#3: How is My STEMS^2 Research Going? Who's Askin'?

Hello out there STEMS^2ers!  Hope you are all well and thriving these days... I'm feeling the pressure and the weight to be honest... I'll try and keep this blog honest, devoid of too much negativity, and I'll even try to end on a good note!

Focus Question: How is my STEMS^2 research going?

Well.... Here's the deal.... I got sick the day after the Eddie was canceled... Just now feeling back to normal... Almost 3 weeks of a nasty head/chest cold... Now my son is battling this same sickness and my wife is on the verge of getting sick... 

So, with all that going on, How's my research going?  Honestly, Sh*tt%!  That's how.... When I get time to work, and try to have the information sink in, it just glosses over my watery eyes and mushy brain.  There's a very real combination of being loopy from cold medicine, sheer exhaustion from being sick and still working (or our baby teething and being up every 2-3 hours), and being sick...

The readings from class are very valuable and I know I can (and need to) use the information; it just hasn't connected in my brain... or in my actual work yet!

My personal research is at a turning point.  After getting really valuable feedback from DJ after our 1st Draft, I have more questions I will address in my Spotlight on Thursday...
For example, Am I really doing a Teacher Action Research Design?  How do I know this?  I know I need more information and I need to re-read the research I already have to see if this is the route I am taking... DJ thought, after we discussed and he read, my work sounded more like a self-study... I tend to agree based on the quality of the data I'm collecting, the sources of data (me, my partner teacher), and the mission or focus of my research question.... 

Research Question: How will a STEMS^2 unit and teacher action research project prepare an elementary STEM teacher to collaborate more effectively and directly with a teaching peer?

What am I really doing? Why? I should know the answers by now or hold a vague understanding of the answers.. I'm not there and it's freakin' me out!

I have some solid research but I think I need to refocus, reform my categories based on my research focus (which I feel can shift to a self study), and prioritize...

So, enough complaining... What am I going to do.... "GET ON IT!"

I finally feel better, I have a better understanding of how to use my time at home while juggling all the other responsibilities, and I've come to the conclusion... dark coffee is my savior... I'll have to deal with my addiction to caffeine later...




Action Plan:

1. Stick to my Script (my Checklist)
2. Carve-out time each day to re-read, think, and write
3. Capture more chunks of time on the weekends to do all of this EVEN MORE
4. Get to Spring Break and "GET ON IT"
1. AKA - Block-off some days to spend at the library
2. Bribe the wife
3. Beg the in-laws to help out around the house and with my son
4. Keep thinking it's all worth it and I am doing the right thing for my family

Spring of Research: How Original?

So, We had some tasks to complete, some work to do.. as always.... The tasks were:

Utilizing your research question conduct a google scholar search to vet your research question. Is there research in this field that can drawn upon and/or has this research question already been answered?
 Share your research/project question and explain how you have arrived at this specific question

Some background might help, right?  My research question is: how will a STEMS^2 unit and teacher action research project prepare an elementary STEM teacher to collaborate more effectively and directly with a teaching peer?

When I completed a Google Scholar search, I did not find any previous works with this same title or exact same research question.... That's good right?  Ha..  The good news is I found some nice text resources to help support and use for my work.  The three resources I found are books fully accessible online, which is a plus!  The down-side is, well, they are books.... not exactly easy reading or items I can just spend a few hours on.  I did skim each work to make sure there is content directly connected to my research and found some very useful information!  Another cool connection was in finding the "Inside Outside" book by Cochran-Smith & Lytle; Tara had suggested these authors back when we met and it's good to finally make the connection!  I'm a little slow on the uptake sometimes...

The books are:

Inside Outside (Cochran-Smith, Lytle)

PAR (McIntyre)

Evaluating Professional Development (Guskey)

I will continue to read and pull information from these articles as I need to support my research and the focus of my research question.  Thanks to all the excellent feedback from my Spotlight group from last week's class, I was able to narrow the scope of my question.  This session and feedback from my awesome STEMS^2 peers helped me arrive at the crux of what I am attempting to do.  We had an awesome discussion last week in class about taking these HUGE ideas and visions and narrowing them down to a fine point.  The point of the Plan B is to demonstrate the Beginning of a continued body of learning and teaching; not a culminating end.  

When I got this perspective (thanks to our professors and our class) it helped me realize how I could keep a more narrow focus while supporting a long-term vision and mission of my professional development.  I chose this topic and question based om my actual work in my school, our STEMS^2 cohort work, and my previous experiences working in the HIDOE.

I feel this question and topic will be of value to my role as K-2 STEM teacher and STEM Coach at Mauka Lani.  I get to engage and interact with over 300 students and 14 teachers on a yearly basis!    Collaboration is a HUGE component of my role and how I need to interact and engage at MLES.  I hope to gain insights into my own practices, behaviors, and interactions with my peers.  I feel this will help my direct connection and exposure with my students while supporting a more place-based, holistic educational experience.  

So, I need to keep researching, reading, and refining/editing my work!  It's a journey worth taking and I appreciate all the opportunities.... As always, thanks for reading and good luck to you all in your journey as well!!!!