RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A. The Method of the Research

The method used in this study is classroom action research. There are some definitions of action research proposed by experts. Carr and Kemmis (1982) in Burns (1999:30) states that action research is simply a form of self-reflective enquiry undertaken by participants in social situation in order to improve the rationality and justice of their own practices, their understanding of this practices and the situations in which the practices are carried out.

While Mills (2000:6) defines action research as: Any systematic inquiry conducted by teachers, researchers,

principals, school counselors, or other stakeholders in teaching or learning environment, to gather information about the ways that their particular schools operate, how they teach, and how well their students learn. This information is gathered with the goals of gaining insight, developing reflective practice, effecting positive changes in the school environment (and on educational practices in general), and improving students outcomes and the lives of those involved.

Zuber-Skerritt (1996:14) says that action research is ways of investigating professional experience which link practice and the analysis of practice into a single productive and continuously developing sequence, and which link researchers and research participants into a single community of interested

colleagues. Furthermore, Wallace (1999:4) states action research is basically a way of reflecting on a teacher’s teaching (or teacher-training, or management of an English department, or whatever it is the teacher does in ELT). It is done systematically by collecting data on teacher’s everyday practice and analyzing it in order to come to some decisions about what the teacher’s future practice should

be.

In addition, Hopkins (1983:1) says that classroom research is an act undertaken by teachers either to improve their own or a colleague’s teaching or to test the assumptions of educational theory in practice.

Anne Burns (1999:30) suggests the characteristics of action research:

1. Action research is contextual, small scale and localized. It identifies and investigates problems within a specific situation.

2. It is evaluative and reflective as it aims to bring about change and improvement in practice.

3. It is participatory as it provides for collaborative investigation by teams of colleagues, practitioners and researcher.

4. Changes in practice are based on the collection of information or data which provides the impetus for changes. While Kemmis and McTaggart (1988) in Nunan (1992:17) argue that the

three defining characteristics of action research are that it is carried out by practitioners (for our purposes, classroom teachers) rather than outside researchers; secondly, that it is collaborative; and thirdly, that it is aimed at changing things.

From the above definitions, it can be summarized that action research is a systematic research done by teachers, researchers, principals, school counselors, administrator or other educational professionals to solve problems in order to get better improvement.

In this research, the researcher aims to overcome the students’ problem in improving their writing skill. The researcher collaborates with the teacher in In this research, the researcher aims to overcome the students’ problem in improving their writing skill. The researcher collaborates with the teacher in

B. Setting of the Study

This classroom action research is carried out in SMP Negeri 2 Temanggung which is located at Jl. Jend. Sudirman 21 Temanggung. SMP Negeri

2 Temanggung is one of the favorite schools and one of the International Standard Schools in Temanggung. This school is located in the main street of Temanggung. The strategic location of SMP Negeri 2 Temanggung makes it easy to reach. It is also near some public areas, such as bank, police station, and any other offices.

This school consists of three grades in which each grade consists of six classes. There are 18 classrooms, teacher office, headmaster office, administration room, multimedia room, library, laboratories, mosque, canteens, basketball yard, and also parking area. Each classroom is completed with some facilities which are set to support teaching learning process, such as whiteboard, blackboard, tables and chairs which are fit with the number of the students, a teacher’s desk and chair, a clock, LCD and screen, sound system, and good air circulation and lighting.

There are so many two-storey buildings which are built to overcome the needs of classrooms and any other rooms to remember that the width of school area is narrow.

The research is conducted through teaching learning process in the classroom at the eighth grade students in the academic year of 2009/2010. This research is held by implementing the use of videos to improve students’ writing skill in generating and organizing ideas. Therefore, this research is based on KTSP of SMP which is aimed to help the students able to communicate in written

a text correctly. The study is started from the beginning of February 2010.

C. The Subject of the Study

The subjects of this study are the eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 2 Temanggung in the academic year of 2009/2010. The classroom of VIII F is located in the back yard of SMP Negeri 2 Temanggung, precisely in the north side of yard. There are 34 students consisting 14 boys and 20 girls in class of 8-F. This classroom is wide enough for 34 students.

The situation of VIII F is comfortable enough to study. It has good lighting and complete facilities. In this classroom there are LCD and sound system which is set permanently. There is also LCD screen to present the picture from the LCD. The facilities are set as well as possible so it can be used easily. Besides that, there are white board and blackboard in front of the class.

But, because this classroom looks out upon the yard, sometimes the situation in classroom during teaching learning process is disturbed by the noise of the students who do the sport out of classroom.

D. Models of the Research

The model of action research used in this research is the model developed by Kemmis and Mc Taggart in Burns (1999:32). According to them, classroom action research is composed of cycles consisting of four steps namely: planning, action, observation and reflections.

Visually, the steps in action research by Kemmis and Mc Taggart (Hopkins, 1993:48) can be illustrated as follows:

Figure 3.1. Steps in Action Research

E. Procedures of the Research

In this classroom action research, each procedure takes some steps that form one cycle. The procedures of action research in this research are as follows:

1. Identifying the problem The problems are identified first before planning the action. In this step, the researcher identifies the problems occurring in the class. The problems refer to the factors causing the students difficult to improve their writing skill. To identify the problem, the researcher observes the teaching 1. Identifying the problem The problems are identified first before planning the action. In this step, the researcher identifies the problems occurring in the class. The problems refer to the factors causing the students difficult to improve their writing skill. To identify the problem, the researcher observes the teaching

2. Implementing the action research This research is conducted in two cycles. Each cycle uses video as teaching media in writing activity. According to Kemmis and Mc Taggart, action research occurs through a dynamic and complementary process, which consists of four essentials ‘moments’: planning, action, observation and reflection (Burns, 1999:32). These moments are the fundamental steps in a spiraling process through which participants in an action research group undertake to:

a. Planning It includes the following activities:

1) Preparing material, making lesson plan, and designing the steps in doing the action.

