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Source: http://justfacs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/classroom-management.jpg

Aji Nur Hakim

The main fear of teacher is classroom management. As people know that the ‘work’ teaching is not easy. Teacher is the one who expert and knows the material well, teacher has to know their students, have to prepare the lesson well, and the most important is face the unexpected classroom environment. Beside, the assessment has to relate to the lesson. How classroom management can be tools to approaching assessment?

Mary Liz Hinton wrote about assessment titled “Assessment: A personal classroom management approach.” The point of her writing is how to assess students by using classroom management approach. “...it is imperative that students be provided with a supportive learning environment that makes it possible for them to achieve the intended outcomes” (Hinton, 2006). It is state that learning outcomes is related to good learning environment, which is also related to classroom management.

Hinton (2006) discuss four topics in her writing:
1.      The Need for Correlation between Instruction and Assessment
2.      The Need for Validity and Reliability
3.      Types of Assessment
4.      A Balanced Assessment System, Classroom Management and Student Learning

First discussion talks about the need for correlation between instruction and assessment. Before assess students, it is crucial that teacher make clear instruction. With clear instruction, students will easily answer the questions and understand what the question about. Although clear instruction is not the one which caused good outcomes; at least it is not teacher’s fault to plunges students in difficult situation and end with not answering questions.

According to Biggs (in Hinton, 2006), there are three-stage model to avoid improper link between instruction and assessment:
a.       Identify clear learning outcomes.
Means teacher have to ensure that the learning outcomes for each subject/topic/subtopic is clear. Every assessment starts from the objective. With this objective, teacher can choose the best method to assess. Teacher determines that a topic has its learning outcomes. For example, the learning outcomes of topic Tenses in English is presentation of students. If teacher did not state the clear learning outcomes, teacher will not get what the assessment of the learning so that teacher knows that students are understood.
b.      Design appropriate assessment tasks that directly assess whether each learning outcomes has been met.
Every teacher has their own strategy in learning, same with having the same strategy to assess, although making assessment is not easy. Beside make sure that assessment is directly asses to students so that teacher knows that students already achieve the objective or not.
c.       Design appropriate learning opportunities to get students to the point where they can successfully undertake the assessment tasks.
Design the assessment as possible as can to find out how far students’ understanding. Every student has the right to do the assignment well, so that teacher have to make the assessments well organized and suit to type of students in the classroom. 

One of the factors that make students cannot do the assignment well, because they did not catch the instruction clearly. So that instruction is in line with the students understanding that can affect the assessment, too.

Second discussion is about the need for validity and reliability.

“Validity refers to the degree to which the assessment tool measures what it is supposed to measure.
Reliability refers to how consistently the assessment yields the same result” (Hinton, 2006)

Before students have to assess, the tools to measure it have to valid and reliable. If the tool is not valid and reliable, the assessment will be biased. While the aim of assessment is to assess students fairly and effectively, the assessment must reflect the leaning objectives already given by teacher and must to assess with the same result although in different perspective of students’ answer. The objective is just one, and teacher have to clearly state that assessment is not only assess for several diligent students, or not diligent students.

Measuring valid and reliable assessment is neither not easy, nor difficult. Teacher have to check back the assessment tools and try to not to subjective and also try to not to out of topic discussed in the learning objective. For example, if teacher wants to assess students understanding about basic algebra to count x or y, then teacher should not assess students to find x2. Beside it is not valid because the objective is wrong, teacher also do mistake which is not fair if some students are already know the result of it and another is have no idea to answer the question.

Another example happened if teacher expectation is different from students’ perspective. Below is the example of the question given:
“What is the half of eight?”
The question has to recheck again if it is reliable or not. Even if it is valid, but if it is not reliable, the questions still not suppose to be use. Some students might think that the answer is 4 (8/2=4). Some other students might think like this:
8
Or like this:

8
Now, we know that why the questions must be reliable. Students think in different way of thinking. That is why, once again, recheck the question before teacher give instruction and assessment to students.

