Week 4 Assignment, Part 3
Draft Action Research Project Report
Draft Action Research Project Report
How are you implementing the vision (ELCC 1.3)
The table below describes in detail how my action research project is being implemented. This description notes who, what, when, where, and how, and emphasis results. Timelines and deadlines of benchmarks to be accomplished are included. Faculty and community involvement is also noted.
Goal: To determine the impact of fine arts students on school performance.
Person(s) Timeline Needed
Action Steps Responsible Start/End Resources Evaluation
1. Discuss Action Research topics with site supervisor | Mark Chambers Diana Schumacher | 02/28/2011 – 03/04/2011 | School Data Intern Plan | Establish an Action Research question |
2. Gather and organize data concerning discipline referrals, school attendance, TAKS scores, SAT/ACT scores. | Mark Chambers NEISD Research and Information Technologies Mike Lara (Executive Director, Research and Information Technologies | 3/28/2011 – 01/22/2012 | School Data Go Arts – advocacy research group TEA | Evaluate data to look at statistics in relation to fine arts and non fine arts students |
3. Gather and organize data concerning class rankings, and college scholarships | Mark Chambers School Counselors at NEISD seven comprehensive high schools | 3/28/2011 – 01/22/2012 | Counselor data at NEISD seven comprehensive high schools | Evaluate data to look at statistics in relation to fine arts and non fine arts students |
4. Meet with NEISD fine arts teachers to explain Action Research to establish procedures for class evaluations | Mark Chambers NEISD Fine Arts Teachers | 8/22/2011 | EDLD 5301 Materials Power Point on Inquiry/Action Research | Survey teachers to see if they are willing assist in research by allowing class observations and taking a survey |
5. Meet with community leaders to explain Action Research to establish procedures their evaluations | Mark Chambers North Central San Antonio community leaders | 11/21/2011 | EDLD 5301 Materials Power Point on Inquiry/Action Research | Select Community leaders to participate in survery and seek their input into the process and collaboration |
6. Meet with principals of all 7 high schools to seek permission to administer surveys to their teachers and fine arts students | Mark Chambers HS Principals (Bill Boyd, Jeff Vaughan, Pete Martinez, Rick Canales, Michael Cardona, Chris Thompson, | 11/21/2011 | Principals Meeting CLC room 2.11 Brochure outlining Action Research inquiry, process and plan for sharing information | Determine if principals will assist with research by participating in a survey and allowing an electronic survey to be distributed to their faculty |
7. Determine my own thoughts and assessments by reflecting on past experiences | Mark Chambers | December 2011 | Personal journal entries Videos | Evaluate objectivity in regards to my conducting this topic |
8. Develop a survey that assesses feelings and perceptions of administrators, teachers, community leaders and students concerning fine arts student’s impact on school performance | Mark Chambers Diana Schumacher Joseph Johnson | December 2011 | Survey Monkey Previous surveys concerning similar topics | |
9. Review current literature and statistics regarding Action Research topic as well as NEISD data from previous years | Mark Chambers TMEA Joseph Johnson (NEISD) Mike Lara (NEISD) | Fall 2011 | TMEA (Texas Music Educators Association) resource dept. Go Arts.org (Arts advocacy organization School Data | Evaluate data from previous years to see if it is consistent with current data and how it correlates with data from previous literature |
10. Electronically distribute administrator, community leader and teacher survey | Mark Chambers | February 2012 | E-mail contacts for all participating in survey | Evaluate survey results |
11. Distribute student survey to each of the classes at the 7 high schools previous mentioned. Classes chosen for the survey will be the same sample at each high school. | Mark Chambers Teachers and students of the 7 selected schools and classes | February 2012 | Survey forms, collection envelope, pens | Evaluate survey results |
12. Disaggregate information | Mark Chambers Joseph Johnson (NEISD) Mike Lara (NEISD) | March 2012 | Completed surveys Computer spreadsheets and graph programs | Review and reflect on disaggregated information to determine if revisions to process are necessary |
13. Create document with conclusion and recommendations for future research | Mark Chambers Diana Schumacher (site supervisor) | April 2012 | All data Examples of other conclusion papers | Distribute paper with selected reviewers to provide feedback before results are distributed |
14. Present Conclusion to Principals, Executive staff, teachers, parents and students as well as colleagues in the arts community. Some presentations will be oral and others will be written or electronic | Mark Chambers NEISD stakeholders TMEA TMAC (Texas Music Administrators Conference) | End of 2011-2012 Academic year Late May 2012 | Power Point Brochure with main points Blogs E-mail blasts Website | Observe and evaluate reactions to information. Determine if perceptions change or remain the same |
15. Determine if follow-up research is needed or if more questions develop as a result of the action research project. | Mark Chambers Diana Schumacher Arts Leaders NEISD Stakeholders | June 1012 | New wonderings | Brainstorm Survey all stakeholders |
Steward the Vision (ELCC 1.4)
Communication of the vision was the key to building a shared commitment to this action research project. As the above table indicates, many strategies were implemented to build this commitment. These strategies include informal and formal meetings with stakeholders and participants; inclusion of all stakeholders in the project; solicitation of feedback and opinions of stakeholders; electronic communication that included e-mail, and blogs; monitoring and evaluation that included surveys and assessment of data; reflection and revision bases on results; and presentation of issues and current literature to all stakeholders. Multiple strategies were included in an effort to make sure that all stakeholders understood the need for the project as well as the vision and procedures for implementation of the project.
