EDLD 5397 Week 4 Draft Action Research Progress Report Part 2

        This is part two of my draft action research report and discusses the vision, resources involved, and results of my action research project.  My action research plan is in the process of being implemented.  I have had to change a few dates and add some stakeholders, but it essentially has remained intact.  The plan is as follows:

TPJH Website - Action Research Plan
Goals:                  What is the frequency of appearance of common elements in alternative education school websites?              What are the stakeholders’ judged values of the common elements in school websites?
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Review literature for best website design for school websites as it relates to common website elements and visit award winning school websites.	James Hawks	Start:  2/6/12   End:   3/16/12	Research tools: Internet, library, EBSCO Database	Make a comprehensive list of elements.
Confer with the TPJH Website Committee. Make a representative checklist for evaluating disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP) websites.	James Hawks   TPJH Website Committee	Start:  3/19/12   End:   3/22/12	Best practice data from the literature review and surveying of school websites.	List of committee chosen common elements
Construct school website survey to gather data on the most common school website elements found in DAEP websites.	James Hawks   TPJH Website Committee	Start:  3/26/12   End:  3/30/12	List of committee selected common school website elements.	Created survey/checklist to use to gather data from DAEP websites
Create a definition of what constitutes and DAEP school.	James Hawks   TPJH Website Committee   Carolyn Alexander	Start: 3/19/12   End:   3/22/12	Internet, Texas Education Agency	Working definition of DAEP.
Survey 30 DAEP websites using the checklist survey to gather data to ascertain the most common elements found in AEP school websites.	James Hawks   TPJH Website Committee	Start:  3/26/12   End:   4/5/12	Created Survey   Check list of common elements seen in school websites used to gather data on each website.	Completed Surveys   30 completed surveys of at least 30 DAEP school websites.
Evaluate the data from website surveys.   Report to TPJH Committee and Site mentor	James Hawks   TPJH Website Committee Carolyn Alexander	Start:  4/9/12   End:   4/13/12	Completed surveys and   statistical analysis	Compile results for review by TPJH Website Committee and Site Supervisor.    Develop report on common DAEP school website elements.
Construct survey for parents, students, and staff.   Decide on final draft.	James Hawks   TPJH Website Committee	Start:  4/16/12   End:   4/20/12	Statistical analysis of most common elements found in DAEP school websites.	Created survey for students, parents, and staff using a scale of 1 to 5; one being described as not very important and five being described as very important.
Survey all stakeholders, : parents, students, and staff.	James Hawks   TPJH Website Committee   Carolyn Alexander	Start:  4/23/12   End:   5/18/12	Surveys   Designated times and places for conducting surveys.	Collection of Completed Surveys
Evaluate data from student, parent, and staff surveys of common components desired to be seen in an disciplinary alternative education program school website.   TPJH Website PLC meet to discuss findings	James Hawks   TPJH Website Committee	Start: 8/14/12   End:  9/21/2012	Statistical Analysis of common components desired and to what degree they are desired.	Report – TPJH Website Committee and site supervisor.
TPJH Website PLC meets to apply research results to the design of Turning Point Junior High’s school website. Publish Website	Turning Point Junior High School Website Committee	Start:  10/1/12   End:   11/1/12	Web design tools, online web space, apply results of the research.	Published Website
Reflect on lessons learned.  Discuss future research questions as it pertains to the use and improvement of TPJH school website.	TPJH Website Committee   Administration	Start:  11/2/12   End:   12/24/12	Blog, Website	Publish findings and reflection.
Complete Action Research Report	James Hawks	Start:  2/6/12   End:   1/11/13	Formatted Action Report in APA Style	Completed Action Research Report

        In implementing the action research plan, I have developed a core group of individual stakeholders to communicate the vision of the project.  Further, meetings have been held and are ongoing.  The vision for research and development of the new website has been articulated and well received.  Surveys have been used to receive feedback for certain elements of the website and meetings with input have been conducted and will be conducted in the future.  Further, in using a action research project website, all stakeholders are encouraged to share their comments by using the website, sending email, or hand delivering their views.  As meetings occur and consensus is made, any changes to the action research project deemed necessary will be made and reported on the website.         

       Stewardship of the my vision was important, but promoting community involvement in the vision of our new school website was and is crucial.  Community members such as businesses were not involved, but parents were.  I wanted to receive parents’ input on what they would like to see in the website.  Surveys were conducted with parents completing intakes at TPJH.  Further, the project website was available for their input as well.  One main factor for developing the website was for improving communication with the community, parents, students, and faculty and improving the climate and culture of the organization.

       After promoting stakeholder involvement, I needed to, and am managing, the use of fiscal and human resources to support the development of the school website.  Our new schol website has to be built on a DotNetNuke platform and involves learning the program and training.  That takes time and money.  Further, a plethora of individual stakeholders are needed to gather information to create an esthetic, well thought out, informative school website that communicates well and does not have any contradicting information in it.  Individual stakeholders will need to take time to critically think about their positions and decide essential information that will be contributed to the website.  Further, those stakeholders will need to contribute artifacts that will be needed to create our new school website.  Again, that takes time and effort  and can affect how stakeholders use their resources.  I am using a project website help focus stakeholders and reduce a need for time consuming meetings. Those that cannot make meetings can quickly go to the website and understand when tasks are to be completed and reports or items are due.

        While no community resources are planned to be used to create the school website, parents were and are involved.  Their involvement, added with the involvement of teaching assistants, janitors, the cafeteria manager, teachers, principals, students, and other faculty has and will lead to an improved positive school culture.  Just one example involves dress code.  Students that come in the school building out of dress code are immediately isolated until they are properly dressed.  Many times there is a misunderstanding at home.  With a quick look at our new website parents and students can double check dress code requirements.  This improves the school climate by reducing conflict between faculty, students, and parents. 

        At the conclusion of the action research project, I hope to publish TPJH’s first school website developed with the input of action research data and all stakeholders.  Next, I would like to publish the results in the action research project website.  Finally, I would like to publish the findings to the formal questions asked in the research to the Lamar repository and possibly in a technology leadership journal. 

        As the results of the action research have not been completed, I can comment on what has been done.  I would recommend a follow up evaluation and study of the new school website after it has been published and utilized for a period of time.  I recommend a survey that takes into account the affects of the website on climate and culture and the smooth operation of the school, teaching, and learning.

Key Words, Phrases or Terms describing your Action Research Project:
           

New School Website, Frequency of Appearance of Common Elements in School Websites, Stakeholder’s Judged Values of Common Elements in School Websites, DAEP School Websites, School Climate, Teaching and Learning, Communication, Development of New School Websites, Improving School Climate, Improving School Culture, Project Leadership, Project Websites, Leadership through Project Websites.