Agreed Upon Action Research Plan

Action Planning Template
Goals: ·       To analyze how SMART Boards can be used to increase student motivation in a 6th grade math classroom. ·       To analyze how SMART Boards can be used to improve student learning in a 6th grade math classroom. Outcomes: ·       To improve my own teaching. ·       To improve student motivation and learning. ·       To share successful strategies with other teachers.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
I will read articles and teacher blogs about using SMART Boards in the classroom.	myself	April 2011-June 2011	Articles about SMART Boards, internet, SMART Board websites and blogs	I will identify strategies and activities that were successful in other classrooms and evaluate which ones I think might be successful with my students, teachers at my school, and the school resources.
Based on what I read, I will create SMART Board lessons and games and find resources in SMART Exchange and online to use in my classroom.	myself	June 2011-August 2011, I will also continue this activity throughout the research plan	Internet, SMART notebook, SMART Board websites and blogs	The lessons, games, and resources will be evaluated after I have used them in my classroom.
I will teach the 6th grade math TEKS using self –created SMART Board lessons and lessons from SMART Exchange.	Donnie Osborn, principal/ site mentor	August 2011-May 2012	SMART Board, SMART Notebook software, wireless internet, projector, computer, classroom of students	Observation/field notes, student participation grades, student work, classroom tests, benchmark tests, TAKS scores, teacher reflections,  student survey
I will review the 6th grade math TEKS using self-created SMART Board games and games from SMART Exchange.	Donnie Osborn, principal/ site mentor	August 2011-May 2012	SMART Board, SMART Notebook software, wireless internet, projector, computer, classroom of students	Observation/field notes, student participation grades, student work, classroom tests, benchmark tests, TAKS scores, teacher reflections,  student survey
I will use the SMART Board and SMART tools to teach and review the 6th grade math TEKS using internet resources such as online math dictionaries, online math games, and other math websites.	Donnie Osborn, principal/ site mentor	August 2011-May 2012	SMART Board, SMART Notebook software, wireless internet, projector, computer, classroom of students	Observation/field notes, student participation grades, student work, classroom tests, benchmark tests, TAKS scores, teacher reflections,  student survey
I will use observations, reflections, a student survey, and informal and formal assessments to make conclusions on how SMART Boards can be used to increase student motivation and improve student learning.	myself	May 2012	DMAC solutions (program to analyze student scores and data), Skyward (grade book program), student surveys, items that I have gathered throughout the year: student work, observations, reflections	Observation/field notes, student participation grades, student work, classroom tests, benchmark tests, TAKS scores, teacher reflections,  student survey
I will share my findings and conclusions as well as SMART Board websites and resources on the technology integration wiki that I am creating for my campus.	Donnie Osborn, principal/ site supervisor	May 2012-June 2012	Internet, campus wiki, SMART Board blogs and websites	Wiki comments, reflections, and observations from campus teachers who have implemented my findings and strategies or used the recommended SMART Board resources

This is my action research plan agreed upon by my site mentor/ campus principal.  Please leave any comments, advice, or suggestions.

Action Research Plan

Action Planning Template
Goals: ·       To analyze how SMART Boards can be used to increase student motivation in a 6th grade math classroom. ·       To analyze how SMART Boards can be used to improve student learning in a 6th grade math classroom. Outcomes: ·       To improve my own teaching. ·       To improve student motivation and learning. ·       To share successful strategies with other teachers.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
I will read articles and teacher blogs about using SMART Boards in the classroom.	myself	April 2011-June 2011	Articles about SMART Boards, internet, SMART Board websites and blogs	I will identify strategies and activities that were successful in other classrooms and evaluate which ones I think might be successful with my students, teachers at my school, and the school resources.
Based on what I read, I will create SMART Board lessons and games and find resources in SMART Exchange and online to use in my classroom.	myself	June 2011-August 2011, I will also continue this activity throughout the research plan	Internet, SMART notebook, SMART Board websites and blogs	The lessons, games, and resources will be evaluated after I have used them in my classroom.
I will teach the 6th grade math TEKS using self –created SMART Board lessons and lessons from SMART Exchange.	Donnie Osborn, principal/ site mentor	August 2011-May 2012	SMART Board, SMART Notebook software, wireless internet, projector, computer, classroom of students	Observation/field notes, student participation grades, student work, classroom tests, benchmark tests, TAKS scores, teacher reflections,  student survey
I will review the 6th grade math TEKS using self-created SMART Board games and games from SMART Exchange.	Donnie Osborn, principal/ site mentor	August 2011-May 2012	SMART Board, SMART Notebook software, wireless internet, projector, computer, classroom of students	Observation/field notes, student participation grades, student work, classroom tests, benchmark tests, TAKS scores, teacher reflections,  student survey
I will use the SMART Board and SMART tools to teach and review the 6th grade math TEKS using internet resources such as online math dictionaries, online math games, and other math websites.	Donnie Osborn, principal/ site mentor	August 2011-May 2012	SMART Board, SMART Notebook software, wireless internet, projector, computer, classroom of students	Observation/field notes, student participation grades, student work, classroom tests, benchmark tests, TAKS scores, teacher reflections,  student survey
I will use observations, reflections, a student survey, and informal and formal assessments to make conclusions on how SMART Boards can be used to increase student motivation and improve student learning.	myself	May 2012	DMAC solutions (program to analyze student scores and data), Skyward (grade book program), student surveys, items that I have gathered throughout the year: student work, observations, reflections	Observation/field notes, student participation grades, student work, classroom tests, benchmark tests, TAKS scores, teacher reflections,  student survey
I will share my findings and conclusions as well as SMART Board websites and resources on the technology integration wiki that I am creating for my campus.	Donnie Osborn, principal/ site supervisor	May 2012-June 2012	Internet, campus wiki, SMART Board blogs and websites	Wiki comments, reflections, and observations from campus teachers who have implemented my findings and strategies or used the recommended SMART Board resources

EDLD 5301 Week 2

I am beginning to see that action research can be used in any area of schools, including staff development, student learning, behavior issues, and everything in between.  The method and the degree of formality of action research will be different for different types of concerns.  With each course activity, I am seeing the differences between action research and traditional research.  Most professionals in education naturally engage in reflection and observation.  Performing action research allows this to be done systematically so concerns and problems can be addressed most successfully or even prevented.  I am excited to perform my action research on how SMART Boards can be used in the classroom to increase student motivation and maximize student learning.  In the video this week, Dr. Lewis emphasized the importance of action research being practical and important to the researcher.  Because this topic meets both of those criteria for me, I am even more certain that this is the topic I want to research.