Arisza
Before Hajah Halimah ends her last lecture, she assigned us to make a proposal regarding to the action research. We are divided into a group of five and must complete the proposal before the next lecture.


My group members were:

1. Mohd Amin b Zakaria

2. Nazirah bt Alias

3. Masitah bt Abdullah

4. Rumaizah bt Muhamad

5. Me myself =)


As been agreed by all members, our proposal entitled "Meningkatkan Penguasaan Bahasa Inggeris Dalam Konteks Kosa Kata dan Penggunaannya Menggunakan Permainan Sahibba".

As you already know, English is still one of the major problem among the students especially those in sub-urban and rural areas. There were few steps been taken to overcome this problems, but here, we, thought that the root of the problem cames from lack of English vocabulary hence cause students hard to speak or use english as their second language after the mother tongue. Therefore, we decided to choose a game named Sahibba (Scrabble) since kids (students) love to involve in any games nowadays.

To start this, first, students will have to fill a form in which their particulars such as name, sex, current english grade, perception upon the subject and etc will be stated. They will then divided into groups of four or less depend on the students number (since maximum number person play per game were four). The rules of game is still the same as stated in the manual but in addition, each student had to record the word that he used along with the definition(s). Also, he must record words comes from the other players. At the end of the day, after the game finished, each student will be given test to determine their understanding for each words used in the game.

Data collected then analyzed. increase in students' achievement after the game determine the successfull of the research. if not, we will do the 2nd cycle with adjustment and better technique.

Arisza
Guess...
What is interesting here? You better read this.

After been taught by Dr Siti and Dr Izham, Cik Hajah Halimah took turn to teach us.. I never meet or know her before, so, i wonder what kind of people she is. Suprisingly, in the first lecture she ask us to write our opinion and feelings towards this subject and then draw a picture
of a tree in the space left on the same paper depend on our creativity. This really attract my attention since i love to draw. I draw a big tree that nearly fill entire page; big trunks, small branch and bunch of leaves with some of them fall with the presence of wind. She then ask us to submit the paper to her.

To tell the truth, i wrote how confusing i am towards this Action Research. Although i am well understood the concept of AR, to do it, still a long journey to go. But Hajah Halimah didn't read our comment / feeling there. She just tell us about the tree we drew. Tree repersents ourself. the bigger the tree, the more confident the person. In addition to that, she commented that almost the students draw the 'Malaysian Tree'. Hehehe... Do you know what is the 'Malaysian Tree'? Completely like my tree (i mentioned you earlier) =).. Only one student draw a christmas tree (since she just back from family vacation), and some were the coconut tree.

Arisza
Uhuh...guess what?i just got the chance to share with you the book i recently read. Here's the detail if u are interested to read it too:

Authors : McNiff, Jean & Whitehead, Jack
Year Published : 2006
Title : All You Need To Know About ACTION RESEARCH
State : London
Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd

This book consist of seven (7) chapters which are:

Part I : What Do I Need To Know?
Part II : Why Do I Need To Know?
Part III : How Do I Found Out?
Part IV : How Do I Generate Evidence To Support My Claim To Knowledge?
Part V : How Do I Test and Critique My Knowledge?
Part VI : How Do I Represent and Disseminate My Knowledge?
Part VII : How Do I Know The Significance of My Knowledge?

What?

This book is focusing on the meaning of action research (AR) and who does the AR. As i had told you before, AR is a research in which the researcher involve himself in the project as well as the other subjects. The questions arise are 'What am i doing?', ' What do i need to improve?', 'How do i improve it?' and etc. This AR is done not because somebody told you so, but it comes upon the researcher decision himself.

Mcniff describe the process in AR as ongoing starting with problem identification by the practitioner and the observe - reflect - act - evaluate - modify - observe (new direction) cycle is known as Action-reflection cycle.

Although AR is known as to improve self perception or practices, some action researcher still maintain an exclusive self-perception as external researchers do : looking of what other people do. This has build up boundaries that separate the researcher and the others. However, when the researchers become involved it the situation, possibly they become the participants. And when this happen, the boundaries that has been separate themselves with other people dissolved, consequently the people see them as one, united in a common endeavor to improve their own situations.

