Action Research

                         Action Research

                                                               
                                                             Written by Ari Julianto

      This time, I would like to discuss about the Action Research (Penelitian Tindakan). This research is the same as what I have posted in the title posting Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (TPK). Action research is one of those terms that we hear quite often in today’s educational circles. But just what does it mean? If you ask three people to define action research, you may find yourself with three different responses.
      Typically, action research is undertaken in a school setting. It is a reflective process that allows for inquiry and discussion as components of the “research.” Action research can inform teachers about their practice and empower them to take leadership roles in their local teaching contexts. Mills (2003) provides the following definition of  action research:
      Action research is any systematic inquiry conducted by teacher researchers to gather information about the ways that their particular school operates, how they teach, and how well their students learn. The information is gathered with the goals of gaining insight, developing reflective practice, effecting positive changes in the school environment and on educational practices in general, and improving student outcomes.
      Action research is conducted by teachers and for teachers. It is small scale, contextualized, localized, and aimed at discovering, developing, or monitoring changes to practice. The defining features of action research also reflect the qualities of leaders in collaborative cultures of change. These qualities include a deep understanding of the organization, vision and insight, a quest for new knowledge, a desire for improved performance, self-reflective activity, and a willingness to effect change, Fullan (2000a, 2000b). This Digest discusses a framework for conducting action research and describes an action research study carried out in an elementary school Spanish program.
      Action research is a process in which participants examine their own educational practice systematically and carefully, using the techniques of research, Ferrance (2000). Action research is the term which describes the integration of action (implementing a plan) with research (developing an understanding of the effectiveness of this implementation). The original concept is sometimes attributed to Kurt Lewin (1890–1947).
      Action research is characterised as being:- integrated conducted as part of a teacher’s normal daily practice
- reflective a process which alternates between plan implementation and critical reflection
- flexible methods, data and interpretation are refined in the light of the understanding gained during the research process
- active a process designed to generate change in small steps
- relevant meets the needs of teachers and/or their students
- cyclical involving a number of cycles with each clarifying issue leading to a deeper understanding and more meaningful outcomes
- focused on a single issue of school improvement
- collaborative teachers and leaders working together to improve student outcomes
- planned an organised approach to answering a question
- learning simultaneous construction of new knowledge by teachers about their practice.

Mertler (2008) stated that teachers use action research because:
1. it deals with their own problems, not someone else’s
2. it can start now—or whenever they are ready—providing immediate results
3. action research provides them with opportunities to better understand, and therefore improve, their educational practices
4. as a process, action research promotes the building of stronger relationships among staff
5. importantly, action research provides educators with alternative ways of viewing and approaching educational questions providing a new way of examining their own practices.

Types of Action Research
Ferrance (2000) stated that types of action research can be
a. Individual teacher research usually focuses on a single issue in the classroom. The teacher may be seeking solutions to problems of classroom management, instructional strategies, use of materials, or student learning. Teachers may have support of their supervisor or principal, an instructor for a course they are taking, or parents.
b. Collaborative action research may include as few as two teachers or a group of several teachers and others interested in addressing a classroom or department issue. This issue may involve one classroom or a common problem shared by many classrooms. 
c. School-wide research focuses on issues common to all. For example, a school may have a concern about the lack of parental involvement in activities, and is looking for a way to reach more parents to involve them in meaningful ways. Or, the school may be looking to address its organizational and decision-making structures. 
d. District-wide research is far more complex and utilizes more resources, but the rewards can be great. Issues can be organizational, community-based, performance-based, or processes for decision-making.

Steps in Action Research
Within all the definitions of action research, there are four basic themes: empowerment of participants, collaboration through participation, acquisition of knowledge, and social change. In conducting action research, we structure routines for continuous confrontation with data on the health of a school community. These routines are loosely guided by movement through five phases of inquiry:


1. Identification of problem area
There are several criteria to consider before investing the time and effort in “researching” a problem.
• be a higher-order question—not a yes/no
• be stated in common language, avoiding jargon
• be concise
• be meaningful
• not already have an answer 

2. Collection and organization of data
The collection of data is an important step in deciding what action needs to be taken. Multiple sources of data are used to better understand the scope of happenings in the classroom or school. There are many vehicles for collection of data:
interviews   portfolios   diaries   field notes   audio tapes   photos   memos   questionnaires   focus    groups   anecdotal records   checklists   journals   individual files   logs of meetings   videotapes   case studies   surveys   records – tests, report cards,   attendance   self-assessment   samples of student work,   projects, performances

3. Interpretation of data
Analyze and identify major themes.  Depending upon the question, teachers may wish to use classroom data, individual data, or subgroup data.  Some of the data are quantifiable and can be analyzed without the use of statistics or technical assistance. Other data, such as opinions, attitudes or checklists, may be summarized in table form. Data that are not quantifiable can be reviewed holistically and important elements or themes can be noted. 

