Action research is a process that someone or a committee goes through to solve a problem or to improve a situation.  Depending on which literature you review, action research may consist of a couple of steps to eight steps.  Sandra Harris in Examining What We Do To Improve Our Schools:  Eight Steps From Analysis To Action categorizes the steps of action research as:  setting a foundation, analyzing the data, developing a deeper understanding, engaging in self-reflection, exploring patterns, determining a direction, taking action for improvement, and sustaining improvement. 

Action research is taught to aspiring administrators during their educational career in classes such as EDLD 5301 at Lamar University.  I am currently enrolled in this class.  I plan to perform action research regarding successfully transitioning freshmen into high school.  I will meet with my site supervisor for approval of the action research and designing the plan.  I will document the progress of the action research on this blog. 

Central office administration, principals, assistant principals, teachers, students, and community members can perform action research.  Action research is used on everything from helping a single student to perform better in a given class to improving study and/ or leadership skills for an entire school district.

Many people use action research to solve problems or improve situations, but may not recognize that this is the method they are using.  They may call it by another name, such as practitioner inquiry, practitioner research, inquiry, administrator inquiry, or classroom research. 

Educational leaders may use blogs as a way of self-reflection to gain insight to their own administrative practices.  Blogs also allow administrators to work together collaboratively on a variety of issues.  Administrators may use blogging to communicate their action research with their colleagues.