The third discussion is about types of assessment. There are two type of assessment: formative and summative assessment.
“The purpose of formative assessment is to guide the student through the learning process while constantly checking for understanding and adapting instruction to benefit the leaner as much as possible.
Summative assessment is done at the end of instruction for the purpose of certifying mastery or assigning grades” (Hinton, 2006)

The type of assessment usually use by teacher is summative that assess students in the end of chapter or the end of topic. In our era now, it is better to balance both formative and summative. Both the type of assessment is not better than the other. Both are important to assess students. Just, it is better to use both of assessment to maximize and know how far students’ understanding while learning occurs.

We cannot say that formative assessment is better than summative. Sometimes, teacher has to know that in certain time formative assessment is needed to do. In other time, may be teacher does not need formative assessment. Just remember that summative assessment still need to do in the end of study in the topic of study.

The last discussion is about a balanced assessment system, classroom management and student learning. What is the relation between last three discussions (instruction, validity & reliability, and type of assessment) with classroom management? The instruction brings students to have the clear understanding about the problem and can answer in the proper instruction. Before that, the questions have to valid and reliable so that teacher assess according to objective of the lesson assessed. Beside teacher will not face multiple answers which not suit with the teacher’s perspective of answer. With these learning outcomes of assessment, students will decide their own strategy of learning to get the better outcome of learning. Better outcome influenced from, one of them, learning environment that included in classroom management. Trough classroom management, teacher can control students behavior and attitudes so that students can run the learning process as effective as possible. Creating comfortable learning environment is one of the tasks of teacher to build strong support to learning. Not only that, set the students’ goal of study also needed so that students will give the best effort in study. The use of both type of assessment, formative and summative, also can check students understanding in the learning, and can compare their understanding before, or compare with other peer. Get the feedback from teacher and students also the best way to increase students’ motivation to do better in the next assessment.

In conclusion, using classroom management to create valid and reliable assessment is possible to do. When teacher use classroom management approach, students will automatically give the contribution to the class, at least to her/his self.





Source:
Hinton, M. L. (2006) Assessment: A personal classroom management approach. ProQuest Education Journals, 2, 4. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.library.usbi.ac.id/docview/231511680/97F276184DB943D4PQ/12?accountid=108784

A Review: Classroom Management (Assessment: A Personal Classroom Management Approach)


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Source: http://www.blogging4jobs.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/human-potential.jpg
(Johari Window and Problem Solving Concept and Theory)
Aji Nur Hakim

Does anyone have potential? What is potential? What is the different between potential and passion? Potential is actually what we got since we born. It already in there with us and be with us forever. Meanwhile, passion is the potential that can be develop. 

Potential is close with the theory of Johari Window, which is a model for self-awareness, personal development, group development and understanding relationship. (Chapman, 2003). Johari window itself is a theory of psychology from Joseph Luft and Harry (Joe and Harry = Johari) in 1950. It is a tool to understand self potential and awareness.

Johari windows has four part of ‘windows’: (1) open area, (2) blind area, (3) hidden area, and (4) unknown area. The illustration of the window is in picture 1.
Open area
Known by ourselves and others.
Blind area
Known by others, but not ourselves
Hidden area
Known by ourselves, but not others
Unknown area
Known by neither ourselves, nor others
Picture 1. Johari windown

Open area means, “Information about the person - behaviour, attitude, feelings, emotion, knowledge, experience, skills, views, etc – known by the person ('the self') and known by the team ('others')” (Chapman, 2003). Potential that we have already know also known by others. For example, I know that I can sing well, so do people. It is called my potential is in open area.

Blind area means potential that not known by self, but it is known by others. The aim of having blind area is, “to reduce this area by seeking or soliciting feedback from others and thereby to increase the open area, i.e., to increase self-awareness” (Chapman, 2003). For example, people say that I can write novel because they see that my writing is quite good. I do not know that my writing is such as good as other writer. I will try to increase my awareness because of that, and people can say what my potential to help me increasing my awareness of my potential.

