Assignment 3

Action Research Proposal
Lecturer: Hajah Halimah Harun
Tajuk:Meningkatkan Pencapaian Pelajar Tingkatan Tiga dalam Subjek Sejarah Melalui Kaedah Lakonan

Latar belakang:
Subjek sejarah hanya menumpukan kepada pemahaman yang menyeluruh dan memberi gambaran jelas tentang sejarah negara. Pengajaran sejarah lebih berbentuk rentetan peristiwa yang membincangkan tentang aspek kehidupan masyarakat dan negara dari segi politik, ekonomi dan sosial. Rentetan peristiwa ini disusun secara kronologi supaya pelajar dapat memahami proses perkembangan masyarakat dan negara, serta unsur-unsur kesinambungan dan perubahan yang berlaku. Dalam rentetan peristiw a ini dimasukkan pula sejarah negara luar yang kaitan dengan sejarah negara kita. Sejarah negara luar ini merupakan asas bagi pelajar untuk mengetahui dan memahami hubungan dan kaitannya dengan sejarah Malaysia.

Objektif :
1.Untuk memantapkan ingatan pelajar terhadap kronologi peristiwa penting dalam subjek Sejarah.
2.Untuk menyatakan tarikh-tarikh penting dengan tepat
3.Untuk meningkatkan kefahaman pelajar

Kaedah:

Langkah 1: Mengenalpasti masalah
•Pelajar sukar memahami dan mengingati kronologi peristiwa dalam subjek Sejarah.
•Pelajar kurang berminat dalam subjek Sejarah kerana ia membosankan.

Langkah 2: Merancang dan melaksanakan penyelidikan
•Menilai tahap kefahaman pelajar melalui pra-ujian.
•Menggunakan kaedah lakonan di mana pelajar dikehendaki melakonkan peristiwa sejarah .
•Setiap pelajar mesti memainkan peranan dalam lakonan tersebut: Penjajahan Jepun di Tanah Melayu (Leftenan Adnan). Lakonan dirakamkan oleh guru.
•Pelajar yang tidak terlibat dalam lakonan dikehendaki mencatat isi-isi penting daripada lakonan tersebut.
•Beberapa orang pelajar dipilih untuk membuat ulasan tentang kefahaman mereka setelah menyaksikan lakonan.
•Tahap kefahaman pelajar diuji sekali lagi melalui post-test.

Langkah 3: Pengumpulan data
•Markah ujian pra-ujian dan post-test dibandingkan.
•Menukarkan data ke dalam bentuk carta bar untuk menunjukkan perbezaan pencapaian pelajar sebelum dan selepas aktiviti lakonan dijalankan.

Langkah 4 : Refleksi dan penilaian
•Guru membuat refleksi mengenai pencapaian pelajar sebelum dan selepas ujian.

Group Members:
SAW YING YU (P48662)
SYAIDATUL HAINI BT MOHD RADZI (P48676)
RASYIDATUN NAJA ISA (P48623)
NURKHALISAH BT MUSTAPA (P 48600)
ASPARILA CHE MAT (P48577)

Activity 4

Discuss one topic with your partner on what you have gained and learned in Seminar Serantau
Lecturer:Hajah Halimah Harun
Topic:Asynchronous Computer Mediated Communication: Malaysian Adult Learners Views

Why? The demand of new delivery system has become more urgent for local and foreign institutions of higher learning.

What? The latest technological tool, computer mediated communication (CMC) will pave the way for new opportunities in online learning environments in the future. This coverage will enable adult learners to embrace life long learning as a way to acquire, improve and update their knowledge and skills.

How? The learners' views of asynchronous computer mediated communication (ACMC) through threaded online discussion via a learning management system in achieving their learning tasks had been investigated. The insight of adult learners' views of ACMC and the precedent for many more such studies in other colleges and Institute of higher learning can be provided through this finding.

Procedure? A four-pronged data collection procedure which involved both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed in this descriptive study. The quantutative data was obtained by administering a survey questionnaire to all 16 adult part-time 3rd year learners. The quantitative data was obtained by conducting semi-structured interviews with 6 case respondents and 1 course tutor. This method of analysis limits to general statistical analysis by using SPSS version 11.5 WIN software. Frequencies, percentage, mean and standard deviation were obtained to report the research findings.