4. Action based on data
Using the information from the data collection and review of current literature, design a plan of action that will allow you to make a change and to study that change. It is important that only one variable be altered. As with any experiment, if several changes are made at once, it will be difficult to determine which action is responsible for the outcome. While the new technique is being implemented, continue to document and collect data on performance. 

5. Reflection 
Assess the effects of the intervention to determine if improvement has occurred. If there is improvement, do the data clearly provide the supporting evidence? If no, what changes can be made to the actions to elicit better results?

References
Ferrance, Eileen. Action Research.New York: Northeast and Islands Regional Educational Laboratory At Brown University.

Fullan, M. (2000a). Change forces. The sequel. Philadelphia: Falmer Press.

Fullan, M. (2000b). Leadership for the twenty-first century: Breaking the bonds of dependency. In The Jossey-Bass reader on educational leadership (pp. 156-63). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Mertler, C.A. & Charles, C.M., (2008) Introduction to education research, 6th Edition, Allyn & Bacon, Boston, Mass, page 308.

Mills, G. E. (2003). Action research: A guide for the teacher researcher. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice Hall.

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Pengertian E-Government

E-Government
E-Government adalah singkatan untuk elektronik pemerintah, juga dikenal sebagai e-gov, digital pemerintah, pemerintah secara online, atau pemerintah terhubung. e-Government. Berdasarkan definisi The World Bank, e-Government adalah penggunaan teknologi informasi oleh kantor pemerintah untuk memberikan pelayanan yang lebih baik kepada masyarakat, bisnis dan untuk menfasilitasi kerjasama antar institusi pemerintah. Dalam prakteknya, e-Government adalah penggunaan Internet untuk menyelenggarakan administrasi pemerintahan dan menyediakan layanan publik yang lebih baik sebaik bentuk pendekatan berorientasi pada layanan publik.

E-Government digunakan untuk berbagai kegiatan pemerintahan yang dibantu melalui media teknologi informasi dan komunikasi.

e-Gov pertama kali diusulkan pada tahun 1990 dan diuji coba di beberapa negara bagian Amerika. Saat ini beberapa negara bagian tersebut telah menerapkan layanan pemerintahan kepada masyarakat dengan menggunakan internet. Berdasarkan definisi di atas, ada paling sedikit tiga bagian penting dalam aplikasi e-Government. Pertama, e-Government menyediakan layanan dan menfasilitasi komunikasi antara pemerintah dan masyarakat (G2C – Government to Citizen), yang kedua antara pemerintah dengan sektor bisnis (G2B – Government to Business) dan yang ketiga inter-pemerintah dan antar institusi pemerintah (G2G – Government to Government).

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What Is A Research?

