Phew, that was tough!

I don't know how many hours it took for me to create both my Action Research Project Template and Action Research Project Draft (Process Overview) and I'm still not 100% sure if this is how it is supposed to look but I'm trying hard!  I utilized a sample process overview for the basic structure of the project draft in conjunction with my course textbook "Examening What We Do To Improve Our Schools: 8 Steps From Analysis To Action", whitten by Sandra Harris, et. al.  This textbook lays out the process, in easy to follow steps, of the creation of an action research plan for education. 

There were a few sections of the book that I had yet to read in detail but I was able to work my way through the process.  The hard work will begin once I start collecting all of my data, analysis, synthesis, reflection, etc!

My Action Research Project Draft Process Overview.

Action Research Project Draft

Process Overview

Travis Patocka

EDLD 5311

Goal:   How can the attendance program PlascoTrac be utilized to increase school attendance? and Is PlascoTrac delivering a measurable increase in attendance while being used in conjunction with our grading software, Power Teacher?

1.     SETTING THE FOUNDATION—Meeting with my site mentor on several occasions to discuss possible action research topics, we narrowed down my list to three topics.  After further discussing the three topics, it was decided that I would have full access to our new PlascoTrac attendance software as we were just switching over from the free trial version to the new, purchased full version.   It was also decided that I would analyze the program, how it was being utilized and how it could be utilized even more, and further to analyze the data it was producing to see if it contributed to any measurable improvement in student attendence.  This research was necessary as PlascoTrac promises significant improvements in attendance.  Our school board is currently considering purchasing this program for other schools in our district and much of my data generated will depend on this study.  I will also be able to make recommendations as to features of PlascoTrac that can be utilized to further enhance its’ use.

2.     Analyzing Data—PlascoTrac is a data heavy program as it generates absence/truancy reports for any given hour of the classroom day, integrates itself within and pulls attendance data from our existing grading program, Power School.  Using a combination of the quantitative data from Power School, as well as the attendance reports from PlascoTrac, as well as qualitative data which includes surveys and interviews with those that deal firsthand with attendance/truancy data (administrators and front office staff), I will begin to analyze the data.  Attendance figures from last year will be compared with attendance data from this current year, as PlascoTrac was running and being used from the first day of school, to see if PlascoTrac, and the information it generates, as well as the administrator to student contact it creates, is having a measureable impact on school attendance.  Other forms of data to be gathered for analysis include comparing any changes in our attendance policy both on the local and state level as they may also impact attendance figures in our schools.

3.     DEVELOPING DEEPER UNDERSTANDING—Once the data has been gathered and inserted into spreadsheets for analysis, the quantitative results can begin to be observed.  Once the interviews of the administration and office staff have been complete the qualitative data can be collected and reflected upon.  The final portion of the deeper understanding is to see how PlascoTrac, when integrated with PowerSchool and the effort of the administration to use PlascoTrac reports to increase attendance and lower absences as well as truancies, can be made.  Also, the comparison to the previous years attendance figures use can be made as well as reflection upon the changes in attendance policy to look at the progress made thus far, in boosting school attendance.  I will also read case studies from other schools that have used PlascoTrac to see how they integrated the program into their systems as well as look at the merit point system PlascoTrac offers as it may serve as reward system that encourages attendance in school. My observations and steps completed on both my blog as well as my google sites page will be posted.

4.     ENGAGE IN SELF-REFLECTION—It is at this point that I will take a step back and continue my journaling with regards to my work as an action research, as well as how the process has been functioning.  I will post my thoughts and results to both my blog and google site.  It will be important to begin to see the connections my data has generated as well as continue to examine the idea of the merit points system for students.  I plan to also create a survey that will be presented to my administrators to analyze my performance on the project, as well as make any recommendations to improve my action research process.

5.     EXPLORING PROGRAMMATIC PATTERNS—I will interview my site mentor about programmatic patterns that affect student attendance. Information that I need to know includes which challenges our students face in trying to be in school each day.  What factors try to pull them out?  I need to go beyond the data in search of factors that impact student attendance.  I will also interview both vice principals at our school as they to have first hand experience with locating students and can give me some insider information as to the factors that influence student attendance. I will ask if PlascoTrac functions as an intervention tool which can eliminate the delay in tracking down students to address the absence and truancy before it becomes a problem for that student.

