A. Preface
Management of education in Indonesia now is facing a
great challenge ahead, with the commencing of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in
early 2016. Not to mention the impact of globalization to every country in the
world, we need action to adept these fast-growing changes in global
competition. In creating such a competitive human resource, management of
education must improve the quality of teaching and learning. One of the
problems we face related to our major research is the lack of real context in
it to solve the real problem. This especially happens in undergraduate level of
college, which then leads to stagnancy of the cognitive ability. As we know,
Bloom’s taxonomy shows that knowing and understanding are two first levels in
the cognitive level which is usually called Low Order of Thinking (LOT).
Meanwhile, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating are the higher order
ones, which we know as High Order of Thinking (HOT). These principles should
also be applied in context of research in order to empower competitive changes.
Quantitative and qualitative methods are the most common
methods used by college student in undergraduate level. Indeed, these two are
the core methods in scientific research which become the fundament of other
research now. These methods are focus on knowing and understanding the chosen
issue, which will lead to a research conclusion. I am stressing on the research
result, which is usually only a statement. Of course this statement is brought
by a complex and sophisticated way in research progress, but, what about it? So after a research, we reach a conclusion
that variable X affects variable Y, but will it solve the problem we introduce
at the very beginning? Eventually, our achievement in final academic project
only results in form of tidy and thick bundle of paper which is stored in
campus’ library.
In order to create the new trend, one of great solution
to improve the quality of management of education in Indonesia is through the
change of paradigm in creating a research for its student. This change particularly
aims for the students who will complete their study in undergraduate program.
We have to empower them in creating a meaning in the research; a research which
eventually leads to creation or development of a product. This product will be
tested in operational context, and then used directly to solve the problem. It
hopefully can be implemented in real context of education, a concrete solution
for a concrete problem.
B. Research and Development
Research and development is one method to create a
product. This method is a bridge that connects the theory and real context to
solve a problem. Research and development method is research method used to
create a new product, and examine the effectiveness of the product.[1] Simply put, Nusa Putra
defines Research and Development method as a research method which
systematically aims to find, formulate, fix, develop, create, examine the
effectiveness of one product, model, method/strategy, services, and certain
procedure which is more competitive, efficient, effective, and productive.[2] United Nations Conference
on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Nusa Putra explains that:
Research and
Development is divided into four types, which are: basic research, applied
research, product development, and development process. Basic research is
original experimental work without certain commercial purpose. Applied research
which is used often by University is original experimental work with specific
purpose. Product development is improvement and enlargement of current product,
and Development Process is creating a new or enhanced process.[3]
In creating a research and development, there are various
methods to conduct the research. It is divided in which field we conduct the
research. For example, in health and industrial field, the product will be
tested with the standardization they have to create a good product. This
standardization affects the steps needed to conduct the research.
Borg and Gall in Educational
Research: An Introduction[4]
explains ten essential steps to conduct a research and development method
in educational field, which are:
1. Preliminary
Study
Preliminary study aims to identify the
current condition of the object, the problem it is having, and also the
solution which might be applied to solve it. In this phase, researchers also
derive some related studies to improve the understanding.
2. Research
Planning
Research planning consists of date to
conduct the research, which then construct as a timeline. This phase also
identify the main goals of the research.
3. Product
Development
In this phase, researcher will prepare
the necessary tools to develop the product, create a manual to use the product,
create an evaluation tool to assess the product, and also validate the product
by expert reviews.
4. Product
Testing
This phase is conducted in experimental
area without a real condition, aiming to test product for the first time.
5. Product
Testing Revision
This revision is based on the report
generated in product testing phase.
6. Field
Testing
The difference of this phase is on a
larger scale, for example, if phase four we use only one school, then this
phase will consist of ten school to test.
7. Field
Testing Revision
Again, this revision is based on report
and assessment generated on phase six.
8. Operational
Field Testing
This operational field testing will do a
large scale testing to ensure that the product is ready to implement. This
phase also identifies the hopefully last defect of the product.
9. Final
Product Revision
This will be the final revision to fix
or improve the product, before it is implemented largely and disseminate to
public.
10. Implementation
& Dissemination
Implementation and dissemination of the
product phase is final step to solve problem or improve the performance in real
context of education.
C. Research & Development as Challenge
As
we know, people tend to interpret R&D as a research to create a software
and hardware devices. This opinion is generated from the origin of the method
itself, which is applied first in military technology development. As time
pass, many fields start to use the method to develop their own product. Research
also shows that R&D method is popular in many fields because of its
positive effect in their respective field. Educational field start to implement
this method as a concrete solution to create or develop a product in education.
These include a teaching method, leadership tools, classroom management, and
many more.
Despite
the difficulty that it bears, research and development method has proven itself
to be an effective tool. I suggest that we should start to encourage and
support student in undergraduate program to create this product-based research.
Implementing this will result on many advantages, such are:
1. Improving
the cognitive and competency of the student, because it will ignite them to
actively create a concrete product. As we discuss in preface, creating a
product is also including the five below level in Bloom’s cognitive taxonomy. Student’s
knowledge, capability, and competency will be challenged in this research so
they can afford a higher level of themself.
2. Create
a concrete solution which will improve the performance or create a solution in
educational field. The product will need full support from institution to get
attention from government.
3. Improving
the quality of major in educational field, which will affect the quality of institution.
4. Improvement
of education itself, which will trigger the improvement of human resource and
nation itself.
D. Conclusion
Creating
a new trend of product-based research will lead to many advantages that will
improve the quality of human resource in management of education field. The
challenge that awaits us in future must be faced by challenging ourselves now,
improving the cognitive, capability, and competency of our next generation
leader in education.
Resource
Gall,
Meredith D., Walter R. Borg, Joyce P. Gall. 2003. Educational Research: An Introduction 7th Edition. New York:
Longman.
Sugiyono.
2009. Metode Penelitian
Bisnis (Pendekatan Kuantitatif,
Kualitatif, dan R&D). Bandung: Alfabeta.
Putra, Nusa. 2011. Research and Development Penelitian dan Pengembangan: Suatu Pengantar. Jakarta:
Rajawali Press.
[1] Sugiyono, Metode Penelitian
Bisnis (Pendekatan Kuantitatif,
Kualitatif, dan R&D), (Bandung: Alfabeta, 2009), p.
407.
[2] Nusa Putra, Research and Development Penelitian dan Pengembangan: Suatu Pengantar, (Jakarta:
Rajawali Press, 2011), p. 67.
[3] Ibid, p. 69
[4] Meredith D. Gall, Walter R. Borg,
Joyce P. Gall, Educational Research: An
Introduction, (New York: Longman, 2003), p. 571.
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