Action Research in Catholic Schools: A Step-by-Step Guide for Practitioners
IEI Fellows Drs. Anthony Holter and James Frabutt have published Action Research in Catholic Schools: A Step-by-Step Guide for Practitioners, a companion text to their recent publication Research, Action, and Change: Leaders Reshaping Catholic Schools (Frabutt, Holter, & Nuzzi, 2008). Action Research in Catholic Schools provides a structured guide to developing a compelling action research project, an undertaking that is well suited for school leaders wishing to use sound research methodology for the sake of educational improvement.
The guidebook includes key features to facilitate the design and implementation of an action research project, including an example research scenario, step-by-step modules for completing an action research project, mini-lab exercises, and testimony from Catholic school educators who have already integrated action research into their roles as administrators and practitioners.
According to the authors, ”action research done well is more than an academic exercise, it is an orientation toward educational leadership that values critical examination of the school community, it is a process that engages and edifies stakeholders, and it is a set of outcomes that seek positive change.”