What Is A Research?
                 Written by Ari Julianto


      In this posting, I would like to share the definition of research. The definitions were taken from many resources.Hopefully, this posting is useful for all of us.
      The word research is composed of two syllables, re and search. re is a prefix meaning again, anew or over again and search is a verb meaning to examine closely and carefully, to test and try, or to probe.
      Together they form a noun describing a careful, systematic, patient study and investigation in some field of knowledge, undertaken to establish facts or principles.Research is a structured enquiry that utilizes acceptable scientific methodology to solve problems and create new knowledge that is generally applicable.
      Scientific methods consist of systematic observation, classification and interpretation of data. Although we engage in such process in our daily life, the difference between our casual day- to-day generalisation and the conclusions usually recognized as scientific method lies in the degree of formality, rigorousness, verifiability and general validity of latter.
      Research is a process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting information to answer questions. But to qualify as research, the process must have certain characteristics: it must, as far as possible, be controlled, rigorous, systematic, valid and verifiable, empirical and critical.
      Research. 1.a. the systematic investigation into and study of materials, sources, etc, in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. b. an endeavour to discover new or collate old facts etc by the scientific study of a subject or by a course of critical investigation. (Oxford Concise Dictionary).
      Research is what we do when we have a question or a problem we want to resolve We may already think we know the answer to our question already We may think the answer is obvious, common sense even But until we have subjected our problem to rigorous scientific scrutiny, our 'knowledge' remains little more thanguesswork or at best, intuition.
      The term ‘research’ has been viewed with mystique by many people. It is seen to be the preserve of academicians and professional elite. In most people’s minds, the word ‘research’ conjures up the image of a scholar, laboratory work, university or other ‘academic’ setting. But research is simply the process of asking questions and answering them by survey or experiment in an organized way.
      It should not be confined to academicians alone. Every thinking person has the capacity and should do research. The fundamental requirement for research is an enquiring mind in order to recognize that there are questions that need answers. The quest for knowledge then is the basic idea behind research.
      Research has been defined differently by different people. It is perhaps best understood through a clear description of its key characteristics. A few definitions are presented below followed by the key characteristics. Research is a systematic, formal, rigorous and precise process employed to gain solutions toproblems or to discover and interpret new facts and relationships as Waltz and Bausell (1981) stated.
      Research is the process of looking for a specific answer to a specific question in an organized, objective, reliable way. (Payton, 1979).
      Research is systematic, controlled, empirical and critical investigation of hypothetical propositions about the presumed relations among natural phenomena. (Kerlinger, 1973). Research is the pursuit of truth with the help of study, observation, comparison and experiment; the search for knowledge through objective and systematic method of finding solutions to a problem (Kothari, 2006).
      When these definitions are consolidated, it can be said that research is the systematic activity directed towards objectively investigating specific problems in order to discover the relationships between and among variables. It seeks to answer specific questions.
      Moreover, Kothari explained that research in common parlance refers to a search for knowledge. Once can also define research as a scientific and systematic search for pertinent information on a specific topic. In fact, research is an art of scientific investigation.
      The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English lays down the meaning of research as “a careful investigation or inquiry specially through search for new facts in any branch of knowledge.”
      Redman and Mory define research as a “systematized effort to gain new knowledge.” Some people consider research as a movement, a movement from the known to the unknown. It is actually a voyage of discovery. We all possess the vital instinct of inquisitiveness for, when the unknown confronts us, we wonder and our inquisitiveness makes us probe and attain full and fuller understanding of the unknown.
      This inquisitiveness is the mother of all knowledge and the method, which man employs for obtaining the knowledge of whatever the unknown, can be termed as research. Research is an academic activity and as such the term should be used in a technical sense.
      According to Clifford Woody research comprises defining and redefining problems, formulating hypothesis or suggested solutions; collecting, organising and evaluating data; making deductions and reaching conclusions; and at last carefully testing the conclusions to determine whether they fit the formulating hypothesis.
      D. Slesinger and M. Stephenson in the Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences define research as “the manipulation of things, concepts or symbols for the purpose of generalising to extend, correct or verify knowledge, whether that knowledge aids in construction of theory or in the practice of an art.”
      Research is, thus, an original contribution to the existing stock of knowledge making for its advancement. It is the persuit of truth with the help of study, observation, comparison and experiment.
      In short, the search for knowledge through objective and systematic method of finding solution to a problem is research. The systematic approach concerning generalisation and the formulation of a theory is also research. As such the term ‘research’ refers to the systematic method consisting of enunciating the problem, formulating a hypothesis, collecting the facts or data, analysing the facts and reaching certain conclusions either in the form of solutions(s) towards the concerned problem or in certain generalisations for some theoretical formulation.

Reference
Kerlinger, Fred N. 1973. Foundations of Behavioral Research. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Kothari, C. R. 2006. Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. New Age International.
Payton, Otto D.  1979. Research: The Validation of Clinical Practice. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Co.  

Waltz, Carolyn Feher and R. Barker Bausell. 1981. Nursing research: Design, statistics, and computer analysis. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Co. 

