Action Research 9

Data Collection

1. There are various way in collecting data.

2. 3 reasons in achieving high quality of action research:

• responsibility
• effectiveness
• to generate knowledge

3. Criteria in measuring the quality of action research:

• validity - refers to the degree to which a study accurately reflects or assesses the specific concept that the researcher is attempting to measure
• reliability - refer to the extent to which an experiment, test, or any measuring procedure yields the same result on repeated trials

4. There are 5 basic steps in action research:

• step 1: problem determination
• step 2: action plan
• step 3: data collection
• step 4: data analysis
• step 5: reflection

5. Tools in collecting data:

• observation (videotape)
• teachers' notes or comments
• students' works
• journals
• tests
• survey (questionnaire)
• interviews (audio tape)

References: http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/research/relval/pop2a.cfm

Activity:

Review the proposal which had been done before and emphasize in data collection part.

Action Research 6

Activity 1:

Discuss one of the topic that you learnt in seminar serantau with your partner according to the following point:

• topic

ASYNCHRNOUS COMPUTER MEDIATED COMMUNICATON: MALAYSIAN ADULT LEARNERS VIEWS

• why?

The demand of new delivery system has become more urgent for local and foreign institutions of higher learning.

• what?

The latest technological tool, computer mediated communication (CMC) will pave the way for new opportunities in online learning environments in the future. This converage will enable ault learners to embrace life long learning as a way to acquire, improve and update their knowledge and skills.

• how?

The learners' views of asynchronous computer mediated communication (ACMC) through threaded online discussion via a learning management system in achieving their learning tasks had been investigated. The insight of adult learners' views of ACMC and the precedent for many more such studies in other colleges and Institute of higher learning can be provided through this finding.

• procedure?

A four-pronged data collection procedure which involved both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed in this descriptive study. The quatitative data was obtained by administering a survey questionnaire to all 16 adult part-time 3rd year learners. The qualitative data was obtained by conducting semi-structured interviews with 6 case respondents and 1 course tutor. This method of analysis limits to general statistical analysis by using SPSS version 11.5 WIN software. Frequencies, percentage, mean and standard deviation were obtained to report the research findings.

Activity 2:

Write a proposal of action research with your group members (5 members per group) and submit on Thursday, 28 May.

1. Tajuk
Meningkatkan Kemahiran Menyangga Dalam Aktiviti Bola Tampar Bagi Pelajar Tingkatan Satu Sekolah Menengah Kajang Utama

2. Nama Penyelidik
Junaidon B Abdul Majid P48695
Siti Nazirah Bt Abd Wahab P48718
Chiong Ai Hua P48582
Suzana Bt Mohd Fauzi P48659
Nuraini Bt Abdul Rashid P48576

3. Latar Belakang Kajian
Kebanyakan pelajar Tingkatan Satu sekolah ini kurang mahir dalam teknik menyangga bola tampar terutamanya bagi pelajar perempuan. Teknik menyangga ialah satu teknik menyambut bola yang diservis oleh pihak lawan.

4. Masalah / Fokus Kajian
Masalah yang sering pelajar hadapi ialah apabila pihak lawan servis bola tersebut, mereka tidak dapat menyambut (menyangga) bola berkenaan. Kajian kali ini memfokuskan kepada pelajar Tingkatan Satu di Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Kajang Utama.

5. Rasional Kajian
Rasional kajian ini dijalankan kerana teknik ini merupakan sebahagian daripada modul Pendidikan Jasmani dan Kesihatan Tingkatan Satu.

6. Objektif Kajian
Objektif kajian ini adalah untuk meningkatkan kemahiran pelajar-pelajar dalam teknik menyangga bola tampar.

7. Kumpulan Sasaran
Kumpulan sasaran ialah seramai 60 orang yang terdiri daripada dua kelas pelajar Tingkatan Satu.

8. Perlaksanaan Kajian

• Pemerhatian Awal
  Daripada pemerhatian didapati pelajar sering bermasalah melakukan teknik menyangga bola tampar. Hal ini kerana pelajar kurang pendedahan awal di peringkat sekolah rendah dalam aktiviti bola tampar. Mereka juga tidak diajar dengan teknik yang betul.
• Perancangan
  Bagi mengatasi masalah ini satu perancangan khusus telah dibuat dengan menggunakan kaedah simulasi (tunjuk cara) kemudian pelajar melakukannya sambil diperhatikan oleh guru. Guru juga akan memperbaiki dengan segera jika pelajar menggunakan teknik-teknik yang salah.
• Tindakan
  Guru memperuntukkan dua masa (80 minit) seminggu dan dilaksanakan sebanyak tiga kitaran.
• Permantauan
  Daripada permantauan, pencapaian pelajar dalam teknik menyangga bola tampar haruslah ditingkatkan sebanyak 80 peratus.

