The discussion this week focuses on reflection. For this discussion, we are asked to reflect on this course and on a specific topic of our greatest interest and learning. For me it is hard to pick one item of interest. I have learned several things.

For one, I have always admired the principal on my campus for all that she does. She performs her duties at the school with regard to personnel and maintenance and then is expected to attend countless numbers of meetings and events. I often wonder how she balances her duties and her home life! But then to think that she also becomes involved in one or more research projects that involve our campus and district! I really don't know how a person does all of it!

Second, I never connected research to professional development. However, I learned that not only is action research good for professional development, it is good for motivation. Once faculty and staff become involved in working through and implementing a project, and seeing its benefit, they begin to develop a sense of ownership and collaboration. Because campus personnel are taking an interest in an action research, all stakeholders can be assured that the implementation of the plan has been done with a focus on what is good for the students at that campus. The sense of ownership, the real collaboration, and the time invested, almost guarantee the successful implementation of the project.

One area that I would like to learn more about would be these last data gathering methods. There was one, the Nominal Group Technique, that I wasn't sure that I really understood. I would like to have more examples of the Nominal Group technique, and of all of the data gathering methods, so that I could model some of my research after them. Using the techniques in my research, reading more about them in other texts or journals, and seeing them used in other research projects, will help me to master these skills.