Ulasan Buku (Assignment 1)

1. Concept of Action Research
The concept in action research combines action that is well organizes by self–reflect enquiry with research procedures while involve in improvement and transformation processes.

2. Why teachers need to conduct action research?
By engaging in action research, a teacher is exposes the way to establish and how to improve the professionalism in teaching by making independent and developing good judgement in classroom. It also helps teachers to improve their teaching learning process encourage teachers to create new teaching strategies in the classroom and improve process of school development.

3. Action Research Designs
a. Models of Action Research.
There are several models of action research which each of them has similar approaches or more elaborate.
i. ‘Action Research Spiral’ by Kemmis and Mc Taggart, 1988 – Simple, straightforward and great starting base in action research.
ii. John Elliott Model’s (1991) – Similar but more elaborate than Kemmis Model where it focus on Reconnaissance (fact-finding and analysis) that should persist in the spiral activities and Implementation (monitoring first before evaluation).
iii. Dave Ebbutt Model’s (1985) – Comprises of a series of successful cycles that able to integrate of information within and between cycle.
iv. James McKernan (1996) - Suggest time process model that highlight on importance of not allowing problems which occurs in action research to become too severe fixed in time.

b. Sample / Participant – Students
c. Setting – Classroom and school

4. Action Research Procedures
a. Develop a focus – Does not necessarily need to start with new hypotheses but also general ideas that need to be improved. Choose an issue/topic that important that is practical to you, students, interesting and related to way of teaching and learning.
b. Formulate Hypotheses – Define the problem clearly and formulate hypotheses that need to be extremely clear and precise that wishes to explore
c. Determine Information and collection methods – Potential information sources and collections methods should be identified for suitable classroom research
d. Analysis of information – Co-exist with data collection where to identity emerging and unexpected results.
e. Reports – Provide feedback or summary of data which can result an action.

5. Data Collection and Analysis
i. Research Instrument – Classroom observation which involves 3 phase of observation cycle: planning meeting, classroom observation itself and feedback discussion

ii. Technique of Data Collection –
a. Field notes – to be written as soon as possible after a lesson as maintain conscious awareness of one’ original thinking.
b. Audiotape recording – Provide useful starting points for further investigation and can be review number of times.
c. Pupil Dairies – Quick way to obtain information and also provide interesting field notes that contrast with teachers ideas.
d. Interviews – Individual interviews with students can provide productive source of information.
e. Videotape recorder and digital camera – Allows teachers to observe many sides of the teaching and provide accurate information of analyzing.
f. Questionnaires – quick and simple way to obtain specific information from students.
g. Sociometry – Is use for teacher to analyses social relationships
h. Documentary Evidence - Provides context and information
i. Case study – Comprehensive and accurate
j. Mapping techniques – Easy to administer provides a map of process change in a school.


iii. Technique of Analyzing Data
a. The selection and definition of problems and concepts
b. Frequency and distribution of concepts
c. Assimilation of findings in models
d. Presentation of evidence and proof.

6. Research Ethics
a. Examine the protocol – ensure all relevant persons involve and information used in the research was informed, consulted and necessary permission and approval was obtained.
b. Maintain confidentiality - Ensure privacy of all respect in action research
c. Obtain clear authorization before observe- To get authorization before observing professional colleagues and others
d. Report progress – Keep your work visible and open for suggestions

7. Reliability and Validity
There are techniques can be used for determine the reliability and validity in the research process.
a. Triangulation – involve gathering accounts of teaching situation from 3 points of views, teacher, student and participant observer.
b. Saturation – test repeatedly against the data
c. Audit trail – Increase validity by controlling error and obtain acceptable conclusions
d. Key respondents – reviews others research reports

8. Evaluation of this book. – This book is a superb book guide for teacher who wishes to undertake classroom research or great base to start classroom research. The book is complete with introduction of classroom research, principles and steps to descriptions of methodology, data gathering and analyzing and examples of case study for futher understanding. You may refer to the book frontcover that i have posted in my blog dated 27th April 2009.

Ref : Hopkins, D. 2002. A Teacher’s Guide to Classroom Research. Third Ed. Berkshire: Open University Press.