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reflection shows whether or not Buzz Group technique can improve students’
reading comprehension.
2. Characteristics of Action Research
The following common features are the characteristics of action research suggested by Burns 1999: 30:
a. Action research is contextual, small-scale and localized. It identifies and
investigates problems within a specific situation. b.
It is evaluative and reflective as it aims to bring about change and improvement in practice.
c. It is participatory as it provides for collaborative investigation by teams of
colleagues, practitioners and researchers. d.
Changes in practice are based on the collection of information or data which provides the impetus for change.
Based on the characteristics of action research above, this research is appropriately conducted as collaborative action research in order to bring about
social and educational change and improvement in students’ reading
comprehension and the students’ learning attitude. In this case, the writer wants
to improve the students’ reading comprehension of seventh grade students of SMP N 7 Surakarta by implementing buzz groups technique through a
classroom action research.
3. The Model of Action Research
According to Kemmis and Mc Taggart 1998 in Burns 1999: 32, action research occurs through a dynamic and complementary process, which
consists of four essential ‘moments’: of planning, action, observation and reflection.
These moments are the fundamental steps in a spiraling process through which participants in an action research group undertake to do in planning, the
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researcher develops a plan of critically informed action to improve what is already happening; action, the researcher acts to implement the plan;
observation, the researcher observes the effects of the critically informed action in the context in which it occurs; and in reflection, the reseacher reflects
on these effects as the basis for further planning, subsequent critically informed action and so on, through a succession of stages.
The Action Research in this context uses the model developed by Kemmis and McTaggart in Burns 1999: 32. According to the model, the
implementation of the action research includes four steps: 1 Identifying problems and planning the action, 2 Implementing the action and observing or
monitoring the action, 3 Reflecting the result of observation, and 4 Revising the plan. The spiral model can be illustrated below:
Plan Reflection
Cycle 1
Action Observation
Revised plan Reflection
Cycle II
Action Observation
Revised plan
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4. The Procedure of Action Research
