Action Research and What it can do for Me!

At the start of this course, I have learned the basics of action research. Admittedly, when I first started reading about the topic, action research seemed a little vague.  Once I delved deeper, I began to see the process and thought that it could be incredibly beneficial to teachers.  Instead of feeling overwhelmed and unproductive by what seem to be a mountain of concerns or frustrations, I think that action research enables teachers or administrators to telescope into a specific area of potential concern and create a plan of action.  This streamlines the process and creates a more effective campus.  I can really appreciate how prescriptive action research plans seem to be.  The specifics of this type of plan eliminate the waste of resources and ambiguity of traditional educational research plans.  Instead of taking a plan studied and developed in a university classroom and trying to apply it to your specific needs, you are using data from your specific population and your individual campus. It should naturally be a productive process, because you are providing the product!
I can see using action research plans in professional learning communities assigned to specific campus needs. For example if there is a professional learning community devoted to the promotion of literacy at the campus, or a professional learning community geared specifically to the vertical alignment of the writing in all grade levels, an action research plan could be a fantastic guiding model for the community to  use.  Instead of identifying multiple issues, research can be done on one particular need and the committee can see the process address that need from identification to conclusion.  All the members would be on the same page as far as what action or actions should be taken.