Power point presentation (pdf grayscale) - Dr. Jaafar Jantan - UiTM

Classroom Action Reasearch 2/7/2010 

COPPA 

Me & E. De Bono 

Perak Matriculation College 

Gopeng, Feb 5 th -6 th 2010 

Jaafar Jantan a.k.a. DR. JJ (Assoc. Prof. Dr.) 

“The principle goal of education is to create men who are capable of 

doing new things, not simply of repeating what other generations have 

done -- men who are creative, inventive and discoverers. “ Jean Piaget 

“The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how 

to learn and change.” Carl Rogers 

email: jjnita@salam.uitm.edu.my, drjjlanita@hotmail.com; 

Website: http://drjj.uitm.edu.my; HP: +60193551621 

Me & H. Gardner 

Copyright DR JJ, ASERG, UiTM, Shah Alam; Feb 2010 1 

Me with the Director General of UNESCO 

Born & Raised in the state of Hang Jebat… 

Early education at St. David’s, Science Malacca (‘77-’78) & SDAR (Seremban) (’79) 

B.Sc. Physics (1983); M.Sc. Condensed Matter (1985) - KSU 

Teaching Certificate (1986) – MPTI, JB 

Served ITM – Jan 1987 

PhD Physics Education (1991-1994) 

Physics & Education expert 

• Practiced OBE & Active Learning on his own since 1997. 

• Vice-Chair Asian Physics Education Network (ASPEN), UNESCO 

• Chair for ASPEN, Malaysia 

• Nominated for Innovative Teaching & Learning, National & International 

• Member, Science Educ. Committee, Academy Science Malaysia since 2005. 

• Keynote, Plenary and Invited Speaker in Conferences Nationally & 

Internationally 

• Liason officer Between UiTM & JPT on LOKI-based curriculum review 


http://drjj.uitm.edu.my 

Developing 3 Domains of Education 

Cognitive 

Head 

Knowing, the Head 

The KNOWLEDGE 

Intellectual Skills 

Psychomotor 

Doing, The Hand, Body 

The SKILLS 

3H 

Affective 

Heart 

Feeling, The Heart 

The CARE, Emotions 


Copyright DR JJ, ASERG, UiTM, Shah Alam 1




Can explain: provide thorough, supported, and justifiable accounts 

of phenomena, facts, and data. 

Can interpret: tell meaningful stories; offer apt translations; provide 

a revealing historical or personal dimension to ideas and events; 

make it personal or accessible through images, anecdotes, 

analogies, and models. 

Can apply: effectively use and adapt what we know in diverse 

contexts. 

Have perspective: see and hear points of view through critical eyes 

and ears; see the big picture. 

Can empathize: find value in what others might find odd, alien, or 

implausible; perceive sensitively on the basis of prior direct 

experience. 

Have self-knowledge 

knowledge: perceive the personal style, prejudices, 

projections, and habits of mind that both shape and impede our own 

understanding; we are aware of what we do not understand and why 

understanding is so hard 

Source: Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe. Understanding by Design; Chap 4. 

Source: Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe. Understanding by Design; Chap 4. 



Research is the systematic process of collecting and 

analyzing information to increase our understanding of the 

phenomenon under study. 

Research is all about addressing an issue or asking and 

answering a question or solving a problem, Research 

characteristics are: 

Systematic, logical, empirical, reductive, replicable 

Copyright DR JJ, ASERG, UiTM, Shah Alam; Feb 2010 7 Copyright DR JJ, ASERG, UiTM, Shah Alam; Feb 2010 8 



Learning Outcomes 

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 

1. Describe what is action research. 

2. Explain, with examples, the operational definition of Reflection 

3. Recite, repeat and discuss the cycle involved in doing action 

research. 

4. Describe, with examples, how to conduct an action research. 

5. Write a log of the events unfolding in every module during the 

workshop/lecture. 

6. Reflect and suggest a topic to study. 

7. Suggest the plan of action. 

8. Propose the tools of data collection and analysis. 

“We must produce confident students with a sense of balance 

and proportion. . While an individual may specialise in a certain 

area, his or her perspective should be enriched by other 

experiences as well.” 

Source: NATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION ACTION PLAN 2007-2010 

Suggested reading on action research: 

"Taking Action with Teacher Research" edited by Ellen Meyers and Frances Rust 



ACTIVITY…. 

