Table Of ContentAction Research for
School Leaders
Dean T. Spaulding
College of Saint Rose
John Falco
College of Saint Rose
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Spaulding, Dean T.
Action research for school leaders/Dean T. Spaulding, John Falco.—1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-13-138104-9
ISBN-10: 0-13-138104-0
1. Action research in education. 2. Educational leadership. I. Falco, John. II. Title.
LB1028.24.S73 2013
370.72—dc23
2011037439
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN 10: 0-13-138104-0
ISBN 13: 978-0-13-138104-9
CONTENTS
Preface viii
About the Authors xi
Chapter 1 T HE ROLE OF SCHOOL LEADERS IN SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT—PAST,
PRESENT, AND FUTURE 1
Past to Present 1
Leadership Matters 4
Bootstrap Data: Information That Helps 6
Summary 8 • Key Concepts 9 • Discussion/Reflection
Questions 9 • Activities 9
Chapter 2 U SING RESEARCH TO SOLVE THE PUZZLE OF SCHOOL
IMPROVEMENT 10
School Administrators’ Use of Research 11
Types of Research Administrators Encounter 14
Applied Research Versus Vendor-Based Research 15
Summary 17 • Key Concepts 17 • Discussion/Reflection
Questions 17 • Activities 18
Chapter 3 A CTION RESEARCH AND THE INQUIRY PROCESS 19
What Is Level 1: Classroom-Level Action Research? 19
Action Research, Naturally 20
Steps in Level 1: Classroom-Level Action Research 21
Summary 26 • Key Concepts 26 • Discussion/Reflection
Questions 27 • Activities 27
Chapter 4 S CHOOL-LEVEL ACTION RESEARCH 28
Steps in Conducting Level 2 School-Level Action Research 29
Identifying the School-Level Issue 31
Developing an Action Research Team 31
Types of Action Research Teams 33
Summary 35 • Key Concepts 35 • Discussion/Reflection
Questions 35 • Activities 36
Chapter 5 A NALYZING DATA AS AN ACTION RESEARCH TEAM 37
How to Analyze Data as an Action Research Team 38
Three Main Data Points for Needs Assessment: An Overview 39
Analysis Techniques 41
Summary 44 • Key Concepts 44 • Discussion/Reflection
Questions 44 • Activities 45
iii
iv Contents
Chapter 6 E XAMINING PAST RESEARCH, AND REVIEWING
AND CRITIQUING CAUSE–EFFECT EXPERIMENTAL
RESEARCH 46
Examining Past Research and Literature 47
Databases 48
Selecting from the Review of Literature 49
Full Text and HTML 50
The Action Research Team and the Review of Literature 51
Analyzing the Review of Literature 51
Creating a Literature Matrix 52
How to Critique Cause–Effect Research 53
Experimental Research 54
How Should Action Research Teams Critique Experimental
Research? 55
Causal–Comparative Research 57
Summary 58 • Key Concepts 59 • Discussion/Reflection
Question 59 • Activities 59
Chapter 7 C RITIQUING AND APPLYING CORRELATIONAL AND
SURVEY RESEARCH 60
Correlational Research 61
Caution About Drawing Causality 61
The Correlational Coefficient 62
Types of Correlational Research 62
Statistical Significance 63
Using Correlational Research 64
Critiquing Correlational Research 64
Survey Research 65
How to Critique Survey Research 66
Survey Design and Development 69
Adapting and Adopting Instruments from Survey Studies 69
Summary 69 • Key Concepts 70 • Discussion/Reflection
Question 70 • Activity 70
Chapter 8 C RITIQUING AND APPLYING QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH 71
Qualitative Research 71
Methods Used for Qualitative Research 72
Access to Subjects and Settings 72
Examples of Qualitative Research 74
Contents v
Types of Qualitative Research 74
Using Qualitative Research 75
Summary 75 • Key Concepts 76 • Discussion/Reflection
Question 76 • A ctivity 76
Chapter 9 G ATHERING DATA FROM STAFF AND OTHER
STAKEHOLDERS 7 7
Gathering Feedback with the Survey 78
Why Feedback Is Needed 80
Methods for Gathering Feedback 80
The Survey and the School Administrator 80
Effects of a Poorly Constructed Staff Survey 81
Basic Components of a Survey 81
