I would describe the conclusion of this course as bittersweet. Although, I am very excited to be one step closer to earning my master’s in educational administration, I’m sad to see this course come to an end. I had no idea what to expect from this class. To be blatantly honest I was put off by the title of the course because it emphasized research. However, as the course transitioned week to week, there was effective and concise scaffolding within the information and assignments. As I type this reflection, I cannot comprehend how much I have learned and applied to this course.
One aspect of this course that I feel I gained the most knowledge and experience from was developing my action research plan. Prior to this course I had no recollection of what action research was and how it applied to the job description of a principal. I can recall certain “initiatives” that my building principal would try and implement; however, I didn’t understand the process and all the intangibles involved. Although, I learned a great deal from the readings, blogs, and discussions, the intimate face-to-face discussions with my onsite supervisor was very empowering. I applaud whoever at Lamar helped develop this researching course by emphasizing the sit-down meetings with our on-site supervisors. The collaboration and insight that I received from my building principal as I created my action research plan was insurmountable and allowed me to focus and identify strategies that were pertinent to our school.
Other aspects that I believed that were beneficial to my growth and development as a future administrator were the web conferences, discussion boards and blogs. These forums provided opportunities to share ideas and experiences with each other in the program. In turn, I learned a great deal from my peers and was able to apply their statements in developing and refining my action research plan. The support from everyone in the program was instrumental to my success in this course and I would not have accumulated nearly the amount of information if it weren’t for these forums.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this course and I learned so much that is applicable to my current job as an athletic director and a future principal. I have a greater understanding and respect for what principals do on a day-to-day basis. I am enthusiastic to implement my action research plan and I am hopeful that the data indicates an improvement in student performance. Although, this course is only scratching the surface of a principal’s job description, I feel I have made tremendous strides in learning how to use the tools to becoming a strong and effective educational leader.