6.     DETERMINING DIRECTION—It is at this point that I will begin to compile all of my data generated thus far to measure the impact and analyze the figures and information it has produced.  I also need to ask myself some important questions at this point such as: A. Do I know what I am trying to find in the data?  B. Do I have the adequate skills, resources, and data to compose my report and continue this project with the hope of answering my action research inquiry?  C. Have I collaborated on the issue and been sharing all of the data that I have encountered thus far?  What kind of feedback have I received and will it influence my proposed action?  These are all important questions to ask at this point as there are many requirements to successfully executing any action research and even the slightest unrecognized factor can have a major impact on my findings.  I also need to examine my timeline to ensure that I have set reasonable and realistic due dates for each project I hope to have completed.  Am I capable of monitoring all data collected and do I have a system of organization to handle all data, yet make it available for collaboration?  How can I go about making changes if required in a way that wont deviate from answering my original inquiry?  Also, how will I know if my plan is successful?  There will be much that will need to be answered at this point and I will address each issue in journaling and reflection.

7.     TAKING ACTION FOR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT—The data that I gather and wish to disseminate will rely heavily upon the qualitative and quantitative as well as the cooperation of administration and office personnel that handle attendance data.  I have a written plan for action that outlines exactly what will need to be done, when to have it completed by, who will be involved, as well as what evidence of the work I have completed will need to be available to my site mentor.  I will also prepare reports on my work which will include formative (of the project itself) as well as summative evaluation of my results to be shared with my site mentor and our school board, as this data may influence the purchase of PlascoTrac for other schools.  It is at this point that I will present the idea of using the merit points system as an option to encourage positive attendance as well as the steps required to make this option available to teachers in our school.  I will also need to survey our teachers to see if they would be willing to utilize a merit point system the following fall in our school.

8.     SUSTAIN IMPROVEMENT—I will present the data that I have discovered to all stakeholders. I will consult my site mentor on this process, as I want to ensure that my information is communicated in the most effective manner possible.  I will also self reflect through journaling, blogging, and the process of doing action research, the results learned from the study of the data and if I feel that it was a successful process.  If PlascoTrac does report positive results, it would answer the original inquiry as to its’ effectiveness but will also outline the effort and procedure required to ensure its’ success through my analysis of the data, report of the procedure and sharing of my results and research.

My Action Research Plan (Template)