The difficult thing about doing action research is that you have to override most of what you've 

learned about research as an activity. In a traditional research culture you begin by framing a 

question, setting up a situation which might provide some information, collecting data which 

bears on the question, then writing up results. 

Action research isn't like that at all. The research activity begins in the middle of whatever 

it is you're doing — something happens that you didn't expect 

The dilemma in an action research situation is you may not even realize something 

interesting has occurred that you ought to think about unless you're already in the 

habit of keeping a journal or reflective log. Because teaching, like other activities which 

occur in and around schools, is so complex, we're accustomed to coping with the 

many things demanding our attention at once without really thinking ing about them; we 

generally don't make a point of recording those moments which surprise or perplex us 

or stand out for some other reason during the course of the day. So, unless we create 

for ourselves regular reflective accounts of what's going on, we're not likely to get anywhere. 





As Leaphorn advises Chee in Hillerman's novel, Sacred Clown, "I want you to tell me everything 

— don't leave out stuff you think is trivial." In fact, you won't know what is trivial until patterns 

begin to emerge, and even then what seems trivial, may turn out to be significant later — you 

just can't tell. 

The hardest part of beginning an action research project is developing the discipline to 

keep a written account, of recording on a regular basis the details of what's happening, 

particularly when you have no idea what you're looking for. For unlike traditional research, 

action research begins not with a research question but with the muddle of daily work, with the 

moments that stand out from the general flow, and unless we record those moments they 

vanish, unavailable as data for reflection, for discerning some larger pattern of experience. So 

it's necessary to keep fairly detailed notes. Whether it's a journal, a daily log, critical incidents 

(Newman, 1987, 1991) jotted on index cards, or more extensive field notes, without a written 

account, the enterprise cannot proceed. 

Source: ACTION RESEARCH:EXPLORING THE TENSIONS OF TEACHING. Judith M. Newman, Ph.D. In: Newman, Judith M. 1998 

Tensions of Teaching: Beyond Tips to Critical Reflection. Toronto/New York: Canadian Scholars' Press/Teachers College Press: 1-24. 

“…teacher 

teacher-initiated classroom investigation 

seeking to increase 

the teachers’ understanding 

of classroom teaching and learning, 

and to bring about change 

in classroom practices.” 

Source: Teachers’ Network (Ministry of Education, Singapore) publication on Learning Circles 



Inquiry-based research 

conducted by teachers 

that follows a process of examining existing practices, 

implementing new practices, 

and evaluating the results, 

leading to an improvement cycle 

that benefits both students and teachers. 

Also known as: practitioner research, teacher research, site-based 

research, and action science. 

cs3.wnmu.edu/elearning/a404/support/a404b0_50100.html 

“Professionals studying their own practice in order to improve 

it. 

Applied to teaching, it involves gathering and interpreting 

"data" to better understand an aspect of your teaching that 

interests or concerns you. 

An alternative to teachers who have been encouraged to look to 

others, rather than to themselves and their students, for ways 

to improve their teaching. 

Action research is an important recent development in the 

broad territory of "teachers' professional development." 

Source: Tom Russell, Queen’s University; http://educ.queensu.ca/~russellt/howteach/arguide.htm#arwhy 





Kurt Lewin (1940) 

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) 

A particular way of researching your own learning; 

A practical way of looking at your practice in order to check 

whether it is as you feel it should be…; 

If you feel that your practice needs attention in some way you 

will be able to take action to improve it, and then produce 

evidence to show in what way the practice has improved. 

Source: Jean McNiff, 2002; Action Research Principles and Practice 

Action research is solving problems through the application of the t 

scientific method. 



OBSERVE 

4. Observe, monitor 

and record 

1. Think about what 

we want to focus on 

REFLECT 

5. Reflect on what has happened 

to improve further 

ACT 

3. Carry out plan, collect evidence 

PLAN 

2. Plan what to do 

Latin “reflectere” : To bend back 

INVOLVES “SHUTTLING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THINKING AND 

ACTION” 

•Looking back on experience to improve practice 

•Learning in the midst of practice 

•Making decisions about what to do 





We review our current practice, 

identify an aspect that we want to investigate, 

imagine a way forward, 

try it out, and 

take stock of what happens. 