9. Kesimpulan
Melalui kajian ini diharapkan sedikit sebanyak dapat membantu pelajar meningkatkan kemahiran menyangga bola tampar.

Action Research 5

REPORT OF SEMINAR SERANTAU

Title: Asynchronous Computer Mediated Communication: Malaysian Adult Learners Views

Presenter: Ranjit Kaur a/p Gurdial Singh

Section: 3A3

Date/Day: 20 Mei 2009

Time: 9.10am-9.30am

Location: Ballroom

President: Dr Saemah Rahman

Note-taker: Chiong Ai Hua

Thesis Statement:

1. Asynchronous computer mediated communication (ACMC) is catalyst towards producing lifelong autonomous learners.
2. This paper explores Malaysian adult learners' views in participating through ACMC in a local private university in Malaysia.
3. ACMC enables the learners to improve computer skills, accord their flexibility, create social presence, aid collaboration, overcome learners shyness and provide avenue to learners to obtain full marks for online discussions.

Question:

1. How to overcome the problem if the participants are not active in online discussion or interaction?

Answer:

1. It will be strictly no marks if the participants inactive in online discussion.

Tugasan 2: Ulasan Journals

Journal 1
Title: Using Student Interviews to Guide Classroom Instruction: An Action Research Project
Author: Larry Buschman
Published Year: 2001

Journal 2
Title: Participatory Action Research: A Theoritical and Practical Framework of Environmental Education
Author: Kalay Mordock and Marianne E. Krasny
Published Year: 2001

Journal 3
Title: Breaking Barriers: Building Research Partnerships Between Special Education Teachers and Universities in Action Research in Singapore
Author: Karen P. Nonis
Published Year: 2008

1: Comparison - Similarity and Differences

(a) sample

Journal 1: students

Journal 2: Teachers

Journal 3: participants and educators

The sample research is different based on 3 articles. However, the sample of action research in education is always related to students and teachers rather than educaters.

(b) setting

Journal 1: classroom

Journal 2: 4 different case study site (New York City- Far Rockaway, Brooklyn, Roundout Valley High School and Armonk)

Journal 3: Universities

The study site is also different based on 3 articles. However, both 3 settings of articles can be categorized as public setting.

(c) Procedure

Journal 1:

- identify the problem

- action research plan

- findings and implications

- conclusions

- summary

- reflection

Journal 2:

- analyzing problem

- doing literature review

- designed appropriate methodology

- data collection and analysis

- discuss the implications

- conclusions

Journal 3:

- identify problem

- review of previous studies

- designed appropriate methods

- data reduction and analysis

- results and discussions

- making conclusions

Basically, the procedure of action research which carried out by three different journals are same. The roughly idea is reflect, plan, action and observe which as I mentioned in Tugasan 1. Other than that, the 1st journal specially emphasize the "practice" as one of the procedure in action research.

(d) Data Collection and Analysis

Journal 1: interview, observation, scoring guides, portfolio and statewide test

Journal 2: observation, open-ended interviews and review of documents

Journal 3: Likert Scle Survey

There are various methods of data collection and analysis had been used in 3 different articles. In Journal 2, more than one qualitative methodologies had been used in order to increase the reliability and validity of the data.

2: Analysis

Journal 1:

In this article, the data had been collected by using combination of different techniques. and were then summarized using qualitative data collection techniques. the effectiveness of the interviews in influencing the ways that teachers teach mathematics were been focused. A follow-up analysis will be conducted over the next five years to examine the changes in student performance to reduce the bias of differences in teacher classroom practices

Journal 2:

This study had been designed to collect information and gain insights that might have general applicability rather than to test a predetermined hypothesis. In this study, four case study approach that incorporates qualitative techniques had been designed to explore their programs in depth and to follow up with questions if necessary. Reliability and validity of final case study report were determined after having complete data collection.

Journal 3:

In this study, a Likert Scle Survey was developed and ministered separately. The frequency of the responses for each item were calculated and then converted to percentages. The percentage responses calculated for Strongly Disagree and Disagree were combined as well as Strongly Agree and Agree. It aimed for understanding better of teachers' keenness or reluctance to participate in research.

3: Evaluation

Journal 1:

Teachers benefits directly from the interview process by gaining more accurate and complete view of what children know and can do. From here, they can catch the instruction of individual needs and the abilities of children. Children also benefit from the interview process because they can receive immediately the specific feedback on their performance from teachers, correct misunderstanding and improve skills.

