Action research is a very productive tool for educational leaders. It can also be called an administrator inquiry, which refers to the process of engaging in a systematic study of one's own practice, and taking action for change based on what was learned as a result. The process includes posing questions, collecting solid data to gain insight into the question being asked, analyzing that data and making the appropriate changes to improve the process. Action research is just that; taking action after gaining enough knowledge to improve yourself and the decisions that you make. It is great for professional development and continuous improvement, and should be utilized by all educational leaders. Too many times in education, great ideas and changes are discussed but nothing significant happens. With an idea like action research, administrators make personal inquiries within their own schools, and therefore, changes are actually made. When recommendations or changes are offered by outside sources, teachers don't buy in because they had no input and don't believe that individuals without educational experience can produce results. If someone who has never played basketball offers me a suggestion, I have a hard time buying in because they don't have the personal experience with the sport. As a former collegiate player, I can discuss my personal experiences with my players which I believe greatly increases their buy in to my strategies and ideas. The same goes for education and just about any other profession.
Educational leaders can use blogs to communicate tons of information to all stakeholders involved in their school. With technology so privelent in our society, constant open lines of communication are extremely important. Blogs can be used to help gain support for ideas as well.