We modify what we are doing in the light of what we 

have found, and continue working in this new way (try 

another option if the new way of working is not right) 

monitor what we do, 

review and evaluate the modified action, 

and so on … 

Source: Action research for professional development, Concise advice for new action 

researchers. Third edition © Jean McNiff 2002 


N atu re o f R e fle ctio n 

R eturning to experience 

• R ecalling or detailing salient events 

A ttending to (or co nnecting w ith) feelings 

• U sing helpful feelings 

• R em o ving or containing obstructive ones 

Evaluating experience 

• R e-exam ining experience in the light of one’s 

aim s and know ledge 

• Entails integrating this new know ledge into one’s 

conceptual fram ew ork 

Source: http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-reflect.htm 


Level 1 

Involves technical application of knowledge and skills in the 

classroom setting. 

Level 2 

Emphasizes examination of assumptions underlying practice. 

Level 3 

Emphasizes moral and ethical issues of practicality to values and 

beliefs. 

Source: Quality Teaching: Reflection, the heart of Practice by Joelle K. Jay. 2003 

Stop to reflect 

Rushing around makes Life becomes a blur 

Reflection helps us to focus… 

Reflection is the bridge between thinking 

and acting 

Helps us To think 

and act 

and think again… 





A reflective thinker is aware of her own knowledge (skills and 

empathy) and lack of knowledge (skills and empathy) and 

recognizes that there may not be only a single correct solution to 

a problem or interpretation of a situation. A reflective thinker 

relies on all available resources to find relevant needed 

information and opinions in order to come to a personal 

understanding of a situation, knowing that this understanding 

may change, as she gains more information and insight into the 

matter. 

http://ldt.stanford.edu/ldt1999/Students/cmazow/MajorProject/refThinkLoMain.htm 

Teaching effectiveness – better understanding, grades, attitude 

towards learning, teaching materials and acquisition of the key 

competencies 

Classroom management & discipline– better student behaviour 

(punctuality, reduced disruptions in class, better attention span) 

Use of information technology- effective use of IT to “deliver” the 

content) 

Curriculum innovation- interdisciplinary efforts using Pmodel or 

similar frameworks eg. PBL 

Assessment methodologies - use of alternative assessment tools – 

student portfolios, checklists, peer assessment, student 

reflections 

Development of students through attributes - leadership skills, 

self-esteem, personal development. 



►1. What is the problem or question you want answered 

►2. Define the problem/question in clear, specific language. The 

question may be general or specific. 

“Does the new Math Lab increase math grades or math test 

scores” 

Will the use of Concept Maps improve students’ conceptual 

understanding 

Can the use of simulations improve students’ knowledge of 

electrostatics 

2. Define the problem/question (con.). 

“Will students’ learning preferences affect their science reasoning 

skills” 

“Will repeating lesson outcomes throughout a lesson increase 

students’ retention” 

“Can cooperative group discussion during lectures improve 

students’ ability to achieve the learning outcome” 

Will a 2-minute 2 

end-of 

of-class reflection reveal students’ achievement 

of the learning outcomes” 

Carey Dimmitt, John Carey and Carole Schweid; ; School Counseling Leadership Institute, 2003 






►3. What have others found Search for resources and review the 

relevant research literature. 

Has anyone in the school asked this question before 

Who might have information 

What is the relevant research in professional journals 

What does an internet search find on this topic 

►4. What is the purpose of the study or research 

Why do you want to know this 

What educational practices should have been impacted by your 

intervention 

What student outcomes are you hoping to influence 

Will the study help you make decisions About what 





►5. Do you have a hypothesis/hypotheses about what you will find 

What is your hypothesis Or, what do you think the answer(s) ) will be 

This helps you identify your biases, which may impact your process. 

What is the opposite of your hypothesis (the “null hypothesis”) 

What would the data look like if you were wrong 

►6. Select or prepare the data and/or instrument(s) ) you will use to 

answer your question(s). There are many kinds of data to use. 

Instruments include surveys, tests, questionnaires, interview questions, q 

etc. 

►Is you instrument valid Is it reliable 

►7. Select an appropriate sample of an appropriate size. 







