Action Research 2

Action Research Design

Figure 1: Action research protocol after Kemmis (cited in Hopkins, 1985)

The essentials of action research design are considered by Elliott (in Hopkins, 1993) as above. the cycle is divided into four steps:

1. Plan - Initially an exploratory stance is adopted, where an understanding of a problem is developed and plans are made for some form of interventionary strategy.

2. Action - Then the intervention is carried out .

3. Observe - During and around the time of the intervention, pertinent observations are collected in various forms.

4. Reflect - The new interventional strategies are carried out, and the cyclic process repeats, continuing until a sufficient understanding of the problem is achieved.

The iterative nature of action research along with the major steps of planning, action, observation and reflection. The idea is to close in upon a final goal or outcome by repeated iterations.

References:

Hopkins, D. (1985). A teacher's guide to classroom research. Philadelphia: Open University Press.

Aktiviti 1

1. Refleksi ke atas masalah dalam diri anda

• berfikiran negatif terhadap Program BIG 2

2. Senarai penambahbaikan yang perlu dilakukan dalam diri anda

• haruslah selalu berfikiran positif terhadap apa-apa juga aktiviti
• selalu melibatkan diri terhadap aktiviti-aktiviti mengikut minat sendiri

3. Merancang pelan tindakan untuk menambahbaik:

• matlamat - memperbaiki dan mengurangkan permikiran yang kurang baik
• objektif - berfikiran positif

4. Pelan tindakan:

a. nyatakan langkah yang perlu diambil

• membuat persediaan awal seperti mencari maklumat terhadap aktiviti yang akan terlibat
• mendengar pengalaman rakan sebaya yang pernah menjalankan aktiviti yang akan terlibat
• membuat persediaan yang lengkap dari segi fizikal dan mental

b. merancang bagaimana anda ingin mengumpul data

• dengan melalui buku, majalah atau internet
• dengan mendengar pengalaman orang lain

c. bagaimana anda ingin memantau apa yang dirancang dilaksanakan

• melalui pandangan rakan sebaya
• membuat refleksi diri

d. bagaimana anda ingin menilai sama ada apa yang dirancang dan dilaksanakan mencapai

• bertanya diri sendiri tahap kesukaan ke atas aktiviti yang telah dijalankan
• membuat refleksi yang teliti dari segi pemikiran

Aktiviti 2

Refleksi ke atas masalah atau penambahbaikan dalam pengajaran dan pembelajaran sesuatu tajuk. Cadangkan satu startegi atau kaedah pengajaran untuk mengatasi masalah tersebut.

Tajuk: Enzim

Masalah: Pengajaran tradisional yang membosankan

Strategi: - penggunaan ABM yang sesuai seperti animasi, graf, model dan sebagainya

- rancangan pengajaran yang lebih menarik seperti menggunakan "cooperative learning"

- mengaitkan isi pengajaran dengan kehidupan seharian pelajar

Pelan tindakan:

1. matlamat: konsep enzim

objektif: menerangkan ciri-ciri enzim yang unik dengan tepat

2. nyatakan langkah-langkah yang perlu diambil

• menggunakan animasi untuk menerangkan bagaimana proses itu berlaku
• menggalakkan interaksi antara pelajar dengan membentuk kumpulan perbincangan
• memberi contoh yang efektif seperti kunci-mangga

3. merancang bagaimana anda ingin mengumpul data

• melalui permerhatian atas hasil perbincangan dan kerjasama pelajar
• melalui sesi soal jawab
• melalui latihan atau ujian

4. bagaimana anda ingin memantau apa yang dirancang dilaksanakan

• berdasarkan jawapan yang diberi oleh pelajar melalui sesi soal jawab
• berdasarkan jawapan

5. bagaimana anda ingin menilai sama ada apa yang dirancang dan dilaksanakan dicapai

• melalui refleksi
• melalui hasil penganalisan data

Action Research 1

Definition

• The study of a social situation in order to improve the quality of the action within it (Elliott, 1991).
• Action research is a process in which participants examine their own educational practice systematically and carefully, using the techniques of research (Watts, 1985).
• Action research happens when people are involved in researching their own practice in order to improve it andto come to a better understanding of their practice situations.
  Action: act within the systems that they are trying to improve and understand.
  Research: systematic, critical inquiry which made public (Feldman, 2007).
  
