Jamil Ahmad PhD Fakulti Pendidikan UKM

Action Research:

A Tool for Improving Quality Service

SEMINAR PENYELIDIKAN SEKTOR AWAM

INTAN, BUKIT KIARA

17 MEI 2012

Origins of Action Research

Kurt Lewin (1946), a social psychologist is reputed to

have been the first to use the term 'action research',

as a way of describing professional development in

social situations.

He went on to conduct various research projects,

which were all aimed at creating some sort of social

Action Research for Business, Non-profit, and Public

Administration change.

Action Research – Tracing the Origins and

Development in Teacher Education

– Kurt Lewin (1946)

– Stephen Corey (1950)

– Lawrence Stenhouse (1970s)

– Carr and Kemmis (1980s to date)

– John Elliot (1990s to date)

– Donald Schon (1980s)

– Jack Whitehead (1970 to date)

– Jean McNiff (1990 to date)

LATAR BELAKANG DAN PERKEMBANGAN KAJIAN TINDAKAN

DIPERKENALKAN OLEH KURT LEWIN (1946) (Ahli Psikologi Sosial)

Dua Idea Utama Konsep Kajian Tindakan 1. Komitmen Untuk Penambahbaikan

2. Keputusan Bersama

Idea Lewin digunakan oleh Stephen Corey di Teachers’ College Columbia University, New York (1953) sebagai pendekatan penyelidikan di sekolah

Tahun 1970an Penyelidikan mendapat perhatian antarabangsa Lawrence Stenhouse memperkenalkan Konsep Guru Sebagai Penyelidik

1975-Humanities Curriculum Project (HCP) 1978-Research as a basic for teaching (di UEA, Norwich, England)

Tahun 1976 John Elliot dan Rakan-rakan memperkenalkan Ford Teaching Project di CARE, UEA, Norwich Classroom Action Research Network (CARN)

Projek PALM (1998-1990)

Penyelidikan Tindakan berkembang di Eropah, Australia dan USA

Di Malaysia, KT berkembang 1990an

Konsep KT diperkenalkan kepada 41 orang pensyarah institut/maktab perguruan

dan pegawai BPG. 11 hingga 20 Disember 1988.

oleh Prof. Stephen Kemmis dari School of Education, Deakin University, Australia.

Tahun 1990an

Idea “guru sebagai penyelidik” menjadi sebahagian kandungan kursus program

pra-perkhidmatan dan dalam perkhidmatan di institut/maktab perguruan.

“Program for Innovation Excellence and Research” (PIER)

BPPDP 1993-1996

Setelah PIER tamat, Program Pembudayaan Penyelidikan diteruskan melalui

pembiayaan dari;

JPPPKP (1997)

Kementerian Sains Teknologi dan Alam Sekitar (1998-1999)

ABM BPPDP (2000 hingga sekarang)

Sebahagian dari kursus dalam Diploma dan ijazah Pendidikan di IPT

What is action research?

• Action research can be described as a family

of research methodologies which pursue

ACTION (or Change) and RESEARCH (or

Understanding) at the same time.

Action Research

Action research is a process in which

participants examine their own practices,

systematically and carefully, using the

techniques of research.

Action research is a research that ANY of us

can do on his/ her own practice to improve it.

Action Research

Action research is a form of research in which

practitioners reflect systematically on their

practice, implementing informed action to bring

about improvements in practice.

Action Research

Action Research is a form of self-reflective

enquiry undertaken by participants in social

situations in order to improve the rationality and

justice of their own practices, their

understanding of these practices, and the

situations in which these practices are carried

out.

Wilf Carr and Stephen Kemmis (1986)

Action research is inquiry or research in the context of focused efforts to improve the quality of a PRACTICE.

It is typically designed and conducted by practitioners who analyze the data to improve their own practice.

Action research can be done by individuals or by teams of colleagues. The team approach is called collaborative inquiry.

Action Research

A Model of Professional Development

Action research is a model of professional

development in which practitioners study their

own practice, a process that allows them to

learn about their own practices and to continue

to improve.

Action Research

is NOT

Writing a Research Paper

ACTION RESEARCH HAS THE POTENTIAL

TO GENERATE

GENUINE AND SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENTS IN

SCHOOLS AND PUBLIC SERVICES.

How Action Research is Done?

Using a Cyclic or Spiral process which

alternates between Action and critical

Reflection, and

Continuously refining methods, data and

interpretation in the light of the understanding

developed in the earlier cycles.

The ‘Action Research Spiral’

Kemmis and McTaggart, 1988

•Plan

•Act

•Observe

•Reflect

•REVISED

Plan

•Act

•Observe

•Reflect

MEREFLEK

Muhassabah/Mereflek

bagi melihat kekuatan &

amalan sendiri/ proses

BERTINDAK

Melaksana tindakan bagi

mengatasi masalah yang

menjadi fokus

MEMERHATI

Mengumpul dan

menganalisis data bagi

menilai keberkesanan

tindakan

GELUNG 1

TINJAUAN AWAL

• Pengumpulan data

awal bagi

mengesahkan &

mengenalpasti isu

sebenar

• Mengenalpasti fokus

isu yang menjadi

keprihatinan

MEREFLEK

MERANCANG

BERTINDAK

MEMERHATI

MERANCANG

Merancang tindakan/

intervensi bagi

mengatasi masalah

yang dihadapi/difokus

GELUNG 2

KE GELUNG SETERUSNYA

PROSES KAJIAN TINDAKAN

Why Action Research?

