Classroom Action Research

1. DEFINITION, PARADIGM, AND THEORI




Action research is classroom-based research conducted by teachers in order to reflect upon and evolve their teaching. It is a systematic, documented inquiry into one aspect of teaching and learning in a specific classroom. (Conducting Action Research In The Foreign Language Classroom Northeast Conference 1998 New York, Ny Anna Uhl Chamot Sarah Barnhardt Susan Dirstine Materials Contributor: Jennifer Kevorkian)
Action Research is a rather simple set of ideas and techniques that can introduce you to the power of systematic reflection on your practice. (How To Do Action research In Your Classroom Lessons From The Teachers Network Leadership Institute, By Frances Rust And Christopher Clark)
Penelitian tindakan merupakan tindakan yang menekankan kepada kegiatan (tindakan) dengan mengujicobakan suatu ide ke dalam praktek atau situasi nyata dalam skala mikro, yang diharapkan kegiatan tersebut mampu memperbaiki dan meningkatkan kualitas proses belajar mengajar. Jenis-jenis penelitian tindakan antara lain : (1) Penelitian Tindakan Diagnostik; (2) Penelitian Tindakan Partisipasi; (3) Penelitian Tindakan Empiris; (4) Penelitian Tindakan Eksperimental (Penelitian Tindakan, by Hartoto, M.Pd.)
Ada beberapa jenis action research, dua di antaranya adalah individual action research dan collaborative action research (CAR). Jadi CAR bisa berarti dua hal, yaitu classroom action research dan collaborative action research; dua-duanya merujuk pada hal yang sama. Action research lebih bertujuan untuk memperbaiki kinerja, sifatnya kontekstual dan hasilnya tidak untuk digeneralisasi. Namun demikian hasil action research dapat saja diterapkan oleh orang lain yang mempunyai latar yang mirip dengan yang dimiliki peneliti. (http://akhmadsudrajat.wordpress.com)









Classroom action research (CAR) adalah action research yang dilaksanakan oleh guru di dalam kelas. Action research pada hakikatnya merupakan rangkaian “ riset-tindakan-riset-tindakan- yang dilakukan secara siklik, dalam rangka memecahkan masalah, sampai masalah itu terpecahkan. (http://akhmadsudrajat.wordpress.com)

Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (PTK) atau disebut juga dengan Classroom Action Research (CAR) adalah penelitian tindakan yang dilakukan dengan tujuan memperbaiki mutu praktik pembelajaran di kelas. Tujuan utama PTK adalah untuk memecahkan permasalahan nyata yang terjadi di kelas dan meningkatkan kegiatan nyata Guru dalam pengembangan profesionalnya. (Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (Classroom Action Research) Salah Satu Bentuk Karya Tulis Ilmiah Untuk Pengembangan Profesi Guru, Oleh Susanto, S.H.I )

Our basic assumption is that you have within you the power to meet all the challenges of the teaching profession. Furthermore, you can meet these challenges without wearing yourself down to a nub. The only theories involved are the ideas that you already use to make sense of your experience. (How To Do Action Research In Your Classroom Lessons From The Teachers Network Leadership Institute, By Frances Rust And Christopher Clark)








2. THE SYNTHESIS
Well, after reading the material above,
Based on what we have read, Classroom Action Research has some components









So, Classroom Action Research is a research of an action happens in a classroom (educational situation) specifically about the problems during the teaching activities. It is related to the teacher as the subject of teaching process. The teacher can do this research by him/herself. But it also can be a collaborative one. The researcher's consideration is the teaching process' reflection then finding some problems so that can be solved by applying other strategies.
All of parts happen in a cycle. It means, after applying the new strategy then he/she can reflect it again then finding another strategy. By this research, the researcher can find the better way of teaching for repairing the teaching strategy and also improving his/her skill. Of course, for the teacher, it can develop his/her professionalism.









3. THE REVIEW



A. The Concept of Classroom Action Research
Classroom Action Research is a research that is done to find the problems occur in the teaching and learning process so there will be the solution for repairing the educational system.
The problems taken by the researcher should be an apprehensive one and the researcher has the commitment to solve them. In doing classroom action research, the researcher should be consistent in paying attention to the ethics procedure that is related to his/her job.
Although a class is in the teacher's responsibility's coverage, but in doing the research he/she has to use classroom exceeding perspective, that is the problems are not just considered as a class' context or a certain lesson (micro scale), but they have to be considered as a school's perspective mission entirely (macro scale).

