Action Research

I believe action research is going to be a very valuable tool that I utilize more often than I currently realize.  I am already seeing the value in the steps.  The first step allows you to follow your gut instinct and start wondering about how certain issues can be resolved and remedied to reach a better outcome.  For many people, this is where the wondering stops.  They are not sure what to do after this or hope the issue will work itself out.  Action research allows you to take easy, specific steps to keep moving along your path.  Once the question(s) are posed, you can start gathering data specific to your situation and begin analyzing.  This process alone can open other doors and provide different thought processes that you might not have considered if you had not started trying to solve a particular problem.  The analyzing process also allows you to start researching other people's thoughts and actions to see if they have encountered similar situations and how they handled it.  Once you have gathered data with substance, you can then formulate an action plan to set in motion.  This action plan is based on research data and information specific to your school so you know you are basing your next steps on relevant information.  Too many times people take a shot in the dark hoping this will resolve the issue.  Action research takes the guessing game out of it to a large degree.  Finally, there is an evaluation or sharing of how the actions taken worked.  There is no guarantee that the first time through this process will resolve the issue.  However, what I believe to be a key step is sharing with others what worked, what didn't work, and then you have the option of going through this again with modified plans!   
I see myself using action research to tackle problems such as school moral, parental involvement, the amount of testing in school, and discipline issues to name a few.  I understand time is going to be my enemy but I also know I can save myself time with tackling problems the right way the first time!  I believe in many instances that buy in is going to be important and action research will provide the opportunity for buy in when working with your leadership team and PLCs.