Why?

AR is done to generate new knowledge, a special kind one, and in education, the AR is seen to be a methodology for real world social change. Important: AR can be done for many purposes but not for all.

Also, we can say that doing AR is to contribute to new practices and theory where we are improving our learning to improve practice.

Where?

Action research in different research paradigms:
  • Technical rational (empirical) research
  • Interpretive research
  • Critical theoretical research
When?

You can use AR when you want to seek improvement to your understanding on a theory or else or to develop your learning BUT not when you want to do comparisons, show statistical correlations or to demonstrate a cause and effect relationship.

Who?

Everyone can do the AR, from a student to managers, administrators or other professions. And those who do investigations to find way to improve is become a knowledge creator. But this perception is not accept by all people. Some people said practitioner should not involve in research and generating knowledge. If you refer to the book, the figure of topology of professional landscapes show that the high ground mainly occupied by academics, who produce pure education's conceptual theory which regarded as legitimate by both academics and practitioners. In the other hand, the practitioners who occupy the swampy lowlands, involved in everyday practices and create knowledge that valuable for everyday lives should not be regarded as legitimate creator as well as the knowledge should not be regarded as a theory.

In Schon view, the knowledge created in swampy lowlands is benefited the ordinary people while the high ground is far from the practicalities of everyday life hence does not receive the ordinaries in a meaningful and relevant way. It is a must to know that practitioner's knowledge do important in contribute to new practices and theories.

All people who doing AR should regard themselves as practitioners, regardless of role or setting, who are involved in learning and influencing the learning of others.

How?

To do an AR, you must first develop an action plan. But prior to that also, identify the possible opportunities and constraints as well as do an audit around what resources you may need. You need to think about the practical aspects of each steps, the resources and consider the ethical issues related.

Suggested Questions to consider while planning the action.
  • What is my concern?
  • Why am i concerned?
  • What experiences can i describe to show the situation as it is?
  • What can i do about it?
  • What will i do about it?
  • How will i gather data to show the situation as it unfolds?
  • How will i evaluate my potential influence?
  • How will i ensure that any conclusions are reasonably fair and accurate?
  • How will i evaluate the validity of the evidence-based account of my learning?
  • How will i modify my concerns, ideas and practices in the light of my evaluation?

After develop an action plan, it's time to accomplish it. To do so, please refer to the questions or steps when you develop the action plan. This is to ensure that all are done accordingly. However, the suggested questions must be adapted to the questions that suit your own circumstances. You must use your imagination on how to do your research.

One of the important step is gathering the data. In order to get the useful and not irrelevant data, you need to decide what you are looking for, where and how you might find it. What things you want to look must be in relation with the research question. Therefore, you will focus to certain needed data and not wasting your time.

There are many techniques in gathering the data. You can use Field Notes where the notes wrote is your actions note. Notes can be written everywhere, whether in a special notebook or the back of your hand. Notes can be straight, mind maps shape, diagrams or in pictures. Researcher also can use record sheets and observation schedules to gather data as well as to maintain records. Other techniques are sociometric analysis, written accounts, personal log and diaries, questionnaires and surveys and interviews.

The data which found in the textual accounts of people practices (documented and living) can be gathered form few resource:
  • Documented practices
  • Living practices
  • Role and play performance
  • Artworks
  • Video
Gathering the data is to generate evidence and to generate it involving data analysis. The more systematic you store your data, the easier it will be when you come to select the data you want to stand as evidence. The accumulated data are called data archive. The data is safer if you sort it into categories. As your research progress, the number of categories is increased as well.

There are four steps when you want to generate evidence based on the data accumulated:
  1. What you are going to claim (as knowledge)
  2. Establishing criteria and standard of judgement
  3. Selecting the data desired
  4. Generating evidence in relation to your criteria and standard of judgement
After you have turn the data to evidence, it is time to validate your claim. Validity shows the truthfulness or trustworthiness of a matter and also your confidence as the researcher. Validity can be done by arranging for critiques. Critiques may come from critical friends or validation group. Those people are come from your professional circle who are stay along the project from beginning to end. Differ from the critical friends, validation group have to meet the researcher at regular intervals to listen to the account of research.

