic Models

Using the Logic Model with Your Action Research Team

Summary • Key Concepts • Discussion/Reflection

Questions • Activity

 

Chapter 11

STEP 4: IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM OR

INTERVENTION WITH FIDELITY

What Is Fidelity in Action Research?

Developing a Fidelity Checklist

and Observational Protocol

Evaluating Professional Development

Evaluating the Fidelity of Professional Development

Summary • Key Concepts • Discussion/Reflection

Questions • Activity

 

Chapter 12

STEP 5: GATHERING AND ANALYZING DATA

Gathering and Analyzing Standardized Data

Three Levels of Assessment Data

Different Types of Standardized Measures

How to Critique Standardized Measures

Confusing Reliability and Validity

Applying Different Types of Standardized Measures to

Your Logic Model

Summary • Key Concepts • Discussion/Reflection

Question • Activity

 

Chapter 13

STEP 6: REFLECTING AND MAKING MODIFICATIONS TO

THE PLAN

Reflecting on the Logic Model to Determine Success

Reflecting on Activities

Reflecting on Outputs

Reflecting on Intermediate Outcomes

Reflecting on End Outcomes

The Action Research Team and Making Modifications

Summary • Key Concepts • Discussion/Reflection

Questions • Activities

 

Chapter 14

CASE STUDY 1: ADDRESSING HIGH TEACHER TURNOVER

AND LOW STUDENT PERFORMANCE

Background and Personal Characteristics of a

School Leader

Step 1: Forming the Action Research Team

Step 2: Conducting the Data Analysis

Step 3: Conduct a Review of the Literature

Your Turn

Step 4: Collection of Additional Data from Stakeholders

Your Turn, Again

 

Chapter 15

CASE STUDY 2: DECREASING THE PERFORMANCE GAP

BETWEEN GENERAL EDUCATION AND SPECIAL

EDUCATION POPULATIONS

Background and Personal Characteristics of a School Leader

Level of Preparedness

Step 1: Forming the Action Research Team

Step 2: Conducting the Data Analysis

Your Turn

 

Chapter 16

CASE STUDY 3: ADDRESSING BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS

AND LOW STUDENT PERFORMANCE

Background and Personal Characteristics of a School Leader

Level of Preparedness

Step 1: Establishing an Action Research Team

Step 2: Analyzing the School

Your Turn . . .

 

Chapter 17

CASE STUDY 4: IMPROVING LOW ELA SCORES AT THE

ELEMENTARY LEVEL

School Leader

School District

Level of Preparedness

Step 1: Establishing the Action Research Team

Step 2: Analyzing School Data

Your Turn . . .