IThink Reading Skills

8/10/2019 IThink Reading Skills

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Anna Michael

MT1321004T

(A) RESEARCH FIELD : TEACHING & LEARNING

(B) RESEARCH PROPOSAL TITLE

A Thinking Class: The Impacts of i-Think Programme on the Students Reading Skills

(C) RESEARCH SUMMARY

A recent study revealed the higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) among students and teachers

in Malaysia are of a very, very low level (Kestrel Education, 2011). Despite the Critical and Creative

Thinking Skills programme being introduced in 1994, teachers are found to be still lacking in the

HOTs-based teaching and learning processes. Lessons are teacher-centred and focus on preparing the

students for public examinations. This has led the Ministry of Education to take drastic measures in

reforming the education sector in order to produce human capital that are both creative and

innovative; and are able to face challenges of the 21st Century skills which demand higher-order

thinking skills. Hence, the i-Think programme was developed in 2011.

i-Think comes from the phrase innovative thinking. It is based on the visual tools or also

known as the Thinking Maps. The i-Think Programme is a new methodology for teaching and

learning, in Malaysia at least, that centres around eight thinking processes, each represented by a

thinking map, aimed at facilitating an innovation culture in primary and secondary school students.

This programme aims to inculcate thinking skills in students and school-based educators.

Literature Review

The review of the literature will examine theories and researches relevant to this study. In the

first part of the review, the curriculum standards, constructivism theory and brain research will be

discussed. The second part of the literature review will discuss thinking skills, graphic organizers, the

i-Think programme, the Thinking Maps, reading skills and the Section C of English 1119 Paper 2,

the assessment instrument that will be used in this research to determine students performance.

Previous researches of i-Think ProgrammeSince i-Think Programme is still very much new in Malaysia, there is not much research done

in the local scene. However, researches in other countries support the advantages of employing the

method as a teaching and learning tool. Malaysia is the second country, after Ethiopia, to have used

the Thinking Maps method. Studies are still being conducted in the pioneering countries such as

United States of America and the United Kingdom. An examination of students academicperformance after two years of Thinking Maps implementation in three Tennessee schools shows a

positive relationship between the Thinking Maps implementation and the improvement of studentsreading skills (Katherine M. Hichies, 2006). It is also found that the implementation of Thinking

Maps has improved the students behaviour, being more motivated and hardworking in

learning(Sidek, 2012). Lee & Gan (2012), in his reflection, supported the use of Thinking Maps asit helps students in organising thoughts and in presenting ideas; and also, facilitates comprehension.

Thinking Maps significantly improve students behaviour almost immediately after itsimplementation (Sidek, 2013).

Our students thinking abilities are at par with those from othercountries, facing technological development, globalization and innovation challenges; they need to

be the front liners. They need a practical thinking tool to enable them to be pro-active. The only


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thinking tool to date that fulfills the needs of these students is the i-Think Programme. Many school-

based educators who employ this method in their teachings have given positive feedbacks.

(D)RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

To determine the impacts of i-Think programme on the students reading skills.

Research Questions1. Will students in the Experimental group demonstrate a significant difference in their post-test

scores compared to the pre-test scores?

2. Will students in the Experimental group demonstrate a significant difference in the post-test

scores compared to the post-test scores of the Control group?

3. Will there be a significant score difference between the Experimental group and the Control

group?

Purpose of the Study

This study is conducted to investigate the impacts of i-Think Programme on the s tudents

reading skills. It is highly recommended in various daily activities, reading and writing, as it candevelop students ability to think critically and creatively.

Significance of Study

It is the researchers hope that this study will raise the local English teachers awareness on thegovernments efforts to improve the education standards through i-Think Programme and promptstheir interest in employing the Thinking Maps technique as a strategy in improving the studentsreading skills. Other than that, the current study will hopefully provide an insight on the studentsreading issues; thus inspire a research area on investigating local students strategies reading.

Limitation of Study

Due to the nature of research, the problem of generalization of the research findings mayarise. Samples backgrounds, abilities, learning styles and preferences may differ from one andanother and, also, may be different in the two sample populations. What seem to be applicable in this

study may not be applicable in other studies. Nevertheless, the results of the current investigation

will serve to be insightful data for further adjustment and modifications of future studies.

