How Might Educational Leaders Use Blogs?

Blogging is used for the purpose of sharing our ideas, and opinions.  It allows individuals to communicate with others in order to offer their own personal insights.  Within the educational "environment", teachers are able to work collaboratively on an issue, or express ideas about professional development, explore concepts for improving teaching methods, perhaps ways to motivate students, etc..
An example of incorporating blogging in our classroom that was mentioned in our textbook was to allow our students to "blog" instead of the "traditional" journal writing with paper and pen.  I allow time in my classroom schedule for my students to do journal writing each morning (after providing them with a prompt).  I am not sure that my third graders would be good candidates for a blogging assignment, but I am looking forward to trying it once school resumes in the Fall.  I think this is a great, fun, creative way to introduce more technology into our classrooms and to our lessons.

What is Action Research and How Can Action Research Be Implemented?

After reading over the pages in Leading with Passion and Knowledge, The Principal as Action Researcher, by Nancy Fichtman Dana, for the week one assignment,  I have a different perspective of the term "research".  Action Research, as defined by Dana, usually refers to research intended to bring about change of some kind.  In other words, Action Research involves identifying a problem, gather information (research) from a number of sources, (re)analyze the problem while connecting the information gained in hopes of establishing a means of solving the problem, and make necessary changes to avoid a recurrence or continuation of the problem.
Teachers and Administrators can use Action Research within the school system to work together in solving issues that may interfere with the instruction of our students.  For example, if one particular group of students continuously scores low on the Math portion of the state school assessments, they may research to better understand the problem.  They can identify why this occurs (through research), implement methods of resolutions used by other schools and work to improve or even eliminate the problem. Action research can be used to help students, teachers and administrators achieve!

Introduction

Hello, my name is Michelle Ottis.  I currently teach third grade and also coach junior high girls' volleyball and basketball.  I am a single mom with one daughter, Emily, who just turned 18 and will be in her senior year of high school in the Fall.  I am currently working toward my degree in Educational Leadership.  This is the first time I have experienced "blogging" and am a little hesitant about the concept.  I am also a bit nervous about this Action Research course.  The term "research" in relation to any of my courses frightens me!