Tips for Writing Quality Items 85
Administering and Collecting the Survey 87
Methods for Administering Surveys 87
Summary 91 • Key Concepts 91 • Discussion/Reflection
Questions 91 • Activity 91
Chapter 10 S TEP 2: DEVELOPING A PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL
IMPROVEMENT 92
Developing Quality Programs and Initiatives 93
Aligning Need to Program Activities 93
Introduction of the Logic Models 94
Why Use a Logic Model? 94
Logic Model: Basic Building Blocks 95
Showing Change with a Logic Model 99
Using Logic Models 9 9
Using the Logic Model with Your Action Research Team 100
Summary 100 • Key Concepts 100 • Discussion/Reflection
Questions 101 • Activity 101
Chapter 11 S TEP 4: IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM OR
INTERVENTION WITH FIDELITY 102
What Is Fidelity in Action Research? 103
Developing a Fidelity Checklist
and Observational Protocol 104
Evaluating Professional Development 106
Evaluating the Fidelity of Professional Development 107
Summary 108 • Key Concepts 109 • Discussion/Reflection
Questions 109 • Activity 109
vi Contents
Chapter 12 S TEP 5: GATHERING AND ANALYZING DATA 110
Gathering and Analyzing Standardized Data 110
Three Levels of Assessment Data 110
Different Types of Standardized Measures 112
How to Critique Standardized Measures 114
Confusing Reliability and Validity 115
Applying Different Types of Standardized Measures to
Your Logic Model 115
Summary 117 • Key Concepts 118 • Discussion/Reflection
Question 118 • Activity 118
Chapter 13 S TEP 6: REFLECTING AND MAKING MODIFICATIONS TO
THE PLAN 119
Reflecting on the Logic Model to Determine Success 120
Reflecting on Activities 121
Reflecting on Outputs 121
Reflecting on Intermediate Outcomes 122
Reflecting on End Outcomes 124
The Action Research Team and Making Modifications 126
Summary 126 • Key Concepts 127 • Discussion/Reflection
Questions 127 • Activities 127
Chapter 14 C ASE STUDY 1: ADDRESSING HIGH TEACHER TURNOVER
AND LOW STUDENT PERFORMANCE 128
Background and Personal Characteristics of a
School Leader 128
Step 1: Forming the Action Research Team 129
Step 2: Conducting the Data Analysis 130
Step 3: Conduct a Review of the Literature 132
Your Turn . . . 132
Step 4: Collection of Additional Data from Stakeholders 132
Your Turn, Again . . . 132
Chapter 15 C ASE STUDY 2: DECREASING THE PERFORMANCE GAP
BETWEEN GENERAL EDUCATION AND SPECIAL
EDUCATION POPULATIONS 133
Background and Personal Characteristics of a School Leader 133
Level of Preparedness 134
Step 1: Forming the Action Research Team 135
Step 2: Conducting the Data Analysis 135
Your Turn . . . 136
Contents vii
Chapter 16 C ASE STUDY 3: ADDRESSING BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS
AND LOW STUDENT PERFORMANCE 138
Background and Personal Characteristics of a School Leader 138
Level of Preparedness 139
Step 1: Establishing an Action Research Team 140
Step 2: Analyzing the School 140
Your Turn . . . 142
Chapter 17 C ASE STUDY 4: IMPROVING LOW ELA SCORES AT THE
ELEMENTARY LEVEL 143
School Leader 143
School District 143
Level of Preparedness 144
Step 1: Establishing the Action Research Team 145
Step 2: Analyzing School Data 145
Your Turn . . . 147
References 148
Index 151
PREFACE
As authors, we recognize that our mission is not to retrain school leaders to become professional
researchers; however, we do believe that the purpose of this book is to assist current and future
school leaders in building the research skills necessary for improving schools by increasing stu-
dent achievement. While some may disagree about what types of training school leaders for the
21st century will need to attain to be effective, one thing is clear: Without the ability to use and
conduct research, school leaders will continue to stay on the same track that many have worked
on for decades.