Journal 2:

This study enabled students to learn new skills and science concepts regarding the non point pollution, epidemiology of lead poisoning, changes in land use over time, air photo and map interpretation. Involvement in conducting research also motivated students to become more engaged in science learning.

Journal 3:

The results strongly supported that teachers are interested in participating in action research especially when they received the support of the University researchers. . However, they did not have the enough time to participate. This was because they were overwhelmed with their current course work and also juggling with family life. In addition, the majority of teachers in this study lack of knowledge in research skills. So, it is recommended that University lecturers could include projects that require research methodology in their courses applied to filed experience.

4: Summary

Journal 1:

Student interviews changed instructional practices in some classroom and influenced instruction in all classrooms. All teachers reported that after the interviews, they were

• able to identify students who were ready for the new level of conceptual understanding
• able to write better and suitable problems for use in classroom
• tried to make the classroom setting more conducive to discussing children's solutions to problems
• recognised the need for a learning environment in which they could solve problems cooperatively with others
• gained a sense of confidence in the natural abilities of children as problem solvers

Journal 2:

Positive social and environmental change is the underlying purpose of environment education. In this study, the Aerial Perspective students learned how to use their results to cause change. Direct action had been took by organizing a conference that brought heightened media and community attention to environmental and social issues. Engaging students in research, results in changes.

Journal 3:

The majority of teachers were interested in participating in research. However, they have to concerned about the support from their schools before they participate in collaborative research projects with universities. The support was in in the form of recognition by the participating schools and university researchers and also time off work.

5: Synthesis

Journal 1:

Traditional forms of evaluation can measure improvement of children's acquisition of specific skills and their performance levels. However, it cannot tell teachers how children learn to think mathematically, why children make errors, or what kind of feedback can help children become better problem solvers. In contrast, using multiple form of assessment-interview, can give benefits to both children and teachers. According to the results, interviews are a more appropriate assessment tools than traditional form of evaluation in examining the performance of children engaged in mathematical problem solving. However, the proper plan, action, observe and reflect, as well as the questions that teachers might want to ask during interviews need to be developed in effective way in order to succeed this action research.

Journal 2:

According to this study, the investigation of 4 case study had been conducted by Aerial Perspective students. The Aerial Perspective Program demonstrated how participatory action research can provide a framework for realizing environmental education goals. They focused on community land use issues which in cooperation with teachers, non-formal educators and also the community members. On the basis of the results, they organized activities to make some positive changes in their local environments.

Journal 3:

Teachers have important contributions to make in applied research and also reluctant to be involved in research. In this study, the interest of special education teachers' to participate in action research were investigated. A Likert Scale Survey which consists of 25 questions categorized under 6 criteria had been administered. The frequency and percentage responses were calculated. The results showed that majority of teachers were interested to participate in action research. However, teachers' participation was highly depend on the level of support that they received.

Tugasan 1: Ulasan Buku

Title : Teachers Investigate hteir Work-An introduction to action research
across the professions (2nd edition)
Year Published: 2008
Author : Herbert Altrichter, Allan Feldman, Peter Posch and Bridget Somekh
Publication : Routledge, New York
Guideline:

1. KONSEP KAJIAN TINDAKAN
2. Mengapa guru perlu buat kajian tindakan
3. REKA BENTUK KAJIAN TINDAKAN
   model
   sampel / participant
   seting kajian
4. PROSEDUR KAJIAN TINDAKAN
5. PENGUMPULAN DAN PENGANALISISAN DATA
   instrumen kajian
   teknik pengumpulan data
   teknik penganalisisan data
6. ETIKA KAJIAN TINDAKAN (research ethics)
7. KEBOLEHPERCAYAAN DAN KESAHAN KAJIAN TINDAKAN (Reliability & Validity)
8. Penilaian Keseluruhan terhadap buku ini
   
   
   1: Concept of action research

Action research is the study of a social situation with a view of improving the quality of the action within it. It is action because people act within the systems that they are trying to understand and improve. It is intended to support practitioner researchers in coping with the challenges and carrying through innovations in a reflective way. Action research can be developed in various way. One is to read about practical methods and theories and another one is to study what other practitioners actually did in order to reflect on and imrpoving their practice.

The research into social situations especially when it related to human behavour, there is never got one clear answer and always involves uncovering the unexpected. To be a good action researcher, it is important to understand and sense the whole research process as an art to be continuosly perfected rather than a set of procedures that can be applied unproblematically. Besides that, we must also learn to reflect on what we have done, speculate on the possible implications of every situation and then generate theories to be tested in action.

2: Why we need to do an action research?