Member:
Chiong Ai Hua P48587
Saw Ying Yu P48662

Laporan Pencatat Sesi Pembentangan Seminar Pendidikan Serantau Ke-4

Tajuk Pembentangan: Relationship between language learning strategies used by Pekan Baru Senior High School Students and their gender and ethnicity factors
Nama Pembentang: Fakri Ras
Sesi Selari/Poster: 4C3
Tema: Learning Stragtegies
Tarikh/Hari: 20/5/09
Masa: 3pm
Bilik/Tempat: Bilik Sri Menanti
Pengerusi: Dr. Zamri Mahamod
Pencatat: Saw Ying Yu

Presentation Content:
1. Identify the use of language learning strategies by the studens of different gender and ethnicity.
2. Significance differences between genderðnicity with language learnign strategies used
3. Significance difference between male&female in laguage strategies used

Discussion (Q&A)):
1. Why male have higher or better english command as compare to female?

Recommendation:
Male are more ambitious as compare to female where they planned to go out of Indonesia for career advancement. Singapore is one of the choice as it is the nearest country to Indonesia. For that thy will need to have a basic command of english for communiation purposes. Therefore, male tend to attend extra english course and that makes them to have better understanding and usage of english.

Assignment 2: Journals Review

Journals:
1. Using student interviews to guide classroom instruction: an action research project (Buschman, 2001)
2. Using action research to implement the national geography standards: Teaches as researchers (Bednarz, 2002)
3. An action research project on preparing teachers to meet the needs of underserved student populations (Buck & Cordes, 2005)

(A) Comparison (Similarity&Differences)
1. Samples
Journal 1: Students
Journal 2: Students and teachers
Journal 3: Students
2. Settings
Journal 1: Jefferson Elementary School
Journal 2: Elementary and Secondary School (Texas)
Journal 3: Community organizations that served elementary or middle-level-aged children
3. Procedure
Journal 1:Identify problem, research, plan and act
Journal 2:Identify problem, plan&research, action research, analyze results and take action
Journal 3:Reconnaissance, planning, first action step, monitoring, reflecting, rethinking and evaluation
4. Data Accumulation and Analyzation
Journal 1: Student interviews, classroom observations and teacher self-assessment
Journal 2: Students questionnaires, class surveys, individual student interviews, results of the performances assessment in field-tested curriculum unit and collection of materials prepared by participants
Journal 3: Questionnaires, written reflections&responses, field notes, course documents

(B)Analysis
Journal 1:
This journal start off with problem identification in finding ways to implement problem solving in mathematics classroom.Two major questions were focus on:Do student interviews provide teachers with a more detailed, accurate and complete picture of children's mathematical understanding? AND Does this knowledge help teachers improve the way that they teach mathematics? Data collection are more of qualitative techniques where it involved student interviews, teacher self-assessment,reflection journals and sessions for sharing results with other team members. The important goal of this action research project was to examine the effect of the interviews on the ways that teachers teach mathematics not on the changes of the student performance.

Journal 2:
Elementary and secondary school teachers involved in Geography and Assessment to implement Geography Standards. The programs consisted of three phases that is training workshop, field tests and opportunity to reflect and share six months following the training. The research methods used were student questionnaires, class surveys, individual student interviews and the results of performance assessment in the field-tested curriculum unit. In addition, copies of materials prepared by participants were collected and reviewed as a measurement how well participants aligned to instruction and assessment to the curriculum. Detailed notes were taken during presentations were revised and analyzed in order to come out with research findings.

Journal 3:
For reliability and validity purposes, multiple research approaches, data sources, observers, peer debriefing and an external auditor were utilized. However, certain controls for internal validity could not be address as this was a single-group quasi-experimental study (i.e., level of sensitization of preservice teachers to desired outcomes). In this study, both qualitative and quantitative data analyzation were used.