In addition to gaining knowledge and better understanding of research methods, we also
believe that an underlying mission of this book is to help you, the school leader, to become a
more effective leader as part of the research process itself. Anyone can collect data in a school
building. The real challenge is getting one’s teachers and staff onboard, motivated, and empow-
ered as a result of participating in the research process. That is the real work and a focus of this
book. We believe that an effective school leader is one who is constantly demonstrating to staff
that research is a critical element for a school community, and therefore this book will focus on
three main areas:
• T o provide school leaders with the technical background and skills to read and critique
current educational research
• T o provide school leaders with methods in which they can a pply current research and
research methods for collecting and analyzing data in their buildings
• T o provide the framework for school leaders to conduct their own building-level action
research for ongoing building improvement
C hapter 1 focuses on the role of the school leader and summarizes how school administra-
tors and leaders have worked to improve buildings and education in general: past, present, and
future. In this chapter you will also learn about different leadership prospectives in the quest for
building and school improvement, as well as a discussion about what a school leader is and the
important roles school leaders play in school improvement.
C hapter 2 examines the skills that administrators and school leaders need in their efforts to
improve schools. In this chapter you will learn about the lack of interest in or use of research by
school officials and how there is an increased emphasis on the need for a research-based skills
set for school administrators and leaders, particularly in conducting research in their own schools.
Chapter 3 discusses the different types or levels of action research, one of which is action
research for the classroom teacher. In this chapter you will read about the role of action research
in the classroom and its role in helping teachers research and differentiate effective from ineffec-
tive instruction.
Chapter 4 focuses on what is referred to in this book as building-level action research.
Building-level action research is the focus of this book. This is where an action research team
will develop and use a team approach: identify a problem or issue in the building that needs to be
addressed through examining school data; examine past research about how best to address this
problem; and work to implement, monitor, and research a building-level improvement plan.
Chapter 5 focuses much more in depth on how the action research team should go about
examining and analyzing the school’s current data in order to identify a gap that needs to be
addressed.
viii
Preface ix
This is followed up in Chapter 6 , where you and the action research team learn how to
incorporate past research into the analysis process. C hapter 6 focuses on critiquing cause–effect
research, and how this type of research can be used by the action research team in developing
its plan.
C hapter 7 focuses on examining and critiquing correlational and survey research. The
chapter also presents possibilities about how the action research team can incorporate these two
important types of research approaches into their analysis and ongoing work.
W hile the previous chapters have examined quantitative research, C hapter 8 focuses on
elements of qualitative research and the important role this type can play in the action research
team’s efforts, as well as in school improvement. This chapter provides an overview of the main
types of qualitative research. In this chapter you will also learn how to critique qualitative
research.
I n C hapter 9 you will learn about how you and your action research team can collect addi-
tional self-report data from teachers, staff, and other stakeholders in the school building through
administering surveys and other related tools. These data are important for many reasons: deter-
mining what your staff thinks about an issue, understanding staff’s view and issues, or gathering
important feedback from staff about training and professional development in which they have
participated.
Chapter 10 shows how you and your action research team can work collaboratively in
developing a program or action research plan to address the issue that has been identified. This
chapter provides guidance in how to incorporate into your program what you have learned from
reviewing the literature or how to plan and build a logic model to guide your action research
project.
Chapter 11 focuses on how to go about implementing your program or action research
plan and how you and your team can go about ensuring that the program is being implemented
with fidelity.
Chapter 12 focuses on how to gather both formative and summative data throughout the
action research process. This chapter also highlights standardized measures, what constitutes a
standardized measure, and how to critique these tools. In addition to using more about standard-
ized measures, this chapter encourages you and your action research team to think outside of the
box and include various types of standardized measures to create a more rigorous logic model
for measuring and monitoring the success of your efforts.
C hapter 1 3 is an important chapter because it provides you and your action research team
with a framework for using the logic model as a tool for reflection.
Chapters 14 through 17 are short case studies depicting the actions of building administra-
tors and school leaders using the five-step action research process presented in this book.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
T here are many people who helped make this book possible. I would like to thank my research
assistant Courtney Wayman for her time, energy, and dedication, working on this project daily
for the last 2 years. In addition, I am forever grateful to my team of internal editors: Jen Dilorio,
Kristina Osborne-Oliver, and Meghan Morris. I could have not done this without you. I also
want to thank Drs. Dianna Newman and Deborah Kundert for letting me bounce ideas off them
and members of The Evaluation Consortium at the University at Albany/SUNY. In addition, I
thank members of my department at The College of Saint Rose for once again enduring another
colleague who is writing a book; and Evan Seiden, Z Score Inc., for his encouragement, support,
