Action research and its uses!

Today I started working on my second class from Lamar University. I began by reading Leading with Passion and Knowledge by Nancy Dana. The work was eye opening and insightful. It discussed three different educational research traditions. I learned that Practitioner Inquiry is the new educational research tradition that allows for better results and growth. It is a very helpful educational research option that all principals and future principals should learn about. It allows for continuing professional growth and positive changes to occur without the need to consult an outsider who does not have first hand experience with your campus, problems, or staff. As the principal you do the research and collect data of whatever problem you may be inquiring about. Practitioner inquiry or action research allows for three benefits. The first benefit is that actual theories and knowledge are generated from research grounded in the realities of educational practice.  An outsider is not called into your campus to evaluate the problems. The second benefit is that the practitioner becomes a collaborators in the research process by investigating  the problem at hand. The third benefit is that the practitioners play a part in the research process making it more likely to facilitate change with the knowledge they gain from the research they collect. No outsider is called in and no one feels like they have failed. Problems or inquires are based on the everyday campus procedures and problems that may arise. Then the administrator reviews these procedures and may or may not find an area that may need to be reassessed or looked at to make it better.