Action Research...huh?

When I first heard the words action research all that came to mind was finding information in the library and having to read a lot of information. However, I've been pleasantly surprised to discover that action research is not like that at all. Action research is better termed inquiry. It's a process of posing a question or wondering that's relevant to my life and my educational problems/challenges. Then I take my problem collect data, analyze it, and find relevant information about the problem. Through my findings I decide what changes or adjustments I can make and I implement them. After a period of time I share how it went with colleagues, parents, and/or my fellow grad students. Part of this process is what I already do as a teacher such as analyzing student data and sharing ideas with my co-workers. It's a process that makes research relevant because it will help solve real life problems and impact my students for the better.