(C)Evaluation
Journal 1:
Teachers benefited from students interview where it gave a picture of children's levels of mathematical understanding in school by just two simple approach applied in this study. The first approach is cognitively guided instruction where teaching is most effective when new knowledge is linked to existing knowledge and that teacher will be more aware what tasks student could perform with their knowledge. The second approach is theory of constructivism where understanding of problems are constructed personally and students will solve problems in ways that made sense to them.On the other hand,students interview increased their focus and meeting the needs of individual students. For instance, teachers will be able to identify students who were ready for the next level of conceptual understanding, focus on students misconception and etc.

Journal 2:
Action research has attributed many benefits based on the research that resulted after whole-group dialogue. The analyses came to three primary findings :
1. Teachers learned that performance assessments increased student time-on-task, motivation and performance. Students indicated that more time will be spent in performance assessment as compare to traditional exam preparation.
2. Teaches concluded that classroom practice improved through the process of planning performance assessments and reflecting on the entire teaching/learning relationship by strengthening the links among curriculum, instruction and assessment.
3. The action research subgroup found that it can be valuable to listen to students ideas and comments on what they have learned. Different students will interpret things differently, so from dialoging with students many things were unfolded.

Journal 3:
Quantitative Analysis: Data collected from 20 preservice teacher questionnaires, coded and analyzed. A t-Test was performed n the close-ended items. The items were addressed to several areas related to preservice teachers self-assessment on how confident to teach diverse students and their knowledge of the strategies that foster or impede success of underrepresented population. Qualitative Analysis provides technical understanding of this project and increase the preservice teachers confidence and knowledge in regard to teaching science to diverse student populations.


(D)Summary
Journal 1:
There are many ways to measure skills acquisition and performance levels of children. Over-reliance of tests and quizzes to measure may give an incomplete and bias results on students performance (NCTM, 2000) as it does not tell teachers how children think mathematically.In contrast, assessment of students understanding can be enhanced by the use of multiple forms of assessment such as interviews. During the interview, children not only will get immediate feedback but teaches will gain valuable diagnostic information on children's performance at the same time. Interview can also foster insight into how children think and reason, how they demonstrate creativity and abilities in solving mathematics in different strategies.

Journal 2:
Action researchers involved and initiate action in order to improve in educational enterprise (Slater, 1996). Research were crafted to suit their own interests, context and particular student populations.However, in this study, there was no control group to measure greater effect for the action research subgroup. Analysis of Renaissance Weekend Dialogue was the evidence of the value of performance assessment in Standard-based-Geography where all participants conducted a form of action research by field testing on curriculum units and assessments.In this context, teachers were supported and encouraged to think deeply about the National Standards and their expectations for student performance, to develop and test new curriculum units and assessment techniques and also to integrate ideas and skills in personal learning experience. In addition, teacher-to-student and teacher-to-teacher dialogue helped in creating a positive and rich learning environment.

Journal 3:
Preservice teachers work to develop a develop a better understanding of how to address the needs of diverse used. Teaches on the other hand were revise in order to prepare them to be confidence and knowledgeable to meet the needs of youth populations underserved in science education.

(E)Synthesis
Journal 1:
Interview was chose as the assessment tool for this study as Buschman believe that by interviewing students will provide a more accurate and complete view of what children know and can do. With the information provided, instruction can be match to individual needs and abilities of children. In addition,spending one-on-one with teacher will benefit children in a sense that feedback will be given immediately on mistakes thus improve their mathematics skills.

Journal 2:
Three issues related to action research and geography require further study. That is where the National Council for Geographic Education (NCGE) begins a new project fostering collborative research in geography education. First is the transfer of techniques conducting research in classroom. Secondly is the dissemination of staff what are the most effective ways to initiate action research-based programs? Should the model be collaborative, encouraging linkage with other teachers or a university geography educator or individual? The third issue focuses on intellectual challenges to action as research whether it is a practical knowledge (procedural knowledge on how and when to do something) or formal knowledge (conditional and generalizable knowledge)?

Journal 3:
Pre-service teachers needed to influence their confidence, skills and knowledge. Reflective practices are beneficial where in serves to help pre-service teachers to sort out thinking about problematic situations that occur and helps them to reflect about that situation.