Promote community involvement in the vision (ELCC 1.5)
Originally, the community outside of the school was involved in the sharing but not the implementation of the vision. As a result of this course and assignment, I have added community leaders to the process by including them on the survey and interviews. This change is reflected in the table above and revised on my action research blog. The revised project uses electronic technology (e-mail, bolgs) and oral and visual presentations as methods to communicate and collaborate with community leaders in the implementation of the vision of the action research project.
Manage resources (ELCC 3.3)
Fiscal resources were managed in an effective and efficient manner by using electronic methods of communication when possible as well as minimizing expensive resources when possible. Example include distributing surveys and collected data for review via the internet without making hard copies. Additionally, communication for feedback and review was also electronic. These procedures also proved to be more efficient. Human resources were managed effectively and efficiently by organizing implementation of the project in a way that minimized wasted time. In other words, personnel were engaged only when needed and were not engaged when the project did not pertain to them. Human resources were also managed in an equitable manner by making sure that all stakeholders were included in the vision and implementation of the project with equal access to input. Consensus building, problem solving, technology, planning; and conflict resolution strategies and skills were also utilized at times to manage human resources.
Mobilize community resources (ELCC 4.3)
Community resources were used to support the vision of the action research project by utilizing school district resources including research department programs and equipment as well as technology throughout the district. Additonally, district human resources as well as fine arts department resources were also used to support the vision. Community resources were utilized by accessing date through TEA, TMEA, local libraries and community leaders.
Promote positive school culture (ELCC 2.1)
This action research project will promote a positive school culture by providing needed insight and actual data to support the insight that will enable administration and teachers understand better the impact of fine arts education on the total education of the student in such a way that promotes school success and improvement. This understanding will allow for better, more accurate, data driven decisions by the administration when determining how to utilize resources in an efficient, equitable and effective manner that best enhances school improvement.
Provide an effective instructional program (ELCC 2.2)
I have not yet completed the project but processes are in place that conduct feedback surveys in order to compare with the intitial needs assessment. The process in place will also help to determine if the goal was achieved and if that goal helped improve the school culture and learning environment. The results of the project including date as well as conclusion and recommendations will be presented in a clear, concise format using tables etc.
Influencing the larger context (ELCC 6.3)
The results of the action research project will be disseminated to all stakeholders with a special emphasis to administrators on the campus and at central office as well as the school board. This group is the most influential in determining implementation of the proposals. The administration and school board also determines funding in regards to curriculum. The results will be disseminated electronically via e-mail and will include video and powerpoint presentations. I will also be presenting an oral presentation with visual back-up to the last Principal/Leadership meeting of the 2011-2012 school year.
Design a comprehensive professional growth plan (ELCC 2.4)
Using the data from the results as well as the recommendations provided at the conclusion of the project, professional growth strategies include designing one activity to be included on a teacher professional development day that reinforces the conclusion of the project, which hopefully is that fine arts education does indeed impact and increase student achievement and overall school success. The professional development activity will include some ideas for intergration of the arts into lesson plans as well as an interactive demonstration of the impact of the arts in math. This demonstration will be music/math specific and will demonstrate the correlation of fractions to meter divisions and note lengths. The same demonstration will be presented at a principal/leadership meeting in the 2012-2013 school year.
Key Words, Phrases or Terms describing Action Research Project:
Key words, terms and phrases describing this project are as follows:
· Arts Education Advocacy
· Learning and the Arts
· Education through the Arts
· The impact of Music on education
· Educating the whole child
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