So Many Choices

After reading chapters 4-6 in Mertler's Action Research: Improving Schools and Empowering Educators, I'm a tad overwhelmed; there are many ways to approach the data within both of the qualitative and quantitative options.  After much thought, I'm leaning towards using qualitative research methods with inductive reasoning. 

My innovation plan centers around the integration of school-wide EPortfolios in an alternative independent studies high school program.  In the previous year, we developed an EPortfolio component for one our courses where students create and use an EPortfolio.  One of the requirements of the EPortfolio is reflective writing.  In conversations with my colleagues, there is a general consensus student reflections are missing the amount of depth and reflection they were expecting.  Teachers have not yet been trained as to what constitutes an in depth and strong reflective piece and I have a theory this is a large part of the issue with students' reflective writing lacking the necessary depth. 

I've just created a short survey where I ask my colleagues to share the links of current and past students' EPortfolios, ask direct questions about the type of support they offer students for reflective writing, their own knowledge of reflective writing and how comfortable they are in their abilities to coach students through reflective writing.  

Last month, I performed research regarding teacher's general knowledge about reflective writing and wrote an article to share resources helping teachers coach students through written reflection.  I think all of the research I've done thus far on teaching reflective writing and providing effective professional development for teachers will be helpful to me while I write my literature review for this course and develop and action plan.

I think I'm on the right track, so I'm just going to roll with it.  :)

Mertler, C. A. (2016). Action research: Improving schools and empowering educators (5th

ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.