Assignment 1: Book Review

The Case for Pedagogical action research
1. Pedagogical- principles of learning&teaching at tertiary level
2. Action- changes of result from the research
3. Research- systematic collection, interpretation, dissemination of one's findings
- systematically studying action research principles for the continues grow of educational theory (Mcniff, 1993)

Action Research Concept
- self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants in social situations
- improve rationality&justice and understanding of own practices
- improve settings/situations where the practices are carried out
- reflect on own teaching in a systematic way (Parker, 1997)
- encourages academics to handle their own professional development by being active learners

Why Teachers have to do Action Research
The importance of action research is to let teachers to investigate and reflect own teaching by communicating ideas and practices to their peers. This way, teachers will be explored to the relationships between teaching and learning, research and integrating and applying knowledge. Automatically, knowledge about teaching and learning through reflection on practice, preparation and inquiry helps in enhancement of student learning.

Spiral of Action Research (Model)
1. Kurt Lewin
Planning --> Action --> Research (Facts finding about result of action taken)
2. Research Cycle (Norton, 2009)
a) Observe-observe/notice something that can be improved
b) Plan-a course of action that involves changing of something in own practice
c) Act-carry out changes
d) Reflect- effect of change has made

Research Setting:
University

Sample Participants:
Third year psychology students (counseling, crime&organizational)

Process for Carrying Out Action Research(ITDEM)

Aim:helping psychology students to write better essays
1. Identify problems
2. Thinking of ways to tackle the problem
3. Doing it
4. Evaluating (actual research findings)
5. Modify future practice

Research Instruments
1. Questionnaire research
- Open-ended questions
- Closed questions
- Attitude scales or measurement scales
2. Interviews
- Structured
- Semi-structured
3. Experimental designs
- Independent groups
- Matched participants
- Repeated measure
4. Observational research
- Direct
- Naturalistic
5. Correlated studies

Accumulation&Data Analyzation
1. Qualitative Data Analysis
-used when research area do not provide much information
-seek better understanding of the perspective of the person being researched (i.e. interview and focus group)
-gain more in-depth information that maybe difficult to quantify (i.e. open-ended-questions to amplify questionnaire responses)
-already have existing resources (i.e. diaries, students assignments, video recordings and reports)

Techniques used are Thematic Analysis & Content Analysis

Thematic Anaysis
Stage1: Immersion (read transcript and note down general themes notice)
Stage2: Generate categories (generate as many categories as possible and write down a label that best describes each category)
Stage3: Deleting categories (cut down categories that overlap or repeated)
Stage4: Merging categories (refine&describes categories into themes)
Stage5: Checking themes (reread transcripts together with themes list and revise whenever necessary)
Stage6: Linking themes (make sense of the analytical points to support the contents)
Stage7: Presenting findings (select the most important theme and select examples of transcripted data. Construct overall commentary on how the data examples are linked together)

Content Analysis
In search for richer meanings and deeper understanding, content analysis is particular useful when it comes to analyse content of students written assignments. Here, Norton (2009) applied Biggs and Collis' (1982) SOLO taxonomy:
Pre-structural (no understanding) --> Uni-structural (focus on just one task element) --> Multi-structural (address a number if elements in task but unable to do any connections between them) --> Relational (make connections between interrelating parts of the task&construct balanced answer) --> Extended abstract (see beyond parameters of task and think hypothetically about alternatives in different contexts)

Stage1: Deciding unit of analysis (what units will be used? (i.e words, phrases, sentences or paragraphs)
Stage2: Dividing transcript into units of analysis (break down transcripts into 25 information units)
Stage3: Construct categories (Immersion, generate/delete categories,merging categories&checking themes)
Stage4: Assign units of analysis to categories (coding-ensure all information units assigned to one category)
Stage5: Calculate the percentage of information units that fall into each category

Summary: thematic analysis gives richer understanding of topics you are researching from the participant's point of view whereas content analysis approach are more formulaic objective approach and uses quantitative measures to do so

2. Quantitative Data Analysis
Useful in pedagogical action research studies where the method is an experiment, attitude scale or questionnaire, observation study which involves counting, produces any information that is quantifiable (age ranges, number of years teaching etc.). There are two types of quantitative analysis: statistics for description and statistics for drawing conclusions (inferential statistics).

