Blogging and the Principal

“Inquiry is the process of thinking and questioning that undergirds the Framework for Examining School Improvement.” I highlighted this sentence when reading Examining What We Do To Improve Our Schools: 8 Steps from Analysis to Action (Harris, Edmonson, Combs, 2010, p. 5) as it points to one of many uses for educational leaders in the realm of blogging.

According to many educational leaders, as well as Dana (2009), the role of the principal can be very isolating. Through the use of a blog, educational leaders can come together as a community that can span the globe. This can become a community to share ideas, problem solve, pose questions and generate ideas.

Blogs can also serve as a private, reflective journal that is not published for public consumption, but rather a personal diary of sorts for the principal (Dana, 2009). The content is more personal and reflective in nature and can serve as a tool when engaging in similar situations and analyzing past approaches and the net results to guide future decisions.

Principals could establish a blog for their campus that could potentially allow parents, teachers, students and possibly the community to engage in an on-line information and discussion forum. The possibilities are endless.

Musings on Action Research

Action Research differs from traditional research in that it isn't simply reporting facts and figures to support a theory or hypothesized outcome, but rather has the intended outcome of bringing about some form of change.

Through introductory reading from Leading with Passion and Knowledge: The Principal as Action Researcher (Dana, 2009), action research engages the principal in a productive form of inquiry based reflection through collaboration, not isolation. The context of the action research is authentic and based in real-time "wonderings" of the principal or even a committee to bring about positive change on the campus. What is challenging is finding the time within the day or week to engage in true reflection and inquiry in order to serve as a model for staff and students that we should all strive to be life-long learners.

A benefit of action research and inquiry based reflection is that the principal, staff and students will engage in best practices as an embedded part of the school culture. Whether it is the principal taking time to slow down their busy day to reflect, teachers working in PLCs or students engaging in reflective writing or discussion at the end of a lesson – these are best practices for long-term learning (Dana, 2009).

The concept of action research puts a new spin on my personal mind-set of conducting research in that it is systematic and outcome-driven with a focus on improvement and bringing about positive change on a campus.