Action Research Plan

Goal:  The goal of this plan is to determine if the use of iPad assistive technology in special education classrooms of Wheatley School of Early Childhood Programs (WECP) will impact and/or improve student learning and performance of children with disabilities.

Action Steps(s):

Person(s) Responsible:

Timeline: Start/End

Needed Resources

Evaluation

Step 1 ~  Examining the Work:  Setting the Foundation

Obtain permission of Wheatley Principal and PAISD Director of Special Education to conduct action research inquiry project.

Mary Oakley

October / November 2012

Documents indicating permission to conduct inquiry.

N/A

Review current resources related to educational technology available to WECP special education teachers and students.

Mary Oakley IT Technician Supervisor Secretary of Director of Sp Ed

November / December 2012

Documentation detailing and listing available campus technology for special education students.

Document existing technology used to enhance learning of special education students; include software, hardware and individuals.

Recognition of expansion of   technological capability and resources with the arrival of   eight Apple iPads for use in each of the Special Education classrooms of WECP.

Sp Ed Director Principal

Late October 2012

iPad technology is   available to students and faculty at WECP.

Document receipt of iPad technology by WECP Sp Ed teachers at the direction of the Director of Sp Ed Division, PAISD.

Literature search on use of technology in special education classrooms, specifically Apple iPad technology.

October /   December 2012

Google search engine; LU Library database; NAESP; NASSP and other profession organization websites.

Recognize the enormous amount of information available on capabilities of software in the classroom.  Remain focused on action research topic information.

Step 2 ~ Analyzing Data

Introduce action research topic to WECP Lead Special Education Teacher and obtain permission and feedback.

Mary Oakley   Sp Ed Director Principal Lead WECP PPCD Teacher

November 28, 2012

Discussions with Lead Teacher yielded positive reaction and enthusiasm about the action research topic.

Examine different data gathering strategies presented in text.

Mary Oakley

December 2012

N. F. Dana text; Week 3 Assignment

Increased researcher knowledge regarding strategies to implement in data collection.

Survey special education teachers at WECP regarding their level of comfort with available technology in general and iPad technology in particular.  Survey will identify technology is available to teachers and students in each of the eight Programs for Children with Disabilities (PPCD) class

Mary Oakley   Sp Ed Director Principal Eight (8) WECP PPCD Teachers Any of the eight (8) para- professionals interested in this topic.

December2012 / January 2013

Survey in which the questions are appropriately phrased to solicit needed and meaningful information.

Determination of technological skill level of teachers. Data collected by surveys will be evaluated and graphed using Microsoft Office Excel spreadsheet software.

Conduct interviews with PPCD teachers to explore if the teachers feel that iPad technology will enhance learning of special education students?

Mary Oakley Principal Eight (8) WECP PPCD Teachers

February 2013

Interview questions; tape recorder; interview notes.

Reflect upon information gained from interviews.

Establish baseline(s):  teacher technological skill levels; current use of technology in PPCD classrooms.   Analyze data to determine baseline student performance.

Mary Oakley   Diagnostician   WECP Records Clerk   PAISD Sp Ed Records Clerk

February 2013

Compilation of survey and interview data. First and Second Six Weeks Student Progress Reports of 2012-2013 school year Data collected from student hard-copy and electronic files.

Review of the analysis of survey and interview data compilation.

Step 3 ~ Developing Deeper Understanding

Focus Group Meeting ~   Discuss findings with Principal, Special Education Director, Diagnostician and PPCD Teachers and receive feedback.

Mary Oakley Principal Eight (8) WECP PPCD Teachers

February 2013

Attendance of and input from  Principal, Special Education Director, Diagnostician and PPCD Teachers

Discussions with responsible persons for collaboration of different perspectives and input by all school stakeholders.

Active listening will also be used to gain a deeper understanding of this topic.

Mary Oakley   Eight (8) WECP PPCD Teachers

February /  May 2013

Collaboration and sharing of information among stakeholders.

Consider depth and breadth of information gained.

Classroom observations of student engaged in iPad Technology use.

Mary Oakley   Principal Eight (8) WECP PPCD Teachers

February /  May 2013

PPCD students; document observations

Observation of iPad use by PPCD students will provide a contextual viewpoint.

Step 4 ~ Engaging in Self-Reflection

Review of EDLD 5311: Fundamental of Leadership self-assessments and coursework.