Ethical Issues

When you are doing a research, and involving other people, you must consider the ethical issues because this is a matter of courtesy and law moreover if you involving children and vulnerable people. There are three aspects to consider:
  • negotiating and securing access to do research, permission from parents or legal caregivers before you start your research
  • protecting your participants details and do give yourself room to be trusted
  • assuring good faith as to create a good reputation in which people willing to work with someone their trusted
Conclusion

Action research is a good way to improve practices and our learning. Nowadays, teacher known as the best judges of their own practice, and the best place to take main responsibility for the initial education. If you want to do AR, i suggest this book as it tells from A to Z, how you can do it and other things related to the research that you are going to do.
Arisza
Urghh...what a tiresome day..plus these itchy wheals make me all gone uncomfortable..The me only "garu2" the whole day; oh my poor hands, legs, shoulder, neck...Errr, actually it is not something i want to discuss in this post.. just babbling about hehehe...

I just finish reading 3 jurnals that related to the action research which were:

A narrative of my ontological transformation as i develop, pilot, and evaluate a curriculum for the healing and reflective nurse in a faculty of nursing

Je Kan Adler Collins

Educational Journal of Living Theories,
Volume 2(1): 1-31
2009

This journal is focused on the researcher's knowledge-creation as he finding the answer of his question (the journal title) and contribute to the development of a new epistemology for a new scholarship of educational inquiry for healing nurses at the Faculty of Nursing of Fukuoka Prefectural University in Japan. His spiritual values are the core of this researcher's being and actions.


How can I encourage my pupils to think critically through collaborative online-learning?

Donal O'Mahony

Educational Journal of Living Theories, Volume 2(1): 121-139
2009

Donal is a History teacher that in effort to make his students think critically about the subject which means engage to the syllabus contents and not just for the purpose of completing the course. Also, the purpose of his research is to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. In this research Donal use the ICT application as an approach to achieve his objective.


Supporting collaboration in my work place through the use of Moodle

Teressa Hennessy
Educational Journal of Living Theories, Volume 2(1): 96-120
2009


The researcher is making an effort to improve her practice in her workplace using Moodle, a collaborative online-learning environment since she is the co-ordinator of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in a large urban school in Dublin. This action research has led the researcher to deeper understanding about her practice and herself as the practitioner-researcher.

The similarity of those research is that the researchers using collaborative approach for learning.

For Je Kan Adler Collins research, he use his student as the sample of the effectiveness of the new curricular he brought. He set the scene based on his learning experiences in military and medical course and not to forget his belief as a Buddhist. His intention is guided by the Four-fold path thus structuring his emerging epistemology. In Japan, it is a sensitive issue in term of the culture that differ from the researcher as he come and graduated from Western area.The old way of teaching and learning of nursing in Japan is the 'Chalk and Talk' where teachers has more autonomy of the establishment and teaching styles. Therefore, the researcher use another way in which students being placed in group to reduce the gap between students through team-work. In reality, nurse may be moved from the team or ward as staffing and corcumstances dictates in the work-environment. The ability to form effective team-relationships and flexibility is tobelieve as another basic nursing skills. The data collected qualitatively by interviewing the patients that has been treated by his nurse. Also, The students contribute to data collection by their own reflective journals. Donal just inform that after data collection, he do the analysis but not mention the method he use to analyse it. He summarised that his emerging epistemology has been modified through the process of research in and on his actions, context, personal values and teaching skills.