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Pengertian E-Education

E-Education

E-Education adalah singkatan dari Electronic Education, merupakan sistem pendidikan berbasis media elektronik, seperti radio dan televisi dan sekarang e-education adalah pendidikan yang menggunakan internet sebagai media utamanya. Sistem E-education memungkinkan untuk diakses melalui berbagai terminal diberbagai tempat sesuai dengan mobilitas pengaksesannya, sehingga lahirlah mobile education (m-education).

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Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (PTK)

           Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (PTK)
                                                              
                                                                   Written by Ari Julianto

 

1. Pengertian Penelitian Tindakan Kelas
Dalam bahasa Inggris Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (PTK) diartikan dengan Classroom Action Research (CAR). Dari sisi namanya sudah menunjukkan isi yang terkandung di dalamnya. Karena itu Arikunto dkk (2006) mengartikan penelitian tindakan kelas sebagai suatu pencermatan terhadap  kegiatan belajar berupa sebuah tindakan, yang sengaja dimunculkan dan terjadi dalam sebuah kelas secara bersama. Karena itu penelitian tindakan yang dilakukan oleh guru ditujukan untuk meningkatkan situasi pembelajaran yang menjadi tanggung jawabnya.

2. Fungsi PTK 
Sebagai alat untuk meningkatkan kualitas pelaksanaan pembelajaran kelas, yaitu sebagai:
(a) alat untuk mengatasi masalah-masalah yang didiagnosis dalam situasi pembelajaran di kelas;
(b) alat pelatihan dalam jabatan, membekali guru dengan keterampilan dan metode baru dan mendorong timbulnya kesadaran diri, khususnya melalui pengajaran sejawat;
(c) alat untuk memasukkan ke dalam sistem yang ada (secara alami) pendekatan tambahan atau inovatif;
(d) alat untuk meningkatkan komunikasi yang biasanya buruk antara guru dan peneliti;
(e) alat untuk menyediakan alternatif bagi pendekatan yang subjektif, impresionistik terhadap pemecahan masalah kelas (Cohen & Manion, dalam Madya, 2007).
Hal tersebut dapat dilakukan oleh guru karena:
(1) hasil penelitian tindakan dipakai sendiri oleh penelitinya, dan tentu saja oleh orang lain yang
menginginkannya;
(2) penelitiannya terjadi di dalam situasi nyata yang pemecahan masalahnya segera diperlukan, dan hasil-hasilnya langsung diterapkan/dipraktikkan dalam situasi terkait; (3) peneliti tindakan (guru) melakukan sendiri pengelolaan, penelitian, dan sekaligus pengembangan.

3. Prinsip-prinsip PTK
Agar peneliti memperoleh kejelasan yang lebih baik tentang penelitian tindakan,perlu kiranya dipahami prinsip-prinsip yang harus dipenuhi apabila akan melakukan penelitian tindakan kelas. Hopkins (dalam Aqib, 2007), mengemukakan ada enam prinsip yang harus diperhatikan dalam PTK, yaitu:
(1) Metoede PTK yang diterapkan seyogyanya tidak mengganggu komitmen sebagai pengajar;
(2) metode pengumpulan data yang digunakan tidak menuntut waktu yang berlebihan karena dilakukan sesuai dengan jadwal pelajaran; (3) metodologi yang digunakan harus reliable;
(4) masalah program yang diusahakan adalah masalah yang merisaukankan, dan didasarkan pada tanggung jawab professional;
(5) Dalam menyelenggarakan PTK, guru harus selalu bersikap konsisten dan memiliki kepedulian tinggi terhadap proses dan prosedur yang berkaitan dengan pekerjaannya;
(6) PTK tidak dilakukan sebatas dalam konteks kelas atau mata pelajaran tertentu melainkan dengan perspektif misi sekolah secara keseluruhan.

Sedangkan menurut Arikunto dkk (200) prinsip-prinsip PTK yaitu:
(1) Kegiatan nyata dalam situasi rutin, yaitu penelitian dilakukan tanpa mengubah situasi rutin;
(2) adanya kesadaran diri untuk memperbiki kinerja;
(3) SWOT sebagai dasar berpijak, yaitu penelitian tindakan harus dimulai dengan melakukan analisis SWOT;
(4) PTK adalah upaya empiris dan sistremik;
(5) mengikuti prinsip SMART dalam perencanaan, yaitu
a. S – specifik, khusus, tidak terlalu umum
b. M – Managable, dapat dikelola, dilaksanakan
c. A – Acceptable, dapat diterima lingkungan, atau Achievable, dapat dicapai, dijangkau
d. R – Realisti, operasional, tidak di luar jangkauan, dan
e. T – Time-bound, diikat oleh waktu tertentu.