It is participatory.

It is “from within” or internal and not from an

external “Expert’s eye”.

Very real “presences” can emerge in the

dynamically unfolding relations which can

teach us new ways of conducting our

practice.

It is the most logical way of doing research on

societal and community issues.

Sometimes, it does not make sense to go to an

outsider,with often shaky or no knowledge of the

given situation, thinking that with a few questions,

he/she can get enlightening answers.

It is difficult to grasp the issues of a group or

community by an outsider who has limited

interaction with the group.

Why Action Research? Cont..

The Purpose of Action Research

Contributes to the theory & knowledge based to enhance practice.

Supports the professional development of practitioners.

Builds a collegial networking system.

Helps practitioners identify problems & seek solutions systematically.

Can be used at all levels & in all areas of education and public services

“The idea of action research is that educational

problems and issues are best identified and

investigated where the action is; at the

classroom and school level.

By integrating research into these settings and

engaging those who work at this level in

research activities, findings can be applied

immediately and problems solved more quickly”

(Guskey, 2000).

Approaches to Action Research

• Individual Action Research

• Collaborative Action Research

• School-wide Action Research

Emily Calhoun, 1993

Participatory Action Research (PAR)

PAR is research involves all relevant parties in actively examining together current action (which they experience as problematic) in order to change it and improve it.

They do this by critically reflecting on the historical, political, cultural, economic, geographic and other relevant contexts.

It aims to be active “Team-Research”, by and for those to be helped.

It cannot be used by one group of people to get another group of people to do what they think is best for them

AR is genuinely democratic or non-coercive (By practitioners for practitioners)

• Reference Wadsworth, Y. (1998)

Reflection

Latin “reflectere” : To bend back

Involves “shuttling back and forth between

thinking and action”

Reflection

is the bridge between thinking

and acting

Levels of Reflectivity

Level 1 – Technical Reflection

Involves technical application of knowledge and skills in

the practice.

Level 2 – Practical Reflection

Emphasizes examination of assumptions underlying

practice.

Level 3 – Critical Reflection

Emphasizes moral and ethical issues of practicality to

values and beliefs.

Reflection for Action: Knowing in Action

• The sorts of knowledge we reveal in our

intelligent action

• Knowing in action: knowing more than we

can say, the capacity to do the right thing

(tacit knowledge).

Reflection in Action

• Reflection takes place in the midst of action

• Involves a surprise (an unexpected

outcome/behaviour that challenges one’s

knowing in action),

… we test our new way of seeing the

situation, and also try to change that situation

for the better.

Reflection on Action

Pausing after an activity to see how it went;

what went well?

what did not?

what could be changed?

We develop sets of questions and idea as

about our activities and practice

Reflection: step by step

Describe •What, When, Who & Where?

Analyse • Why, How, What if?

Evaluate • So what, What next?

For any topic, issue , process, theme or artefact, ask…

Action Research (Participatory Action Research)

are powerful tools for people in business, nonprofits, and

public administration who seek to create change in

complex situations for the sake of sustainable

improvement.

There are two reasons for this:

1. It transforms you, the researcher, as you grow in

understanding of the issue(s) you study (Cunliffe

2004; 2005; James; 2005; 2006; 2009; Schön

1983; 1987).

2. Data-driven decisions have increased power to

influence stakeholders, and Action Research

protocols insist that you gather data.

Building Communities Through Action Research for Social

Change

Creating a Community of Research and Practice Across the

Canadian Public Sector to Improve Service to Citizens

From Citizen-Centred Service to the Service Value Chain:

Linking People, Service and Trust.

Improving Local Public Services Through a Research-Action

Dialogue in 4 West African Communities

Improving Public Health Through Health Visitor Services

Action Research:

A Tool for Improving Quality Service

The Improvement of Public Sector Delivery: Supporting

Evidence Based Practice Through Action Research

Improving Philippine Public-Sector Productivity for

Performance Excellence

Using Action Research To Develop a Thoracic Support

Nurse Role to Enhance Quality of Care Self-Designed Teams in Improving Public Sector

Performance and Quality of Working Life

Action Research:

A Tool for Improving Quality Service

ACTION RESEARCH: STARTING POINT

Broadly, any professional

situation about which teacher or

others want to gain a deeper

understanding, and which they

want to change, is a potential

starting point.

(Altrichter et al. 1993)

10 Guidelines for Practioners Fullan & Hargreaves (1991), quoted in Change Forces, Fullan (1993:144)

1. Locate, listen to and articulate your inner voice.

2. Practice reflection for action, in action, and on action.

3. Develop a risk-taking mentality.

4. Trust processes as well as people.

5. Appreciate the total person in working with others.

6. Commit to working with colleagues.

7. Redefine your role to extend beyond the classroom.

8. Push and support principals and other administrators to develop interactive professionalism.

9. Commit to continuous improvement and perpetual learning.

10.Monitor and strengthen the connection between your development and students' development

THE END

IS

THE BEGINNING

AKHIRAN

ITU

SATU PERMULAAN

TERIMA KASIH SELAMAT MENGAMALKAN ILMU YANG

DIPEROLEH DALAM TUGAS SEHARIAN