Blogging for Administrators

Blogging is an important Web 2.0 tool that administrators should utilize. An easy way to integrate the use of blogs is to publish posts of events going on at the campus to keep parents, staff and students up to date with the latest and greatest of the school. Administrators can also use blogs with the staff to share their thoughts on articles they have read, or professional development attended that relate to the climate of the school (the population or the academics). Teachers can then respond to the posts and share personal experience with the topic. This is an easy way to achieve personalized professional development for your campus and model continual learning for your staff and students.

The Importance of Action Research

Action research is "the process of engaging in systematic, intentional study of one's own practices and taking action for change based on what is learned as a result of the inquiry." (Dana, 2009). More simply stated, it is an important tool used by many who wish to reflect upon the work they are doing and see how effective it is for population being served by it. As a teacher, I currently use this process when reviewing units of study I have developed or activities planned for my students. Reflecting on what has worked and what hasn't helps me grow as a teacher so that I can be more effective for the students I serve. For example, if I have a group of students who struggled a great deal with a creative writing activity, I may reflect upon what I did through the activity and research other ways of presenting this type of activity to determine if I can change, or improve, my teaching to better meet my students needs. Maybe more time is needed in organizing thoughts, or perhaps a better way to present voice so that the students understand they already have it and can be confident in putting it in their writing. The process of researching and reflecting is continuous as I strive to become a better practitioner of the craft of teaching.
Since beginning my study of technology in education, I am constantly seeing the need for research so that I can better understand the tools we have available to use and present them to my students and fellow educators. Over the past few years, our campus has received grants and other funding to improve the technology available to the staff and students. We have piloted a couple of programs at our campus for things like "clickers" and it is very necessary for the teachers to "buy in" before they will commit to trying programs like this. This upcoming year, I will be assisting the campus as a Technology Integration Coach where I will have more of an opportunity to participate in action research via district meetings and professional learning groups to make the use of technology more natural for the teachers at my campus.

Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.