My Reflections

Research Class

I have enjoyed this research class because of the different aspects that were looked at concerning the main topic of the class.  The use of different words to describe the research plan was not unique but helpful.  I have gotten more comfortable calling in an inquiry when talking to my participants and when describing in to my supervisor. 

The web conferences were very insightful because of the huge participation of my classmates.  The help provided for one another conference after conference was great.  Being able to exchange ideas about the research plans and the constructive information instead of negativity was quite refreshing.  The use of web conferences has reinforced to me as a Career and Technology teacher the use of the technology available.  The amount of time that is wasted going to and from meetings plus the down time waiting for the meetings to start.  Then there are those meetings that are cancelled because of the speaker being called away and having to reschedule.  I can envision myself using web conferences in the future with co-workers and students.   I already record some of my classes especially the ones where I will be out for a few days.  I have a great deal of confidence in substitutes but this way I know that the material will be presented in the fashion that I want and any student missing can catch up by checking my webpage.

I come from a military and financial world background most of the ways of breaking down information to be disbursed to others in my school is similar to those use in those fields.  It is always important to know the required or desired outcome of any research but that does not mean that the data collected should be used to come to those conclusions. Instead the Data has to speak for itself and we are just to interpret and report the outcome. It is very important that those involved be exactly that” involved”, they need to feel as part of the process or when you come back with the outcome they will come up with the excuse of “no one asked me” why should I follow the new arrangements because they could be wrong.

The discussion board was very helpful because when you were stuck you could bounce ideas off the group and also get some ideas from what they had put on the board.  Constructive criticism is also very helpful in adjusting the direction that you are taking your studies.

I am also getting pretty comfortable having my information out there due to the two blogs that I have created.  I can see the value of interaction with other people indirectly on topics that are similar to your own.  I was able to help a co-worker setting up both a wiki and a blog for one of her classes.

I have enjoyed this class and the participation of my classmates has been immeasureable.  The insight provided by my instructors was both helpful and kept my interest.  I look forward to our webconferences in School Law.

We had a great web conference covered a lot of material and assisted several members of our group in moving forward with their research plans.  I was able to comment on my meeting with my supervisor on implementation of my Action Research Plan.

Enjoyed this weeks web conference, it was full of great tips from class members. Thanks you all!  I got a better feel for the assignment.

Action Planning Template
Goal:Improve the academic achievement and technology literacy of all students.
Action Steps(s):	Person(s) Responsible:	Timeline: Start/End	Needed Resources	Evaluation
Teachers will be given additional training and assistance to use older devices with new software to improve the devices technology	Jorge Vazquez	October 2011 to October 2012	Presentation devices: Elmo, Eiki Laptop	Grades of students in both classes with new software and without new software use.
Team A: Teachers will be not be given any additional training in using Presentation devices that they have used for most of their career( includes newer models year to year) but not using them in a different way due to new software or improvements but continuing to use in the same way as when first presented to the classroom.	Jorge Vazquez	October 2011 to October 2012	Presentation devices: Elmo, Eiki Laptop	Grades of students in both classes with new software and without new software use.
Team B: Teachers will be given additional training in using Presentation devices that they have used for most of their career( includes newer models year to year) but not using them in a different way not taking advantage of new software or improvements. Instruction will allow material to be presented to the classroom and review by students later on web, blog setup for classroom.	Jorge Vazquez	October 2011 to October 2012	Presentation devices: Elmo, Eiki Laptop	Grades of students in both classes with new software and without new software use.
Reflection and Report Summary	Jorge Vazquez	Start: September 2011 (reflection) September 2012(report summary) End: September 2012	notes, data,  student grades, interviews of teachers involved	report and course evaluation

Reflections of Week 2

I am very lucky to be working in the district that I do.  It seems like most of the things that have been suggested as research projects have already been implemented in my school or my district.  I work at Los Fresnos United (ninth grade campus).  We value all of our students and have implemented different projects that deal with the types of minority issues that we have in our part of Texas and the country. Leadership on my campus is commensurate with what I experience in both the retail (Wal-Mart) and financial world (Merrill Lynch) both companies that were at the top of their game at the time.

RESEARCH Versus Inquiry

Administrative inquiry is used in a way of interaction between the Administrator and the people involved in a controversial situation (situation that is not working or beneficial for the school district, school or student) that need to be resolved to the benefit of the student.

The major difference is the approach that is taken. First the labeling of the situation has change to remove the stigma of the word research by using the word inquiry.  The difference is the feeling that most people perceive when the word research is used kind of like the word inquisition. Where the possibilities of bad consequences to the people being researched.  The view of this being a fact finding facet in order to come up with a beneficial solution to the event.  Massive change suggested by meaning as opposed to the possibility of only tweeting (adjusting) of the current procedures.
Participation of as many people as are involved normally is important to get a true picture or perception of the situation that is perceived to need change.  The use of non-threatening word often leads to better results.  The true definition of a word sometime does not matter to the person hearing it but the current perception of the word does.  Word come to mean what people have made them mean as in research=looking for guilty party, inquiry=just checking it out.

In today’s society you have come to expect people to want 150 percent of from you. We have come to accept that request. In reality you can only give 100 percent of your work.  From time to time you can over exert yourself and push yourself past your limits for that day and slowly eat away at your reserve energy. That being said a specific set of time set aside for oneself, when you can review both work and your life in general. A break in the fast pace of an administrator daily life is important because it lets them regenerate the energy level both physical and mentally.  The setting up of a consistent time during the day will create a subconscious euphoria as the mind starts to expect that free time to relax and also be able to revel in their accomplishments instead of just preparing themselves for the next problem.