Action research sounds like such a technical and elusive process, but in truth it is what should be at the center of every administrator's practice. When action research defines the way an administrator does their work it can lead to improved student achievement campus wide. I really like the idea of working on investigating, learning, and improving practice on an issue that is relevant to your campus and your day to day interactions with teachers and students. This kind of ongoing professional development is so different from the typical "sit and get" professional development that for so long was standard practice. You'd attend a workshop, sit quietely, take tons of notes, and leave thinking you couldn't wait to put it in place in your classroom or in your leadership practices. But, once you got back to work, it was so difficult to incorporate something new into your bag of tricks. With action research, it's not about taking notes to learn, it's about actively engaging in trial and error, in reflection, in adjustment, in trying again, and continue down this path until you see growth in your own knowledge and practice and the achievement of your students or as an administrator - growth in your teachers and students. I find it exciting to be able to identify a real issue and design a research plan to student and address the issue and not have this defined for me and I can't wait to get started!