(E) RESEARCH METHODLOGY

This study is a mixed-method research as both quantitative and qualitative will be employed.

Research Design

1. Preliminary Questionnairestudents background information

A simple questionnaire intended to find out the students knowledge on/of the i-ThinkProgramme reading activities; and learning strategies.

2. Pre-test and Post-test

This study is conducted based on quasi-experimental which compare reading test scores of two

intact groups the Experimental and the Control groups in the pre-test and post-test. Thedependant variables in this research will be the pre-test and post-test scores; while the

independent variable will be the i-Think programme.


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Quasi-Experimental Design Table

Group Preliminary

Questionnaire

and Pre-test

i-Think

Programme

Post-test

(R) Experimental (R) Control -

Research Conceptual Framework

(3) Classroom observation

During Week 1, 4 and 8, the two groups will be observed using revised Thinking Maps

Classroom Observation Checklist that was created by CRSA RESA. This is to assess both teachersand students behaviours during classroom activities.

Population and Sampling

Research focuses on two Form 4 classes from the two school, namely SMK St.Peter (M)Kudat and SMK Matunggong that sizes have yet to be determined. SMK St.Peter (M) Kudat will

serve as an experimental group, while the later as the control group. SMK St.Peter (M) Kudat and

SMK Matunggong was chosen due to the fact that these two schools are the top schools in Kudat,

with similar or comparable students proficiency level in the English language.

Research Materials

(1) Questionnaire

(2) Lesson Plans

Detailed lesson plans for 8 weeks were constructed for the Experimental and Control groups,

containing identical contents and skills.

Research Instruments

1. Performance test

Will be conducted twice; before and after the implementation of i-Think Programme

Pre-test: Using SPM Paper 2 Section C: Reading Comprehension

Post-test: Same format, different questions

2. Classroom observation

3. Questionnaire

Preliminary Questionnaire

& Pre-test

Experimental & Control

groups

Experimental group

Control groupPost-test

Experimental & Control

groups

i-Think ProgrammeLP1, Q1 & Observation LP5, Q4 & Observation

LP2, Q2 LP4

LP3, Q3 & ObservationKey : LPLesson Plan, QQuiz


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REFERENCES

Mohd Sidek Said, Mohd Ab Kadir & Mohd Sabri Awg Hitam (2012): Penilaian Pelaksanaan

Program i-Think : Satu Pengenalan

Hyerle, Ed. D., David (2007). Florance McEachern. ed (in English). A Language for

Learning. North Carolina: Thinking Maps Inc.. pp. vi.ISBN 1-884582-27-3.

Hyerle, D. (1996). Thinking maps: Seeing is understanding. Educational Leadership,

Dec./Jan. 1996, Vol. 53, Issue 4, (85-89).

Hyerle, D. (2011). Student successes with Thinking Maps, Second edition. Thousand Oaks:

Corwin Press.

Muhamad Sidek Said & Ahamad Rahim. (2012). Transformasi pengajaran dan pembelajaran

inovatif melalui thinking maps. Kertas kerja dibentangkan di Seminar Penyelidikan

pendidikan antarabangsa malaysia-indonesia (Malindo), IPGKIK, Kuala Lumpur, 4-6 Okt

2012

Muhamad Sidek Said & Ahamad Rahim. (2012).Inovasi pengajaran dan pembelajaran

melalui program i-Think.Kertas kerja dibentangkan di IPGM International convention inteacher learning & development, Pearl International Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, 19-21 Nov 2012

Muhamad Sidek Said (2013). Aplikasi menggunakan thinking map dalam program

praktikum KPLD Di Tadika Yayasan Islam Terengganu, Seberang Takir, Kuala Terengganu.

Kertas kerja dibentangkan di Seminar Kajian Tindakan Peringkat Kebangsaan, Tanjung

Vista Hotel, Kuala Terengganu, 23-25 April 2013
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1884582273http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1884582273http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1884582273http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1884582273


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The Thinking Maps

IThink Reading Skills

Documents

Transcript of IThink Reading Skills