What I have learned about action research.

 I have learned a lot about action research this week.  When I signed up for this course I thought it was just a course about traditional research.  I thought the word action was just thrown in to make it seem more interesting.  Now I know that action research is a very different concept.  It does have some elements of traditional research especially in the literature review phase, but the focus of action research is on problem solving in a specific situation.  It allows for changes as data is analyzed.  It seems to be a very effective way to solve problems in a school.  As I read the texts for this class it brought to mind something my principal often says "we aren't going to do something just because that is the way it has always been done.  We will evaluate everything we do and make sure that it is furthering our vision of educating all our students."  I think this is one of the most powerful aspects of action research.  It actively engages the educator as a problem solver and not just a technician implementing an assigned solution.  I have thought of many ways that I can use action research in my classroom.  I am thinking about doing my action research project on implementing a bring your own device program in my classroom.