Donal O'Mahony do state that in ICT world, students are digital natives while teachers are digital immigrants. Therefore, to make students engage in your teaching, teachers need to change their practice in relation to ICT (which students nowadays are enganging so). The samples involving himself and his student. He was trying to improve his practice as History teacher while for the students, he wants them to engage to the History subjects not just completing the course. He set an online enviroment for the students to communicate with him and among themselves. Using the Moodle, a collaborative online-learning environment, students are becoming creators of knowledge and information. The methodology was asking, researching and answering the question 'how do I improve my practice?' which is an action plan developed by Jack Whitehead. Donal completing his research in three cycles; 1st - cretaing the pedagogical space for teaching and learning in Moodle. 2nd - Consolidation and questioning and, 3rd - Encouraging deep learning. The data collected in two distinct areas which are from episodes of the researcher practice that show his own learning and another one from episodes of practice that show practitioner's influence in the learning. Donal then analyse and turning the data into evidence in which he making a knowledge claim. His social validity is strenghtened through dialogues with various partners. Donal believe that he is a reflective teacher, love to teaching and he even acknowledge his students influence in his learning.

In ensure that the question is answered, Teressa Hennessy develop an action plan (created by Mcniff and Whitehead) which consists 10 steps questions. She is a co-ordinator of ICT in her school and admit that the school lack of collaborative skills amongst the staff. The research were done in 2 cycle. 1st cycle focused on technical aspects of installing and configuring Moodle for use in the school while the 2nd cycle concerned with experience and learning of the group members. She invited her collegues to join her research in using VLE, hence they become her sample. She set the virtual Learning Environment among them and everything are recorded in the online journals. Teressa use journal to record the data which are field notes and her reflections on learning. The data also collected from the online journals her collegues kept. She claim the knowledge at a series of validation at the Dublin City University. In her conclusion she state the four criteris for social validity; 'What have i learnt from the research inquiry?'What claims are you making?'What educational values are coming through the research inquiry?'How have you influenced the learning of others?
Arisza
Arghhh...juz back from Klana Resort..Dinner?Huh? No la...It was the day of Seminar Pendidikan Serantau between UKM and Universitas Riau (UNRI).. As been told before by Dr Siti, we DPLI students will be the "pencatat" for each paper that will be presented by the researchers.

And so, i've been assigned to be "pencatat" for the very 1st day and the turn was a research paper entitled "Inovasi Pedagogi ICT dalam Pelaksanaan Kurikulum Sains" by Dr Siti Fatimah Mohd Yassin and Yusalina Yusof (presenter).

The research focuses on evaluating how far the ICT innovation occur in PnP by using the CBAM (Concern Based Adoption Model) model. In this model, there was two phases done which are concern phase and application phase.
Methodology - Various case study.
Subjects - Science teachers and students.
Data collections - interviews, observations and document's analysis.

After Ms Yusalina ends her presentation, Dr Sharifah Nor Puteh told us a bit about CBAM (since this project is under her supervision) . CBAM model is among the old model that rarely used by the researchers and this was the 2nd attempt to use it in Malaysia.

There was no suggestion for this paper from the audience or me (the pencatat) :)
Arisza
Before, i had told you 8 reasons why people do hate changes. This is just my opinion on how to solve it. So, do comments if necessary, i would accept any suggestions gladly :)

1. Before any changes been made, the person in charge must explain to people around what will be done, and it is more convenient if he can explain the changes objective as well.
2. When explain, he must consider all level which are old, young, higher or lower cluster of people so that everybody can understand the changes that going to be made.
3. Changes must done step by step, not sudden, therefore people can adapt to the new situation or environment slowly and finally fully accept those changes occurred.
4. If possible, make changes that will leave a good effect to the people around
5. Best Changes will consider people's opinion so that everyone will satisfied and comfortable with the changes itself

*Some of the solutions (i think) are for 2 or 3 problem stated before>>
Arisza
1. Changes may cause uncertainty
2. Changes if it (revolution) will leave a destructive effects.
3. Changes is complex. It is hard to be understood by certain people
4. Some Changes not guarantee safety
5. Changes cause people in dilemma. They are confuse to choose whether the changes may benefited or unbenefited them.
6. If there are changes, people has to adapt to the new situation which is difficult to do in a short period.
7. Changes in terms of value may different from the mutual old value that has been hold by few people
8. Changes may not occur to the all level of people. Some always benefit the higher cluster only


Coming next...
How to solve 8 problems above?

Participatory of Action Research

Mind's Words

Failure is not fall down. It (failure) remains there while we are falling down.