Action Planning Template
Goal: How can the attendance program PlascoTrac be utilized to increase school attendance? and Is PlascoTrac delivering a measurable increase in attendance while being used in conjunction with our grading software, Power Teacher?
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
1.  Examining the Work:  Setting the Foundation. Meet with site mentor to discuss possible action research topics topics.  Meet again to narrow down topics and have final discussion to seek approval from site mentor.	Site mentor: Kyle Hoehner Action researcher: Travis Patocka	October 2012	-Initial meeting to discuss topics:  10-10-12 -Second meeting to narrow down topics:  10-15-12 -Final meeting to decide final topic and seek approval to begin project:  10-18-12 -Action Research Plan draft to be presented to site mentor between 10-26-12/10-28-12 or sooner.	Journaling on meetings as presented in EDLD 5301 weekly homework. Presentation of Action Research Plan to site mentor for any final revisions.
2.  Examening the Work: Analyzing Data. Collect quantitative attendance data from last year as PlascoTrac was not integrated into our school attendance procedures until this year. Collect current quantitative data from this school year to see if PlascoTrac is having a measureable impact on attendance. Interview both site mentor/principal and vice-principal in charge of student attendance to record their experiences and reaction to PlascoTrac as well as any changes to school attendance procedures this year. Compose a basic overview of the PlascoTrac program and how it is used by our administration. Interview front office secretaries to see how they process and use PlascoTrac reports to generate attendance reports.	Site mentor: Kyle Hoehner Vice Principals: Audrey Racek Alan Frank Action researcher: Travis Patocka	October 2012 October 2012/May 2013 November 2012	-Collect attendance data figures from last school year: 10-22-12 -Collect attendance data:  10-22-12/5-22-12 (last day of school). -Interview questions for site mentor and vice principal(s) for qualitative data on perceptions, reactions and experiences with the PlascoTrac program. - Examine PlascoTrac users manual to explain function, purpose and features of this -Interview questions for front office secretaries.	Generate charts using computer database programs, which plot attendance data from last year and current school year. Reflection on questions posed to site mentor and vice principals as well as analysis of responses of experience with PlascoTrac to see what has changed from the previous years policy and enforcement. Produce an overview of PlascoTrac features and reports. Analyze response from front office secretaries to reflect on their reaction to using PlascoTrac and how attendance procedures have changed.
3.  Examening the Work: Developing Deeper Understanding. By examining both the quantitative and qualitative data I will begin to analyze patterns in school attendance.  Reflection on the PlascoTrac and changes in school attendance, if any, will be noted. Factors which impact student attendance and administrative intervention will be noted. Ensure that all important data has been collected.	Action Researcher: Travis Patocka	November 2012/ December 2012	Charts, which contain additional attendance data. Analysis of responses from site mentor and vice principal(s) to interpret their perception of how PlascoTrac has impacted student attendance. Any additional data to be collected.	Presentation of findings thus far to site mentor.  Methods of data collection and sharing of analysis of quantitative data.  Possible revisions if necessary.
4.  Examining the Work:  Engaging in Self-Reflection Journal of experiences thus far in the action research process.  Check timelines and ensure that all data is up to date. Ensure that original goal is being pursued and that results are being recorded. Journal on impact PlascoTrac is having, if at all taking into consideration both data types. Share experiences of action research in blog.  Post completed work in google spaces. Create a Survery Monkey survey for administration on action researcher performance thus far.	Action researcher: Travis Patocka	January 2013	Journals to be recorded.  Data to be analyzed, both qualitative and quantitative. Action Research Plan itself/checklist of activities. Survey Monkey survey on action researcher performance. Blog postings, website postings.	Journals, self-evaluation.  Evaluation of performance from site mentor and vice-principal(s) via Survey Monkey.
5.  Examining the Work:  Exploring Programmatic Patterns Interview site mentor about programmatic patterns in our school. Ask the questions as to the efficiency of our attendance procedures.  Do we get to truant students soon enough to intervene?  How do we comply with state and federal attendance requirements for students in school? Find out which challenges our students face in making it to school each day. Reflect on responses.	Site mentor: Kyle Hoehner Vice-Principals: Audrey Racek Alan Frank Action Researcher: Travis Patocka	February 2013	Interviews with site mentor/principal and vice-principals	Record responses to interview questions.  Reflect on responses to see if programmatic patterns exist and if so, identify what they are. (Tool 5.1, Harris)
6.  Examining the Work:  Determining Direction Present findings to site mentor.  Discuss possible changes over the course of the school year with regards to absence policy.  Determine if changes affect current data.  Discuss if other feathers of PlascoTrac need to be enabled.  Begin to examine merit point system for PlascoTrac for next fall.	Site mentor: Kyle Hoehner Action researcher:  Travis Patocka	March 2013	Current attendance data needed. Listing of policy changes over last 6 months with regards to attendance.	Six-month progress report/executive summary for site mentor with recorded data.  Presentation of programmatic patterns and reflection of data collected thus far.
7.  Examining the Work: Taking Action for School Improvement. Propose using merit point system to encourage student attendance.  Discuss this process with site supervisor. Present monthly data findings to site supervisor. Create presentation of data findings for possible presentation of school board. Reflection on meeting with Site supervisor to discuss if merit system could be made available to all teachers.  Survey teachers to see if they would be willing to use such a system.	Site supervisor: Kyle Hoehner Action Researcher: Travis Patocka	April 2013	Proposal for merit point system for next fall. Attendance charts in comparison with last year. Power point of data findings thus far, including qualitative and quantitative data	Action plan for merit point system for teachers. Power point containing attendance data. Responses from teachers for merit system
8.  Examening the Work:  Sustaining Improvement Present final observations of PlascoTrac, as well as an interpretation of data to site mentor.  Continue proposal of merit points through PlascoTrac to site mentor. Add final data (school attendance information through May 2013) to spreadsheets.  Modify Power Point presentation as needed. Final interview of site mentor on his interpretation of my performance.	Site mentor: Kyle Hoehner Action Researcher:  Travis Patocka	May 2013	Attendance data charts. Proposal for merit points for following fall. Power Point of final findings to school board.	Final presentation of findings of the effectiveness of PlascoTrac, as well as the qualitative data, and sharing of PlascoTrac features with school board.  School board will take the research data into consideration which future purchase of PlascoTrac for other district buildings/schools.