Vol.1 No.1_Mei_Agustus 2000.pdf �)���� �!�!��)� �� ��$*! �%��) �!�)���' #���$!�� �� ��! �)���$ ������ �� Introduction ACTION research has been known and regard as one of the new stra- tegy for teachers development in Indonesia. Trough Word Bank Pro- ject, for instance, action research has been decided as the second pilot project and today it has being tried out in eleven provinces in Indonesia, include Central Java. As a ‘special’ subject, music, has many problems in teaching. It happens for years particularly in classroom. Unfortunately, there is no serious effort of the teachers to look for what the problems are and how to overcome it. They should know that there are many problems for the students to learn music in the class. The problems of music learning usually happen in the classroom, both for students or for the teachers. However, as if the teachers do not care to the problems and become the problems as a routine duty. The difference of the student music ex- perience problems can influence the learning process. The different background can also influence the quality of the learning process. The music learning in the classroom is a teachers’ responsibil- ity in which they know how the students learn, the students’ charac- teristics, study environment, stu- dents' motivations, students’ pro- gression, etc. To reach a good result of the students’ achievement need to teachers’ responsibility efforts to observe, plan, apply, practice, and so on, to get the good way how to the student can learn music well. The way is carried out in many times, for about five to seven or even more then that to achieve a good environment and a good way to teach or how should the students can learn well. To achieve the way above the teacher need to observe trough research. And the properly research to the purpose is action research or classroom-based action research (CAR). Why Action Research? The problem in the research is on the job problem-oriented. It means that the real problem that appear in researcher’s field become his responsibility. Similarity, the problem research is the rill one that is faced everyday. If the resear- cher is a teacher then the re- search problems are the classroom problem or the school problems in which it has become his res- ponsibility. One example, class- room-based action research is a kind of research by teacher focused to the classroom / school problems. Accordingly, the teacher is the sub-ject that mastery the problem in the class. Bristol (1992: 44) point out that: ....a form of self-retlective inquiry undertaken by participants in a social (including educational) situation in order to improve the rationality and justice of (a) their own social or educational practices, (b) their understanding of these practices, and (c) the situations in which practices are carried out. Related to the state Priyono (1993) point out that the feature of the classroom-based action research is coloured by ‘critical’ approach and interpreted approach, namely; the most masters of the classroom or the school problems are the tea- chers himself, not another ones (outsiders). The second feature of this research is that it is the problem-solving oriented research. The researches which only produce “understanding”, like in the empi- rical research are recognised as meaningless research, because it can not solve the problems. The third feature of this research is im- provement oriented. Action re- searches clarify how important each component of organisation system can develop well. If the system is a school then the components itself are teachers, students, principal, classroom environment classroom / school. They must improve it well. The concept is extremely coloured by critical research concept; the research must produce improve- ments (product oriented) (Calhoun, 1993). The fourth feature of the re- search is Multiple Data Collection. To fulfil critical approach, the many ways to collect data can use : (a) observation, (b) test, (c) inter- view, (d) questionnaire, etc. All of the ways are focused to achieve a valid research, because the truth is not only subjective butt also pro- blematic. By implement all the data collections, then whal the real- ity or the truth can be solved. Accordingly, the empirical re- search that based on the ability of sensory can be questioned of the validity. The fifth feature is cyclic. Action concept is applied by plann- ing cycles, observing, action, and reflecting, that in fact draw critical /reflective thinking trough action effect. The solution of the action is not applied by trial and error but by thinking the problem is by ana- lysing the root of the problem and then determines the appropriate act- ion (Priyono, 1999). According to Hopkins, (1993:48) the spiral action research can be draw bellow: The last feature is collaborative. The researcher co-operative with any other colleagues or expert to do every step of the action research such as planning, observing, taking action and reflecting. According to Plan Reflective Action/ Observation Reflective Action/ Observation Reflective Action/ Observation Revised Plan Revised Plan Tripp, (1996) there are clear, some major differences here, but es- sentially action research uses recognised research technique to describe and understand action outcomes, whereas reflective prac- tice relies on a more everyday observing and taking note of what happens. Accordingly, the actions re- search more use critical approach in each step of the research than just note and elaborate what hap- pen as action effect. Action Research to solve Music Teaching Problems Every student has different ability of music skill or music knowledge. Every student has also his own music educational back- ground and his music experience. In one music class sometimes has one group of the same student’s ability, and has students’ music experience. But, it is possible that there is a special student who can influence learning process in the class. The learning process can be determined by the factors. Musical interest of the students which aie caused by the process, for instance, can deter- mine music learning process qual-ity. Many problems happen in the classroom which are paced the tea- chers because of the characteristic of the subject, music. The special characteristic of the subject and different characteristic of the stu- dents can caused the music learning process are not effective. It can be terrific if the teachers can not know their students' characteristic. Un- fortunately, the sometimes, the tea- ching process always go on, without care about the goal of the music learning. As a result the student can not care about the lesson, too. It make the students attention to the music lesson is not interesting for the students. That means that the purpose of the les- son is failed. As mentioned above,the teacher should known each their students’ characteristic so that they can iden- tify and determine the properly method to teach music in the class. If they can know the characteristic and the learning problem then the plan, apply, practice, etc. to solve the problems. Teacher is the leader of the students in the class. All the stu- dents’ characteristics, students’ mo- tivations, and students’ problems are the teachers’ responsibility. The goal of the students’ music learn- ing can be achieved if the teacher can observe, plan, and, apply some effort to solve the problems by doing the properly research which is coloured by ‘critical’ approach and interpreted approach. The research is action research. The problem happens in one class even in one school may be diferent of each other, therefore, it may use different process of the research. The number of process or cycle depends on the complexity of the problems. One simple example to explain the action research of music learn- ing problems is to answerd a quest- ion (problem) : “What are the stu- dents not enthusiastic in our music class?”. In the cycle, of cost, we need to observe the class activity, examine the students’ record of other subject, supply the questioner, analyse data, use new method, apply the method, analyse, and so on. Actually, the research process can refer to Hopkins (1993:48) has described. Bibliography Depdikbud. 1999. Penelitian Tidakan Kelas (Classroom Action Research). Jakarta: Tim Pelatih Proyek PGSM. Car, W. and S. Kemmis. 1986. Becoming Critical: Knowing Through Action Research. Lon- don: Falmer Press. Candy. P.C. 1989. “Alternative Paradigms in Education Re- search. Australian Educational Researcher”. 16 (3) 1-11. Research. Geelong: Deakin University. Calhoun. E.F. 1993. Action Re- search: Three Approaches. Edu- cational Leadership. Connole. H. Smith B., Wisemen. R. 1993. Research Methodology Isues and Methodes in Reseach. Davies. Gilian. t.t. “Action Re- search: Music Teacher’s Stories” (in Andeas Priyono, 1999: 14). Fueyo, Vivian and Mark A. Koorland. 1997. Teacher as Re- searcher : Synonym for Profe- sionalism. Journal of Teacher Education. 48 (5): 336-344. Tripp. D. 1996. Scope Program. Perth: Education Depart-ment of Western Australia.