Descriptive Statistics
Measures large body of information or data and it can present results clearly. It can be calculate by hand, calculator or using Excel.

Techniques used:
a) central tendency or averages (mean, median and mode)
b) dispersion or variability (range, mean deviation and standard deviation)
c) frequency counts

Inferential Statistics
Statistical analysis goes beyond level of description and attempts to draw conclusions from data collected. Used when testing hypotheses by making predictions such as looking to see if a teaching intervention improves student learning.

There are three main types (Techniques):
a) Tests for correlations (shows the strength of the relationship between two factors or variables. When in doubt to use which correlation test, choose to use Spearman's test and have more paired variables)
b) Tests for differences for repeated measures (paired variables)
Simple to calculate and can be useful when when statistical test is carried out on paired variables which may not necessarily be derived from an experimental design
c) Test of difference for independent groups
when comparing scores from two independent groups, you can choose to use Mann-Whitney (non-parametric) or the t-test independent groups (parametric)
d) Tests for goodness of fit
This tests is best used when there is no measures or scores involved but simply observations or categories

Research Ethics
Generally, code of practice had agree mostly on three basic principles: informed consent, privacy and confidentiality and protection from harm. Consent means asking people to agree or take in research without being force whereas informed means giving them sufficient information on which to make a realistic judgement on possible consequences of taking part.

Informed Consent:In pedagogical research, voluntary in participating in research must be highly considered. In order to complete their research task, lecturers should never ever misuse their authority or force students and convince that it will be beneficial for students studies or in the future. In addition, involving colleagues in your pedagogical research is never smooth sailing even if they said yes particularly if there is a difference in status. In this case, whens it is concerned with lecturer or learning-support colleague, the power/authority element will have huge impact when it comes to high status staff and junior colleagues.

Information: Giving a fair information during pedagogical research are very important to potential participants about the study. Information can be an oral statement in a lecture to student or one-to-one basis with colleagues but usually research information are delivered in participant information sheet and a consent form. Some of the elements should be followed that are stated in this book are:
1. Statement and explanation about research aims, expected duration, description of what will be involved and what will happen to the findings
2. Description of any possible discomfort or risks might faced and any possible benefits
3. Disclosure of appropriate alternative procedures that might be advantageous to the participants
4. Statement on all information collected as part of the research study will be keep for how many years, details where it will be stored and what form it will be stored
5. Statement on procedure of confidentiality protection
6. Statement about voluntary participation and rights to withdraw at any time
7. Details on how and when participants will received either a copy of final research report or summary of research findings
8. Distribution arrangements via Email or Internet
9. Use of experimental and control group
10. Collection of data on audio or videotapes

Anonymity and Confidentiality:Anonymity refers to concealing of identity of participants in all research findings (including research seminars, conference papers and book chapters). Confidentiality refers to who has the right of access to the data provided by participants.


Reliability and Validity
Reliability refers to consistency over time and an accurate representation of total population under study. If the result of study can be replicate under similar methodology, research instrument is considered reliable. Validity refers to precision of data or result that will determine how truthful research result can be measure. In terms of qualitative analysis, methods used are thematic and content analysis. In thematic analysis, this study had interview ten lecturers and later the information were analyze in 7Stages mentioned above. This step was rather reliable as the data was collected consistently whereas it might not be valid as the data will not be precise. As for Content analysis, analysis were done based on Biggs and Collis (1982) SOLO taxonomy and also involved 5Stages mentioned above.This analysis is more to formulaic approach so it would be much more reliable and valid in the sense of data is accumulated and then generated by using formula. From there, comparison on difference and similarity can be presented. As for Quantitative analysis,data were collected and were generated and measured into statistic. In which choosing of parametric and non-parametric test is considered via probability and testing for statistical significance. This analysis is rather reliable and valid as it uses formula and statistic to present data. (http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR8-4/golafshani.pdf)

Evaluation of the whole Book
I would say this book is a very perfect reference to use when conducting action research in university. The concept were clearly specified in this book but the importance on why teachers should do action research is not clearly stated and was mentioned here and there between first two chapters that i have to look out for the information and key-points to elaborate on that part.This book also do not emphasis on the model of action research and it only mention the basic of action cycle by Lewin and re-summarize by Norton in Spiral of Action Research. However, the qualitative and quantitative data analysis were elaborated clearly and the stages and when and why we should choose that particular test were stated in very organized manner so this will be a superb reference when it comes to data collection and analyzation.