  
  Concepts of Action Research
• reflective process that allows for inquiry and discussion
• interactive process that integrates theory with practice, through reflection and action planning
  prefer action rather than dealing with the theoretical
• concerned with diagnosing a problem and attempting to solve it
• focus a specific problem in a specific setting
• it aims to:
  - feed practical judgment in concrete situations
  - feed validity of the theories or hypotheses
• Importance:
  - To carry out development work
  - Broaden the knowledge and professional competency
  - Practice to strengthen and develop positive features
  - inform and change the practices in the future
  - carried out within the context of the teacher’s environment
  - a quest for knowledge about how to improve
  - Involves people working to improve their skills, techniques, and strategies
• To be a good action researcher,
  - Reflect on what we do
  - Speculate on the possible implications of every situation
  - Generate theories to be tested in action
  
  
  
  Steps of Doing Action Research
  
• According to Margules (1977),
  "in combining action processes (planning, implementation, and evaluation) with research processes (problem identification, hypothesis formation, and testing), the result is a sequence of steps and activities that identify the relevant events that must happen in the initiation and implementation of change."
• The essential steps in action research are the following:
  1. Analysis of the problems
  2. Research designs on how to solve the problems
  3. Implementation of action plan
  4. Evaluation of results of implementation
  
  
  Different Kinds of Action Research
  
  There are different kinds of action research depending upon the participants involved which shown as below:
  1. individual action research
  - focuses on a single issue in the classroom
  - working concurrently on the same problem with no knowledge of the work of others may also say as individual research
  - seeking solutions to problems of classroom management, instructional strategies, use of materials, or student learning
  - support by supervisor, principal, instructor for a course or parents
  - The problem is one that can be addressed on an individual basis
  - may not be shared with others
  2. collaborative action research
  - may include as few as two participants
  - the issue may involve one classroom or a common problem shared by many classrooms
  - support by individuals outside of the school, such as a university or community partner
  3. school-wide research
  - focuses on issues common to all
  - involve most of the teams of staff from the school
  - emphasize on team work and individual contributions to the whole
  4. district-wide research
  - more complex than others
  - utilizes more resources, but the rewards can be great
  - Issues can be organizational, community-based, performance-based, or processes for decision-making
  - Involve several schools or one of organizational management
  - involvement of multiple constituent groups can lend more energy to the process
  
  
  Examples
  
  Canning is one of the methods that school teachers mostly used in controlling students discipline in classroom. However, it physically and mentally brings some negative influence to certain students and is not suitable for further uses. In order to solve this solution, “reinforcement” can be used rather than punishment. Positive reinforcement can be done by having a reward as encouragement for the students who finished work. A part of these, negative reinforcement can also be given by not giving the students’ unlikely job as they finish the work. For example, Andrew not needs to throw the dustbin if he finishes his homework today. Different kinds of reinforcement can be used in different time and situations. It can be given continuously or randomly.
  
  
  References
  Cohen L, Manion L: Research Methods in Education. London, Croom Helm, 1980.
  Elliott, J. (1991). Action Research for Educational Change. PA: Open University Press.
  Marguiles N. (1977). Managing change in health care organization. Medical Care 15:693-704.
  Feldman, A. (2007).Teachers, Responsibility and Action Research. Educational Action Research, 15 (2): 239-252.
  Ferrance, E. (2000). Action Research. Brown University: Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory.
  Watts, H. (1985). When teachers are researchers, teaching improves. Journal of Staff Development, 6 (2): 118-127.