1. to take in depth look of our own teaching
2. to increase knowledge and skills of teaching and learning and our proffesional competency
3. to promote an understanding of teaching as intellectual and creative work
4. to improve ourself through reflection
5. to develop teaching and learning communities

3: Action Design

The action research design can be divided into 4 steps:

1. plan - identify the problem and plan the suitable strategies
2. action - carried out intervention
3. observation - one of the way in collecting data
4. reflect - repeat the cycle by carried out new strategies

4: Procedures of action research

As a starter, our research can be made up of nine steps. all the steps are interrelated. identify a

• research support group

We need to established ourself as part of a group that can share experiences and provide mutual support. All the members need to be active and involved in research and be good listeners for one another. Various strategies can be used in order to help groups to provide each other with high quality support.

• identify the collaborating research partners

These are usually the people who directly involved in the situation that we will be researching. The more closely involved with this partners, it is more powerful in bring out the changes. However, the less control of the partners will have over the direction of change.

• begin keeping a record of our research activities

This process can be also called as "research journal". The key idea is to build up an idea that come to us which related to our professional activities. The focus of this process will shift to more explicit recording of research activities.

• decide on the starting point for our research and begin investigating it

Starting points can be of many different kinds. There may be some problems, questions, or new approaches that want us to investigate. All of these approaches are fine because it refined that we want to start our research.

• clarify the starting point

This is the process of refining our research area through collecting and analyzing data. Sometimes, this stage may be frustrating because it need an important skill that we need to develop over time. However, it become interesting when we see some points from the data that we analyze.

• collect data systematically

Data collection is one of the important part of our research. In this process, we need to learn how to collect rich data according to different situation.

• analyze data

it is initially the most difficult process of our research. It is hard for us to significantly analyze the data. But, there are some techniques, methods and startegies that are useful in the process of analysis.

• developing action strategies and putting them into practice

When we start recording our impressions and reflection in our research, we will feel urge to start taking action. this very immediate feedback from research to practice is great benefits of proffesionals getting involved in action research. We will be able to plan action strategies more systematically when beginning to develop greater competence.

• published the knowledge that we make

The powerful of the research cannot be effective until it is shared shared with others. In practice, action research is never a finished process because each set of findings give rise to new ideas for action strategies and another cycle begins.

5: Data Collection and Data Analysis

Data Collection

Data is the material traces or representations of events and therefore are givens in a physical sense which can be passed on, stored and made accessible to many people. The data can be regarded as relevant by a researcher, providing evidence with respect to the issues investigated.

Three characteristics of data are important:

1. Data can only represent events selectively.
2. Process of selected data is depends on interpretative processes by the researcher.
3. Data are static because of their material character. Events lose their dynamic quality and cannot develop anymore.

What are or are not data depends on the research question. If the research is about the use of language by students, their written work or a recording of their conversations will be important data.

One way to develop a data collection plan is first write down a statement of the problem or question. The following question can be used as guideline:

• What do we need to know to better understand the situation and make decision about our practice?
• What types of data will provide us with the information that we need?
• What types of data are already available to us?
• What types of data do we need to generate?
• What instruments will we need to generate and collect data?
  

Action researchers can access different variety methods in collecting data. There are few ways mentioned as below:

1. existing archival data
   Written documents are the most obvious existing material that can be used as data. One of the examples is students’ attendance records. There is also unwritten evidence: for example, the appearance of a classroom. Using existing data has some advantages like higher credibility, can be collected relatively quickly and provides evidence of events that may not be accessible by other methods.
2. observing and documenting situations
   Observation is a normal process. Each type of practice in which we work with other human beings entails continuously looking for answers to practical questions. However, it is diffuse, biased and ephemeral. These weaknesses can be overcome by using systematic observation procedures. There are four ways of observing and documenting a situation: direct observation, audio-recording, photography and video-recording.
3. interviewing
   Interviews can be developed from daily conversation. They give access to other people’s perceptions, including the thoughts, attitudes and opinions that lie behind their behavior. However, this access is limited because it only brings to light what the interviewee thinks.
4. the written survey
   The written survey is a kind of formalized interview. The difference is, in a survey the interviewer cannot respond immediately to the answer or questions. Questionnaire is one of the most obvious examples that often used by researcher.
5. Collecting data as part of daily practice
   Data is also available from practitioners’ daily practice. One of the first things done is to take a patient’s case history. It can also be easy to adapt regular practice in order to generate relevant data.
6. triangulation
   The strategy of triangulation can also be used in our research. By combining different methods of data collection, we can better “locate” the meaning of our data. For example, triangulation may consist of a combination of observation and interview in order to get the perspective of our students.
   