4. Tujuan
Tujuan penelitian tindakan kelas adalah untuk memperbaiki dan meningkatkan praktik pembelajaran di kelas secara berkesinambungan. Tujuan ini “melekat” pada diri guru dalam penunaian misi professional kependidikannya. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa sesungguhnya PTK bertujuan untuk memecahkan permasalahan nyata yang terjadi di dalam kelas. Karena itu menurut Suharjono (2006), tujuan penelitian tindakan kelas adalah meningkatkan mutu proses dan hasil pembelajaran, mengatasi masalah pembelajaran, meningkatkan profesionalisme, dan menumbuhkan budaya akademik.

Sedangkan Arikunto (2006) merinci tujuan PTK, yaitu:
(1) meningkatkan mutu isi, masukan, proses, serta hasil pendidikan dan pembelajaran di sekolah;
(2) membantu guru dan tenaga kependidikan lainna mengatasi masalah pembelajaran dan pendidikan di dalam dan di luar kelas;
(3) meningkatkan sikap professional pendidik dan tenaga kependidikan;
(4)menumbuhkembangkan budaya akademik di lingkungan sekolah sehingga tercipta sikap proaktif di dalam melakukan perbaikan mutu pendidikan dan pembelajaran secara berkelanjutan.

5. Manfaat
 Sehubungan dengan hal tersebut, maka manfaat yang dapat diperoleh jika guru mau dan mampu melaksanakan penelitian tindakan kelas, antara lain:
(1) inovasi pembelajaran,
(2) pengembangan kurikulum di tingkat sekolah dan di tingkat kelas, dan
(3) peningkatan proresionalisme guru

Rustam dan Mundilarto (2004) mengemukakan manfaat PTK bagi guru, yaitu:
(1) Membantu guru memperbaiki mutu pembelajaran,
(2) Meningkatkan profesionalitas guru,
(3) Meningkatkan rasa percaya diri guru,
(4) Memungkinkan guru secara aktif mengembangkan pengetahuan dan keterampilannya.

6. Sasaran atau Objek PTK
Siswa, Guru, Materi Pelajaran, Peraalatan atau sarana pendidikan, Hasil Pembelajaran, Lingkungan, Pengelolaan.
Dua sasaran riset tindakan:
- Tertuju pada penyingkapan atau produksi informasi dan pengetahuan yang akan secara langsung bermanfaat bagi sebuah kelompok orang (melalui riset, pendidikan, dan aksi sosiopolitis).
- Bermaksud mencerahi dan memberdayai banyak orang dalam  kelompok, saling memotivasi untuk mencari dan menggunakan informasi yang terkumpul dalam riset.

Karakteristik umum riset tindakan:
- Pendekatan yang sangat ketat, tetapi reflektif atau interpretif terhadap riset empiris.
- Keterlibatan aktiv individu-individu yang secara tradisional dikenal sebagai subjek (responden) sebagai partisipan dan kontributor dalam kegiatan riset.
- Integrasi sejumlah hasil praktis terhadap penghidupan aktualpara partisipan dalam proyek riset ini.
- Langkah-langkah spiral, masing-masing spiral ini terbentuk dari suatu tipe perencanaan, aksi, dan evaluasi (planning, action, and evaluation).Sejumlah asumsi dan nilai-nilai yang mendasari riset tindakan:
- Demokratisasi produksi dan penggunaan pengetahuan (pencipta IQRO dan pencipta kompor ”SBY” bukan profesor). - Kejujuran/keadilan dalam pemanfaatan pengetahuan
- Sikap yang ekologis terhadap masyarakat dan alam
- Apresiasi terhadap kapasitas manusia untuk merefleksi, belajar, dan berubah
- Sebuah komitmen terhadap perubahan sosial tanpa kekerasan dengan beragam manifetasinya.

(Dari berbagai sumber)
 
Demikianlah pembahasan kita kali ini.Semoga bermanfaat. Amin.

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