►8. Select a research design (descriptive quasi/-experimental) 

Looking at how one group changes over time 

►Use descriptive statistics (median, mode, frequencies, 

percentages) 

►Use t-tests t tests or Chi-Square 

Looking at differences between control and intervention groups 

►Use t-test t test or Chi-Square 

Looking at differences among more than 2 groups 

►Use Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) 

►9. Collect the research data 

most schools already have several sources of data available, ready 

for analysis 

use multiple outcome measures wherever possible 

obtain permission, if necessary 

follow ethical guidelines 

ensure an adequate, appropriate sample 





►10. Edit, organize and code the data for analysis 

►11. Analyze and interpret the data 

use statistics to analyze 

use graphs, tables and pictures to represent findings 

►12. Report conclusions 

Decide on audience(s) 

Make recommendations and decisions based on conclusions 

Structure report/presentation so that the most relevant information 

ion 

is presented to audience 

Don’t t exclude important information 

Don’t t present only results that support your hypotheses 

Relate findings to purposes of study, hypotheses and previous 

research 







►13. Evaluate Research 

What would you do differently next time 

Revision of instrument if re-using 

Did research generate information you wanted 

What questions did the research generate 

►What are your biases/Mental Models How are they impacting the 

questions you’re asking and the places you’re looking 

►Evaluating findings from research literature and internet searches 

es 

What is the source How reliable is it 

What are the strengths/weaknesses of the research design, 

sampling, effect size, measures used, treatment fidelity, researcher 

bias, instrument reliability and validity 





►Data: 

How accurate is the data you’ve chosen to use 

What’s s missing 

►Instruments: 

Reliability and validity 

Just because it exists doesn’t t mean it’s s well done 

►Sampling and Research Design: 

Size of sample 

Comparability of sample and control 

Matching vs. random assignment 

Assuring fidelity of treatment 

►Doing same thing across different groups 







►Ethical Considerations: 

Consent 

Human Subjects Review 

Denying access to interventions- remediation 

►Data Analysis 

Use expert consultation or university collaboration to get needed 

information 

►Results Presentation 

All the data that’s s relevant must be presented, even if it contradicts 

expectations or ruffles feathers 

Who has access to data results 

Extrapolation and generalization of findings 





►Results Presentation 

All the data that’s s relevant must be presented, even if it contradicts 

expectations or ruffles feathers 

Who has access to data results 

Extrapolation and generalization of findings 



► What is the purpose of your work (action research proposal 

introduction) 

► Why is this work important for the science (introduction) 

► Are there any similarities with the other researches on this 

theme (action research proposal literature review) 

► Will this background information be enough for this investigation 

n 

( literature review) 

► What way is it better to choose in order to write this work 

(action research proposal main body) 

► What will be described in this paper first (main body) 

► What results are achieved (action research proposal conclusion) 





Use Habermas’s (1976) four criteria for judging communicative 

validity. 

Understandable - that is, the writer must find a way of 

communicating their ideas so that the writer and the reader can 

understand each other. 

Sincere - so the writer needs to communicate the story in a way 

that the reader can share the knowledge of the writer. 

Truthful - so that the reader can believe the writer. 

communicated appropriately - that is, it must be written in a way 

that takes into account the socio-cultural cultural circumstances of the 

present situation, so that both writer and reader can see that the t 

report makes sense within an existing context. 

Source: AERA professional Development Training and Extended Courses Proposal 

osal 

http://www.jeanmcniff.com/aera08/jmjwAERA_prof_dev_2008_final.htm 


They are written for a reader. The author takes the responsibility for not 

assuming that the reader already knows what the author is thinking. ng. The 

author leads the reader carefully through the account. 

They are explanatory research reports, that is, they give the reasons for 

undertaking the research, as well as the goals for the research. They do not 

offer only descriptions, although descriptions of actions and learning are a key 

part of the report. 

Because they are research reports, they articulate a claim to knowledge. This 

means first identifying and articulating a research question, showing how data 

was gathered and how evidence was generated by searching the data a for 

instances that show how the research question is addressed. Evidence is then 

extracted from the data, and is used as the grounds against which h to test the 

validity of the claim to knowledge. 


osal 



They explain the processes of the research, in relation to the criteria c 

for 

doing research: does it show methodological rigour, systematic enquiry, e 

the 

initial identification of a research issue and the generation of evidence; i.e. 

do they show the processes of establishing the validity of the research r 

claim 

They adopt a narrative form, in which the ‘I’ tells the research story. The 

story is generative and transformational: each part unfolds into the next 

part, and each part contains the other parts within itself. 

They demonstrate communicative adequacy, that is, they write for a reader. 

Therefore they communicate ideas in ways that are comprehensible, , honest, 

sincere and appropriate to the social and cultural context. 