2) Preparing list of students’ name and scoring.

3) Preparing teaching aids (video).

4) Preparing sheets of classroom observation (to know the situation of teaching-learning process when the method or technique or mode is applied).

5) Preparing a test.

b. Action The included activities were:

1) Giving pretest

2) Teaching in the classroom

3) Giving occasion to the students to ask any difficulties or problems

4) Asking the students some questions

5) Guiding students to do the task

6) Giving post test

c. Observation Observation is one of the instruments used in collecting data. The researcher observes the students’ activities while teaching-learning process occurs. The results of the observation are recorded on observation sheets as useful data. The researcher is helped by the teacher to observe students’ activities and give inputs and suggestions.

d. Reflection The results of the observation are analyzed to remember what have happened and have been recorded. Meanwhile, the researcher evaluates the teaching learning process during the implementation phase. From this, self reflection can be done. And from the tests, the students’ improvement can be known.

3. Doing Evaluation The researcher makes an evaluation on the observation result to find out the positive result and weaknesses during the action. To ensure 3. Doing Evaluation The researcher makes an evaluation on the observation result to find out the positive result and weaknesses during the action. To ensure

F. Technique of Collecting Data

In this study, the researcher uses observational and non-observational techniques for collecting action research data (Burns, 1999:79). Observational techniques is used to find out the situation of the teaching learning process when the techniques is applied and the students’ responses and feeling toward learning using the technique. Observational techniques used in this research are research diaries or journals, notes or field notes and photographs. While non-observational techniques used in this research are in the form of writing tests, interviews, and open-ended questionnaires. Non-observational tools result in data that are In this study, the researcher uses observational and non-observational techniques for collecting action research data (Burns, 1999:79). Observational techniques is used to find out the situation of the teaching learning process when the techniques is applied and the students’ responses and feeling toward learning using the technique. Observational techniques used in this research are research diaries or journals, notes or field notes and photographs. While non-observational techniques used in this research are in the form of writing tests, interviews, and open-ended questionnaires. Non-observational tools result in data that are

Burns adds there are two roles of observation, namely non-participant and participant observation. Non-participant observation means watching and recording without personal involvement in the research context. On the other hand, participant observation involves entering the research context and observing oneself as well as others in that context. The researcher became a member of the context and participates in its culture and activities. In this research, the researcher uses participant observation to get the data. The researcher enters the class as teacher.

G. Instruments

There are five instruments used in this research to collect the data: notes or field notes, researcher’s diaries or journals, open-ended questionnaires, photographs and writing tests.

1. Notes or field notes Notes or field notes are descriptions and accounts of events in the research context which are written in a relatively factual and objective style. They generally include reports of non verbal information, physical setting, group structures and records of conversations and interactions between participants. In this research, notes or field notes are used to observe students’ writing skill improvement from their behavior side.

Collaborative observer’s notes or field notes are used to take notes on important activities related with students’ writing skill.

2. Researcher’s diaries or journals Diaries or journals are an alternative to field notes, or a supplement, if time permits. They provide continuing accounts of perceptions and thought processes, as well as critical events or issues which have surfaced in the classroom. Diaries and journals contain more subjective and personal reflections and interpretations than the relatively formulized recordings of notes. In this research, diaries or journals are written by the researcher as the teacher to record her analysis, interpretation, and reflection. They are used to observe the students’ behavior and development, materials, lesson plans, and everything related with teaching activities.

3. Open-ended questionnaires Open-ended questionnaires are several questions expected to be answered by the participants in order to collect the data. The participants are quite free to answer the question. In this research, they are used to know the students’ felling, perception and opinions to the English teaching activities happen in the class.

4. Photographs Photographs are way of greatly enhancing classroom analysis and providing visual stimuli which can be integrated into reporting and presenting the research to others. The use of photographs is also a 4. Photographs Photographs are way of greatly enhancing classroom analysis and providing visual stimuli which can be integrated into reporting and presenting the research to others. The use of photographs is also a

5. Writing tests Test is a set of questions or exercises or other instruments to measure knowledge, intelligence, ability or aptitude of groups or individuals . The researcher conducts tests consisting of post test 1 and post test 2. Post test 1 is done after the first cycle ends and the post test 2 is held in the end of the second cycle. The tests are used to measure students’ writing skill from the achievement side.

H. Technique of Analyzing Data

After collecting the data, the next step of the study is analyzing the data. The data are analyzed by qualitative and quantitative data analysis.

1. Qualitative The data of pre-research observation report, research diaries, field notes, and the photographs of teaching learning process are analyzed by constant comparative method. There are four stages of analyzing classroom research data according to Becker in Hopkins (1985:107), those are:

a. selection and definition of concepts; a. selection and definition of concepts;

c. incorporation of findings into models;

d. presentation of evidence and proof.

2. Quantitative In analyzing the test score of the written test, a statistical technique is used to find the students’ mean score. The data from the test are analyzed in order to prove whether or not teaching writing using video can improve students’ writing skill.

In this research, the students’ mean score of the post test 1 is compared to the students’ mean score of the post test 2 to know whether there is an improvement of the students’ writing skill.

The formulas used to compute the mean scores are: å x

In which:

X = mean of post test 1 scores Y = mean of post test 2 scores N = the number of sample

The hypothesis of this research is tested using non-independent t-test. The t-value can be calculated with the formula as follows: The hypothesis of this research is tested using non-independent t-test. The t-value can be calculated with the formula as follows:

D : the differences between the paired scores

D : the mean of the differences S 2 D : the sum of the squared differences scores

: the number of pairs

(Furchan, 2007: 226)