Assignment 2

Review & Analyzation of Article Journal on Action Research

1. Review on 3 article journals
2. Compare samples,settings,procedures,accumulation & analyzation of data in terms of :
- similarity and difference
- analysis
- evaluation
- summary
- syntheses

Due: 26th May, 2009

Kuliah 4: Kajian Kepustakaan

- merupakan sorotan (review) ke atas bahan-bahan bacaan seperti buku, jurnal, artikel seminar & laporan dsb
- mengkritis secara kritikal kepada idea-idea yang dikemukakan

1. Membanding vs Membeza
2. Analisis
3. Menilai
4. Kesimpulan
5. Sintesis

link provided: http://www.3metaku.com

Kuliah 3: Pengurusan Perubahan Dalam Pendidikan

Konsep Perubahan Dalam Pendidikan
Perubahan dalam pendidikan tidak dapat dielakkan
- Menyediakan manusia menghadapi cabaran masa depan
- Perubahan didapati lebih mengambarkan ciri-ciri pendidikan berbanding dengan kestabilan (Oliver, 1996)
- Ketidakpastian yang wujud dalam perubahan perlu dielakkan untuk menentukan masa depan generasi muda

Jenis-jenis Perubahan (Desssler, 1995)
1. Perubahan ke arah peningkatan
2. Perubahan Strategik Organisasi
3. Perubahan Reaktif
4. Perubahan akibat daripada jangkaan

Perubahan adalah KOMPLEKS
Kompleksiti & kerumitan perubahan merupakan fokus bagi mendapatkan maklumat tentang perubahan tentang perubahan&tindakan bagi tujuan mengimplimentasikan perubahan
1. Evolusi
-Perubahan yang menghasilkan kesan yang sedikit dalam tempoh yang panjang
-Perubahan yang ketara dalam status quo
2. Revolusi
-Perubahan yang pantas
-meninggalkan kesan yang membinasakan


Perubahan Multidimensi
Perubahan melibatkan pelbagai pertimbangan unutk mengenalpasti semua dimensi yang berkaitan dengan perubahan. Terdapat 6 Jenis Dimensi:
1. Tujuan perubahan
2. Unit perubahan
3. Sifat perubahan
4. Magnitud (size) perubahan
5. Skop perubahan
6. Jangkamasa perubahan

Model-Model Perubahan
1. Model Penggabungan Rodger
2. Model Kantner (1998)
3. Model Rand
4. Model Acot

Aktiviti 3

Nyatakan 8 sebab-sebab mengapa orang menentang perubahan & Bincang cara-cara penyelesaiannya

Sebab-sebab:

1. Mengganggu rutin/kebiasaan seharian yang dilakukan
2. Mengganggu zon keselesaan (Comfort zone)
3. Persepsi yang berbeza
4. Takut mencuba benda baru atau takut akan kegagalan
5. Keraguan kepada kesan perubahan
6. Pemikiran yang konservatif & tidak boleh menerima benda baru
7. Tiada atau kurang pengetahuan terhadap perubahan yang diperkenalkan
8. Perubahan dianggap sebagai sesuatu yang kompleks & sukar difahami

Cara-cara penyelesaian:

1. Pendedahan kepada perubahan semasa & sentiasa mengikuti perkembangan semasa
2. Berfikiran terbuka & bersedia menerima benda-benda baru
3. Berani menerima risiko
4. Bersedia menerima & berkongsi pendapat dengan orang lain
5. Mengumpul data & maklumat

Kerja Kumpulan :

Tan Sin Yee P48643
Syaidatul Haini Mohd Radzi P48676
Saw Ying Yu P48662

Lecture 2: Action Research Models

Elliot Model


Kemmis&Mctaggart Model