They talk explicitly about the generation of knowledge, and they show the 

significance of the practice and the research for new forms of practice p 

and 

new forms of theory. Therefore they speak about the potential implications 

of the research for how research can inform practice, and practice ce can 

inform research. They articulate the significance of this approach for 

continuing professional teacher development. 


osal 



osal 






1. What is my/our concern 

2. Why am I/are we concerned 

3. How do I/we gather data to show the situation as it is and as it unfolds 

4. What can I/we do about it (what options are available) What will l I/we do 

about it (what action is planned) 

5. How do I/we ensure that any conclusions I/we come to are reasonably fair 

and accurate 

6. How do I/we account for my~our educational influences in learning 

7. How do I/we modify my/our ideas and practices in the light of the 

evaluation 


osal 



How worthwhile is this 

How valuable is it 

What do I value about 

it 

What is the most significant thing I 

have done so far 

What is the most significant thing I 

have learnt so far 

What is important about my learning 

Did the practice show an improvement How do you make 

judgements about any improvement in practice you may have 

observed 

Did the practice show an improvement in learning How do you make 

judgements about the quality of the learning 

How can you show how your learning has influenced someone else’s 

learning How do you make judgements about the quality of that 

influence 


osal 



Think about this 

We have identified our values as what guides our practices (our standards 

of practice), so we can think of evaluating the quality of the practice in 

terms of the extent to which those values were realised. Did we realise our 

values of, for example, honesty, independent enquiry, efficient timekeeping, 

courtesy to others 

We have identified our values as what guides our research (our standards 

of judgement), so we can think of evaluating the quality of the research in 

terms of the extent to which those values were realised. Did we realise our 

values of, for example, methodological rigour, systematic enquiry, 

collaborative working, validating a claim to knowledge through the 

production of authenticated evidence 


osal 



Think about this 

Can we discern that our values come to act as our living standards of 

practice and judgement as they emerge in our practice 

To what extent do the values of practice and the values of research 

overlap 


osal 







At the end of this activity students will be able to: 

4. Describe and draw the electric field patterns created by 

point charges surrounding a point charge. 

5. Describe and draw the electric field patterns surrounding 

two like point charges and two unlike point charges. 

6. Measure the strength of an electric field produced by a 

point charge at various localities and produce a 

mathematical model of the strength. 


Draw the electric force exerted by one point charge 

onto another and describe the motion of charges in 

the presence of other point charges. 




Describe and draw the electric field patterns 

created by point charges surrounding a point 

charge. 


Using the the Electric Field Hockey PHET simulation and choose the hockey putt be 

the negatively charged particle feeling the force, move a negative charge near it to 

“see” the force exerted on the putt. Then draw the force diagram based on your 

observation. Using a ruler, measure the length of each force line. Now compare the 

force diagram for each of the electrons to your predicted diagram. How different are 

they Explain the similarity and differences you observed in terms of the direction and 

length of the force line. 

4 

3 


1 

2 

LAB 










Reflection 


“The goal of intellectual education is not how to repeat or 

retain ready-made truths… . It is in learning to master 

the truth by oneself at the risk of losing a lot of time and 

going thru all the roundabout ways that are inherent in 

real activity.” 

(Jean Piaget, Swiss cognitive psychologist, 1896-1980) 





A sample lesson from Thermodynamics 

Course outcome for Thermodynamics: (address PO1) 

Write energy balance representing the first law of thermodynamics and 

use it in both closed and open systems. 

Lesson outcomes: Upon completion of this unit, students will 

be able to: 

1. State the conservation of energy principle and name all the forms of 

energy entering & leaving a system and energy changes within the 

system. 

2. Discuss the energy exchange process and write mathematical 

expressions representing the energy balance in units of kJ, for a general 

system undergoing any process. 

3. Rewrite the energy balance in the unit-mass basis and unit-time time basis 

(or rate-form basis) for a general system undergoing any process. 


Education, we see, is not merely gaining knowledge or skills helpful toward productive 

work, though certainly that is a part of it. Rather it is a replenishment enishment and an 

expansion of the natural thirst of the mind and soul. Learning is a gradual process of 

growth, each step building upon the other. It is a process whereby the learner 

organizes and integrates not only facts but attitudes and values. . The Lord has told us 

that we must open our minds and our hearts to learn. There is a Chinese proverb: 

Wisdom is as the moon rises, perceptible not in progress but in result. As our 

knowledge is converted to wisdom, the door to opportunity is unlocked. 

Barbara W. Winder 

The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action. 

Herbert Spencer 

The one real goal of education is to leave a person asking questions. 

Max Beerbohm

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