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Research supports the contention that formative assessment has a direct impact on student learning (Volante and Beckett, 2011) which is also a goal of action research. Formative assessment of data is a reevaluation process that is conducted by the researcher for the purpose of continual improvement (Buczynski & Hansen, 2014). The function of this practice is to help researchers and leaders make adjustment that will best inform and change educational outcomes (Mills, 2014). This research, paired with the successful exercise of leadership practices improves the teaching and learning process because it causes us to respond to the needs of the educational environment. In this discussion, you have the opportunity to think about this iterative process of your research process.
Initial Post: Buczynski and Hansen (2014, p. 31) share important points to consider regarding effective leadership practices that yield results in the differentiated learning environment. This is affectionately termed, the change leader which is what you are becoming! Here, you discuss the status of your action research implementation focusing your discussion on the following questions:
- Are you closer to answering your research question(s)? Why or why not?
- To what degree are your data collection instruments yielding the information you’d hoped for in answering your research questions? Why or why not? and
- How have your leadership skills been put to work specifically, as you have participated as a researcher?