Mary Oakley

December 2012 / May 2013

EDLD 5311 Coursework Binder(s)

N/A

Complete Harris 4.1: Who Am I? and 4.2: What Biases Do I Have? Self-Reflection Tools

Mary Oakley

January 2013 / February 2013

Harris Textbook

N/A

Step 5 ~ Exploring Programmatic Patterns

The over-assignment or disproportionate numbers of African American males in special education is a programmatic pattern that has long been recognized as a gross inequity in U.S. schools.

Mary Oakley   Eight (8) WECP PPCD Teachers

December 2012 / Ongoing

Current educational journal articles and studies related to over-repre-sentation of Black males in Special Education classes

N/A

Assistive technology use by special education students must correlate to the individual education plan (IEP) prepared for each student.

Mary Oakley   Eight (8) WECP PPCD Teachers

December 2012 / Ongoing

Access to student IEPs.

N/A

Step 6 ~ Determining Direction

Assess progress and/or lack of progress by PPCD students utilizing iPad technology in Special Education classrooms.

Mary Oakley   Eight (8) WECP PPCD Teachers

February 2013 / Ongoing

Assessment of accumulated data.

Evaluate if teachers are taking advantage of iPad technology in PPCD classrooms.

Revisit previous goals and priorities; determine areas where more information is needed; recognize limitations.

Mary Oakley

February 2013 / Ongoing

Assessment of accumulated data.  Notes on previous goals.

Make any necessary adjustments to action research plan.

Make a presentation of monitored progress of research to involved stakeholders – “Where We Are Now”

Mary Oakley

Early March 2013

Attendance of and input from  stakeholders.

Share information with stakeholders.

Collaborate with Special Education professional learning community (PLC) to reach consensus on the direction and develop actions necessary to improve.

Mary Oakley Eight (8) WECP PPCD Teachers

February 2013 / Ongoing

Attendance of and input from  Special Education Director, Diagnostician and PPCD Teachers

Review information shared at meetings to determine if there is any problem that needs to be addressed as far as using the technology.

Step 7 ~ Taking Action on School Improvement

Special Education professional learning community (PLC)  becomes the improvement action committee

Mary Oakley   Principal   Eight (8) WECP PPCD Teachers

February 2013 / Ongoing

Attendance of and input from  Special Education Director, Diagnostician and PPCD Teachers

Action research becomes a collaborative effort within WECP involving teachers in shaping the direction for forward progress.

Continuous monitoring of the implementation and use of iPad technology in PPCD classrooms.

Mary Oakley Principal   Eight (8) WECP PPCD Teachers

February 2013 / Ongoing

Cooperation of and input from  PPCD Teachers

Summative evaluation combining quantitative and qualitative source of data will be used.

Step 8 ~ Sustaining Improvement

Keep abreast of identified educational trends which include: v A shift in the majority/ minority groups of the US population. v An increase in the availability of technology. v An increase in the need for consideration of varying points of view.

Mary Oakley

October 2012 /  Ongoing

Websites of professional educator organizations   eSchool News emails and magazine subscriptions   Attend webinars dealing with research topic

N/A

Design and disseminate questionnaire for completion by PPCD teachers as to future needs and goals for sustaining improvement and which improvement activities should be continued?

Mary Oakley   Eight (8) WECP PPCD Teachers

March 2013

Appropriate knowledge to design questionnaire asking the right questions.

Compilation of survey answers provided by PPCD Teachers.

Conduct analyses for continuous update of action research data employing the following techniques: v Force Field Analysis v Delphi Method v Nominal Group Model

Mary Oakley   Eight (8) WECP PPCD Teachers

March 2013 / May 2013

Harris textbook

Assemble data received from multiple analyses.

Prepare action research project paper and share significant information learned with all stakeholders and interested community members.

Mary Oakley

March 2013 / Ongoing

oakleymaryr. blosgspot.com https://.site. google/sites. maryroakley Actionresearch5301.blogspot.com

Feedback from visitors to Google websites, blog pages, and conversations with stakeholders

 

References:

Dana, N.F. (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action

researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press. 

Edyburn, D.L. (2002) Assistive technology and the IEP. Special Education

Technology Practice, 4(3), 15-22.  Copyright Knowledge by Design, Inc.  

Harris, S., Edmonson, S., & Combs, J. (2009). Examining what we do to

improve our schools: 9 steps from analysis to action. Larchmont, N.Y.: Eye on Education.

Skria, L., McKenzie, K.B., Scheurich, J.J. (2009). Using Equity Audits to Create

Equitable and Excellent Schools.  Thousand Oaks, Ca:  Corwin Press.   http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/pdf/advocacy/5-Programmatic.pdf.