Outline+of+Action+Research

  
 * __WORK TO DATE__ ** :  The nature of the project has changed somewhat since inception. Originally an investigation into successful implementation of e5, it became evident that there was a much stronger feeling around change and the change agenda which needed investigation. In addition, the May announcement that our school was to be a part of a "re-generation" project contributed further disquiet among a staff who were already challenged by the pedagogical shift taking place in the lower levels of the school. Change - and specifically understanding teacher resistance - has become the focus of the enquiry.

** __CHALLENGES__ ****:** Alongside the convention challenges of any Action Research in schools - time, competing priorities, sense of "overload" - one impediment I believe I will need to consider is the uncertainty surrounding our impending merger as discussions between the staff groups commence during term 4 2009. I think there will be a need to try to discriminate how resistance is manifesting itself among the staff, and whether I can draw conclusions between the internal resistance (pedagogical) and external resistance (DEECD mandates - including merger).

It is acknowledged that the Action Research framework may support adjustment to this proposal over the implementation phase.

** __PROPOSALS__ : ** The project is being developed along two lines. Firstly, as part of our college Leadership team, where questions around teacher dissatisfaction evident in the School Level Report is a focus. Improving our understanding of teacher resistance will be framed around the mandated implementation of e5, alongside continued development of local programmes and the proposed merger. Secondly, I am a member of a “Professional Learning Team” which was initially formed around Professional Reading. From the work in the PLT, it has been decided to undertake an investigation into teacher resistance in the light of the impending change imperatives at the college.

** __PROJECT DATA COLLECTION OUTLINE__ : ** In conjunction with the proposal above, data collection methods for the investigation include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. //Staff Survey: // The PLT will conduct a survey of all teaching staff centered around the individual understanding of effective teacher practice. The general consensus from the group is that this is a “non-threatening” place to start with respect to understanding why teachers are “resisting” the change agenda of the college and DEECD. This is a first step in engaging teachers in dialogue around the change agenda, and will be supported by educational literature from a variety of sources still to be finalized. It is proposed that data collected will be analyzed and used initially by the PLT to illuminate variations in teacher opinion. It will then be juxtaposed against college and DEECD policy and curriculum innovation to ascertain whether a link exists which will be relevant to teaching staff. Investigations will be supported by professional readings by members of the PLT, who will be required to report their findings to staff as part of the professional learning model already in place at the college.  2. //Interviews and Classroom Observation: //I propose to construct an investigative tool and conduct personal interviews of a random sample of approximately one third of teaching staff (of differing age, teacher experience and area of expertise) which will aim to identify actual pedagogical change in classroom practice over the past three years, and ascertain the impediments to the college change agenda. (I have chosen 3 years as the changes to college curriculum, implementation of VELS, P&DC accreditation, change of Principal and proposed merger have all happened within this time). The data collected will be analyzed alongside data from Staff Survey (1 above), to inform our thinking around impediments to change and develop a strategy for moving forward. Classroom observation will take place to support the interview process and allow for contrast between espoused and actual pedagogical approaches.  3. //<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Research & Implementation: //<span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;"> The Leadership team has been granted Teacher Professional Leave in 2010 to investigate the implementation e5 principles into the college teaching and learning practices. The team will devise a model of “best practice”, and will commence the introduction of the model into the college. Developing a clear understanding of teacher resistance, with a view to building teacher efficacy, will be an integral part of the study.