Action Research Plan Revised

Action Research Planning

Response to Intervention and the Three Tier Model in Reading

Goal: To determine if the implementation of the three tier instructional model used as a prevention and intervention model for RTI in reading has an impact on the achievement of students not identified for intervention.

Action Steps	Person(s) Responsible	Timeline	Needed Resources	Evaluation Assessment of Activity
Discuss action research with school principal and CILT Team (Examining the Work)	Researcher	Early August, 2010	Article on RTI and information notes	Meeting notes and discussion items
Develop research and record keeping system or template to record action research. (Taking Action)	Researcher Principal Teachers	August, 2010	Example Action Research Documents Template Examples	Final template and record keeping system
Gather kindergarten data for all 1st grade students. (Analyzing Data) (Patterns)	Researcher	August, 2010	Data Sources: ITBS/Logramos TPRI/Tejas LEE Tier II Intervention Logs DRA/IDL Folders with reading levels.	Compilation of all data by homeroom class.
Identify Tier II and or Tier III students by homeroom class.	Researcher	August, 2010	Kindergarten Tier II Intervention Logs	List of tiered students by homeroom class.
Identify all students reading on or above grade level by class. (Analyzing Data)	Researcher	August, 2010	DRA/IDL Folders with rea ding levels TPRI/Tejas LEE ITBS/Logramos	List of all students by homeroom class.
Present the action research plan to the 1st grade teachers, including lists of students that will be considered in the research. (Deepen Understanding)	Researcher	September, 2010	PowerPoint introducing action research, reviewing RTI and outlining the plan. Lists of students identified as not needing intervention.	Sign-In Sheet
Survey Teachers on views and practices in Tier I reading instruction. (Deepen Understanding) (Patterns) (Direction)	Researcher and Teachers	September, 2010 January, 2011 May, 2011	Surveys	Survey Results
Gather reading lesson plans.	Researcher	September, 2010 – May, 2011	Lesson Plans	Files by teacher
Review lesson plans to determine what teaching practices are being used in Tier I instruction that will have an impact on all students. (Deepen Understanding) (Reflection) (Patterns) (Direction)	Research and Teachers	September, 2010 – May, 2011	Lesson Plans	Files by teacher Meeting minutes when lesson are planned and discussed Notes from analysis
Administer assessments to all 1st grade students.	Teachers	October, 2010	Assessments DRA/IDL Folders with rea ding levels TPRI/Tejas LEE	Assessments
Analyze test data to determine if students are progressing and if any students should change Tier group. (Analyzing Data) (Patterns) (Direction)	Research and Teachers	October, 2010	Assessment Results DRA/IDL Folders with rea ding levels TPRI/Tejas LEE List of all students by homeroom class	Assessment Results List of all students by homeroom class identified by tier
Compare assessments to end of the year kindergarten data to measure progress of students not in a tier II or tier III group. (Analyzing Data) (Patterns) (Direction)	Research and Teachers	October, 2010	Assessment Results DRA/IDL Folders with rea ding levels TPRI/Tejas LEE	Assessment Results List of all students by homeroom class identified by tier
Observe tier I instruction in all 1st grade classrooms monthly. (Deepen Understanding) (Patterns)	Researcher	September, 2010-May, 2011	Lesson Plans Observation Record	Comparison of lesson plan and observation record
Compare new assessments to previous 1st grade data to measure progress of students not in a tier II or tier III group. (Analyzing Data) (Patterns) (Direction)	Research and Teachers	February, 2011	Assessment Results/Data Sources DRA/IDL Folders with rea ding levels TPRI/Tejas LEE List of all students by homeroom class	Assessment Results List of all students by homeroom class identified by tier
Survey teachers to determine if the intervention model is driving tier I instruction. (Deepen Understanding) (Reflection) (Patterns)	Researcher	May, 2011	Surveys	Survey Results
Administer ITBS and Logramos reading tests to all 1st grade students.	Teachers	May, 2011	Assessments	Assessment Results
Compare ITBS and Logramos 1st grade scores to the students’ kindergarten scores to determine if the level of achievement was increased and by what degree. (Analyzing Data) (Reflection) (Patterns) (Direction)	Research and Teachers	July, 2011	Assessment Results from Kindergarten and 1st grade ITBS/Logramos	Results comparison charts with positive and negative growth identified
Prepare Power Point to explain the action research process and findings to entire faculty. (Sustaining Improvement)	Researcher Teachers	August, 2011	All data gathered Time for discussion	Power Point

Chart adapted from Tool 7.1 (Harris, Edmonson, & Combs, 2010)

Reflections on Week 2

The Dana text reading this week gave me a number of topics that I could consider for action research. I think referring to the passions in the reading will also be helpful in writing the inquiry question that I will answer with the research I will do. At this point in my course work, the action research I have chosen will be supported by work we have already done on our campus, however, I am already considering other topics for other times.

Administrators Using Blogs!

In her book, Leading with Passion and Knowledge, Nancy Dana recommends blogging as a way of collecting data and recording thinking to be reflected on and shared (Dana, 2009). I think this one excellent way to use a blog. This blog could then be shared and commented on not only by other administrators, but also by the school's leadership team. In addition, a blog could be used for sharing other information. Meeting agendas could be posted before meetings as a preview, then notes could be added as comments after the meeting. This type of blog could be used to keep all staff informed and also serve as reflective tool following the meeting. There are so many times when new ideas come up after a meeting that would add value to a discussion. A comment could be posted to the blog and a discussion could develop outside of the meeting possibly creating topics for the next agenda.

What I Know About Action Research

I was interested in the comparisons the Dana text provided on the different types of educational research. I must admit I was one who viewed research by the traditional definition and most of my experience with "research-based" practices has come from those traditional methods. I discovered that I am also somewhat familiar with action research although I had not heard the term as it has been defined. I am starting to understand not only the importance of action research for a campus because it is specific to the concerns or problems of a campus, but the process is also not overwhelming in the way I view traditional research.

On our campus, we have been thinking a lot about teaching and learning, questioning practices, and reflecting on our data. From the reading, I have learned that some of what we have been doing is a form of action research in that we are addressing concerns on our campus and studying and reflecting a data from many sources. I expect with this new learning, our action research will now be more systematic as it is defined in the reading(Dana, 2009). I am encouraged to know that we have some foundational knowledge of this method. In addition, the information on using action research to maintain focus on teaching and learning will be valuable for me as an administrator. Throughout my coursework, I continually get the "there is way too much to do as a principal" feeling. Developing action research plans and establishing a set time each week for this will help to maintain that focus.