In short, we emphasize that data collection does not replace what we learn from daily experience, but is based on it and should also support it where this is useful.

Data Analysis

The constructive data analysis process can be represented in a cycle of four steps:

1. reading data
2. selecting data
3. presenting data
4. interpreting data and drawing conclusions
   

6, 7: Validity, reliability and ethical justification of action research

According to Hammersley (1992), validity is valid or true account if it represents accurately those features of the phenomena that it is intended to describe, explain or theorize. Validity is always associated with quantitative research that uses statistical analysis of measurements. Because of this, many action researchers have rejected the use of the idea of validity. However, we believe that it is possible for action researchers to do research that is of high enough quality for it to be considered “valid”. The below are some criteria for improving the quality of action research:

1. considering alternative perspectives
   Consideration of alternative perspective is an important criterion in judging the quality of action research. Empirical research, objectivity, validity and reliability are commonly regarded as central criteria for judging quality. Action researchers can discover weak points in their research and raise it quality if they confront their findings with alternative perspectives of the situation. If discrepancies increase, these can be used as starting points for further reflection and development.
2. testing through practical action
   The validity of new knowledge or understanding can be tested through practical action. We construct practical theories when we apply our new knowledge and understandings. Practical theories can be the sources of hypotheses that we can test through actions that we take in our practice.
3. ethical justification
   There may be some scientists who are unaware of their discoveries will have some effect on society. Action research as we define it is research involving the people who want to do something to improve the way they work with other human beings. Action research always interferes with social situations. It always has an effect on the action researcher. Therefore, it is important for action researchers to be aware of ethical quality criteria when we carry out the action research.
4. practicality
   The high quality of action research needs to be compatible with the work and life of action researchers. It means that the research design should be compatible with the temporal and spatial flow imposed by practitioner’s main responsibility and also compatible with the professional culture of the practice field.

8: Summary

Action research is carried out by people directly concerned with th social situation that is being researched. It starts from practical questions arising from everyday professional practice. It is characterized by a continuing effort to closely relate, confront and interlink action and reflection. However, it must be compatible with the educational values of the workplace and with its working condition.

Action Research 4

The action research process works through:

• literature review - body of text that aims to review the critical points of current knowledge on a particular topic. need higher thinking level
• comparison and differentiation - The act or process of comparing and differentiating especially when the situation is confusing
• analysing - to separate the information or idea into parts for better undesrtanding and studying their interrelations
• evaluating - to judge or discover the worth or effectiveness of certain things
• concluding - to arrive at a logical conclusion by the process of reasoning; infer on the basis of convincing evidence
• synthesizing - to combine all the information with other related issues or information in order to attain a particular effect

Aktiviti Kumpulan (Teori Perubahan)

Nyatakan 8 sebab mengapa orang menentang perubahan dan bincangkan penyelesaiannya.
1. Selesa dengan keadaan sedia ada
- Mengadakan sistem ganjaran untuk menggalakan perubahan
2. Malas hendak melakukan perubahan
- Mengadakan sistem ganjaran untuk menggalakan perubahan
3. Pemikiran konservatif
- Meyakinkan orang ramai supaya menerima untuk melakukan perubahan
4. Buang masa dan wang
- Mengadakan sistem ganjaran untuk menggalakan perubahan
5. Ketidakpastian hasil perubahan
- Meyakinkan orang ramai tentang hasil positif perubahan
6. Pandangan berbeza daripada majoriti
- berani mengambil langkah untuk melakukan perubahan
7. Takut kepada perubahan
- Meyakinkan orang ramai tentang hasil positif perubahan
8. Kurang pengetahuan tentang perubahan yang hendak dilakukan
- Menambahkan pengetahuan mengenai perubahan yang hendak dilakukan

Action Research 3

Teori Perubahan

• Dalam bidang pendidikan, perubahan adalah tidak dapat dielakkan. Perubahan yang berlaku berkemungkinan menwujudkan ketidakpastian. Keadaan ini haruslah dielakkan.
• Mengikut Dessler (1995), terdapat 4 jenis perubahan, iaitu:

- perubahan ke arah peningkatan

- perubahan strategik organisasi

- perubahan reaktif

- perubahan akibat daripada jangkaan

• Perubahan adalah kompleks yang banyak meliputi proses:

- evolusi

- revolusi

• Perubahan adalah berdimensi yang merangkumi 6 aspek:

- tujuan perubahan

- unit perubahan

- sifat perubahan

- magnitud perubahan

- skop perubahan

- jangkamasa perubahan

• Terdapat 4 jenis model perubahan:

- Model penggabungan Roger

- Model Kanter

- Model Rand

- Model Acot