Hidden area means, “Represents information, feelings, etc, anything that a person knows about him/self, but which is not revealed or is kept hidden from others” (Chapman, 2003). The hidden area part has an objective when someone work in group or any environment that push them to not to show information or feeling that can hurt other people. For example, I have bad anger when people comes to judge me. When I have a meeting, I push my self to not to show my anger because it can hurt people and disturb the meeting.

Unknown area means the potential that can not known from others or self. “Managers and leaders can create an environment that encourages selfdiscovery, and to promote the processes of self discovery, constructive observation and feedback among team members” (Chapman, 2003). In the unknown area, the potential that might I have can not be known either by self, nor other. We have to make trial and error experiment to know that we have the potential that unknown before. For example, I try to dance to know that it is my potential or not. Before that, I never do dance because I think it is not suitable for me. Sometimes, the thing that we do not like or we think it is impossible to us to do is our potential. Without trying it, you could not know that it is actually your potential.

Potential can be support by motivation, especially internal motivation. External motivation also can influence the potential, but the effect of internal motivation is bigger than external motivation. For example, I want to develop my writing potential by join the writing competition. I have intrinsic motivation which is to develop my potential. My friends also say that I have to join the competition because they belief that I can win. My friends’ support can be categorized as external motivation. Still, internal motivation is the best motivation to push someone to do better developing potential.

The second discussion is about problem solving. All people in the world of course have problems, and the problems have to be solved so that they will not stress to think about it. Problem itself divided by two: ill define and well define. Complex problem with several solution categorize as ill define. Beside, well define is problem that discrete representation and can be done in one solution or have finite goals.

According to Hardin (2002), there are three attributes that used to differentiate expert from novice problem solving characteristics. (1) conceptual understanding, “refers to both the actual information in memory and the organization of that information in memory”; (2) basic, automated skill automatic and habitual skill that do not need much thought to be done; (3) domain-specific strategies taking some process and procedure under control to solve the problem. The conclusion of the three attributes is below.

Experts (1) exhibit better conceptual understanding of their domain
(2) use more automated skills and domain-specific strategies; and
(3) have a conceptual understanding that is declarative,
while basic skills and strategies are procedural. (Hardin, 2002)

How can we do problem solving? Williams and Carey (2003) have six steps to solve the problem. First, indentify the problem. How can we solve the problem if we do not know the problem itself? Sometimes, the problem is not just one, but many. People have to aware that the problem might a ‘problem’ after they realize that it is not. Second, seek out information and set goals. Go get some information how to solve problems, and set the goals that achievable. Third, brainstorm. Think again before solving the problem. Get help from other is good if it is possible. Fourth, choose a solution. Evaluate the positive and negative effects of the solution. Choose the one that most suitable to execute. Fifth, describe the plan. Planning to execute the plan to solve a problem, including add some people that might can help. Last, review and revise. Checking the solution goes well or not. Revise goals if it is not solved yet. Go the process from first step if the outcome is not satisfying.



In conclusion, knowing our potential is a must, and try to execute new experience of potential is recommended. As a living people, we have to develop even in a simple step in our life. Potential might bring us to create the better life of us. As a teacher, knowing potential of students is a must, too. How teacher can help them to develop the potential so that students can get the good effect of it. As a teacher, too, it is a must to know how to solve a problem. Even in everyday life, people have to know what their problems are and how to solve it.

Source:
Williams, D. A., & Carey, M. (2003). Solving the problems of a chronic illness: 6-step problem solving. Retrieved from http://www.med.umich.edu/painresearch/patients/Problem%20Solving.pdf
Hardin, L. E. (2002). Problem solving concepts and theories. Retrieved from http://www.utpjournals.com/jvme/tocs/303/226.pdf
Chapman, A. (2003). Johari window. Retrieved from https://www.usc.edu/hsc/ebnet/Cc/awareness/Johari%20windowexplain.pdf

A Review: Unleashing Potential & Motivation and Problem Solving