CAR uses action research's main concept that consists of 4 components :
1) Planning
2) Acting
3) Observing
4) Reflecting

Those four components are related each ther as a cylce.

is the first step the researcher has to do before doing something. The planning is expected to be futuristic and flexible to face some non-anticipated effects. By the planning, we can prepare to handle the troubles early. By a good planning, a researcher can be easier to face some problems and it will be more effective in doing research.



The Planning's Principle




Those five principles should be considered in the planning step.

is an applying of the planning. It can be a teaching method applying that has a purpose to repair or complete a certain model.
That action can be applied by the persons who are involved in the applying a teaching method which the result also will be sude for completing in doing assignment.

is used to see and and capture some influences caused by a classroom action. This observation's result is a basic of doing reflection so that the research should be able to show the real situation. In the observation, the researcher should take a note of the process of action, the action's effetcs, environment, and some troubles.

consists of : analysis, synthesis, interpretation, explanation, and conclusion.
The reflection's result is having revision of the planning which has been done, and it can be used for repairing the teacher's performance in the future. Thereby, the action research can't be held in only one meeting because it needs more time to do the reflection's result as a planning for the cycle after.

B. The Types of Classroom Action research :





1) Diagnostic type
The research that leads the researcher to an action because there is a problem happens. e.g. there is a conflict between students in a class, etc.
2) Participant type
The research which the researcher is involved directly from start till final.
3) Empirical type
The research is done by a planning to take a note of the process and evaluate the process out of the class. So, the researcher should collaborate with the teacher who does the classroom action.
4) Experimental type
The research is done as the way of applying some techniques, methods, or strategies in the teaching and learning process effectively and efficiently.

C. Characteristics

The characteristics of Classroom Action Research are:
It is based on the situation and related to the diagnosis and a problem solving in a certain context.
It can be participatory –if the research is done in a group- so each person takes a part in the process of research.
It can be self evaluative. The researcher doing evaluation continuously to improve his/her professionalism.
The procedure of action research is on the spot that is designed to handle the concrete problem happens in that place.
Its result can be immediately applied and long range
It is supple and adaptive
It more emphasizes the process than the method.
It is done to solve the chronic problem, not the new identified one
The classroom action researcher is ideally the person who really knows about the problems happen. Therefore, a teacher can be a doctor who will cure a chronic ill through the best recipe.
It is done in a cycle – as written in the "planning principle" above –. In every new cycle, ideally there will be significant difference with the previous cycle. It means the cycle in the previous research is not effective enough to solve the problem faced by the researcher.
The reflection's result of the previous cycle is the basic for the next cycle for making re-planning.


D. Purpose and Significance
Generally, the purposes of Classroom Action Research are:
(1) Improving the quality, process, and result of the teaching and learning process in a school.
(2) Helping the teacher and another educational staff to solve the educational problem.
(3) Growing the teacher and another educational staff's professionalism.
(4) Improving the academic culture in the school environment to create an active attitude in repairing the educational quality continuously.
In a graphic, I divide them into two groups of purposes









The significances of Classroom Action Research are :
a. Educational innovation
In the educational innovation, a teacher needs to try changing, developing, and improving his/her teaching style so that he/she can get a new teaching style which is appropriate for the students.





b.
c. Curriculum development
For the curriculum development, CAR will be very helpful if it is used as one of the sources. The process will be influenced by some related ideas about education, knowledge, and teaching. CAR can help the teacher to understand more empirically, not only teoritically.
d. Teacher's professionalism development
A professional teacher will not be bored to do revolution in the teaching process based on the classroom condition. CAR is one of medias used by the teacher to understand what happens in a class. Then he/she begins to repair it professisonally. A professional teacher needs to see and examine the process happens in a class critically . by examining his/her own teaching process, then he/she does reflection and repairing. At last, the teacher will be more professional.




Sources :
- Conducting Action Research In The Foreign Language Classroom Northeast Conference 1998 New York, Ny Anna Uhl Chamot Sarah Barnhardt Susan Dirstine Materials Contributor: Jennifer Kevorkian
- How To Do Action research In Your Classroom Lessons From The Teachers Network Leadership Institute, By Frances Rust And Christopher Clark
- http://akhmadsudrajat.wordpress.com
- Penelitian Tindakan, by Hartoto, M.Pd.
- Penelitian Tindakan Kelas (Classroom Action Research) Salah Satu Bentuk Karya Tulis Ilmiah Untuk Pengembangan Profesi Guru, Oleh Susanto, S.H.I