Kepimpinan Sebagai Penggerak Kajian Tindakan: Penilaian Instrumen bagi Menyemai Kualiti Guru Sekolah Rendah (Leadership as a Catalyst for Action Research: Instrument Validation for Cultivating Teacher Quality in Primary Schools)

Abstract

: Peningkatan profesionalisme guru dalam pendidikan abad ke-21 menuntut pendekatan reflektif dan berasaskan data seperti kajian tindakan. Namun, pelaksanaan kajian tindakan dalam kalangan guru sekolah rendah masih bersifat tidak konsisten akibat kekangan masa, kurang sokongan kepimpinan, serta ketiadaan instrumen yang sah untuk menilai amalan ini secara sistematik. Kajian ini bertujuan membangunkan dan menilai kesahan serta kebolehpercayaan satu instrumen yang mengukur pembudayaan kajian tindakan oleh guru besar, komitmen guru terhadap kajian tindakan, dan kualiti guru sekolah rendah. Kajian rintis ini menggunakan reka bentuk tinjauan kuantitatif melibatkan 107 orang guru sebagai sampel rintis. Analisis kesahan meliputi penilaian kandungan oleh lima pakar bidang, kesahan muka oleh tiga pakar bahasa dan 30 guru, serta kesahan konstruk melalui Model Rasch menggunakan perisian Winsteps versi 3.73. Hasil analisis menunjukkan 65 item akhir berada dalam julat statistik kesesuaian yang diterima (Infit/Outfit MNSQ 0.5-1.5), unidimensionaliti disokong melalui PCA residual, dan instrumen mempunyai keupayaan diskriminatif yang tinggi dengan indeks pengasingan responden 6.28. Nilai kebolehpercayaan dalaman adalah sangat tinggi dengan Cronbach’s Alpha (0.99) dan korelasi skor-logit (0.96). Pemetaan Wright menunjukkan penyebaran item yang seimbang, walaupun terdapat keperluan menambah item berkesukaran tinggi bagi menangani isu mistargeting. Secara keseluruhan, instrumen ini sah, konsisten, dan kontekstual untuk menilai budaya penyelidikan di sekolah, merancang intervensi latihan guru, serta menyokong pelaksanaan dasar pendidikan berasaskan data.Abstract: The enhancement of teacher professionalism in 21st-century education requires reflective and data-driven approaches such as action research. However, the implementation of action research among primary school teachers in Malaysia remains inconsistent due to time constraints, heavy workload, lack of leadership support, and the absence of valid instruments to systematically evaluate this practice. This study aimed to develop and validate a new instrument measuring the culture of action research led by principals, teachers’ commitment to action research, and teacher quality. A quantitative survey design was employed with 107 primary school teachers as pilot respondents. Validity analyses included content validation by five subject-matter experts, face validation by three Malay language experts and 30 teachers, and construct validation through the Rasch Measurement Model using Winsteps version 3.73. Findings indicated that 65 final items fell within the acceptable fit range (Infit/Outfit MNSQ 0.5–1.5), with unidimensionality supported by PCA residuals. The instrument demonstrated high discriminative power (person separation index = 6.28) and excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.99; person score-to-measure correlation = 0.96). The Wright Map confirmed balanced targeting between items and respondents, though additional high-difficulty items are recommended to address mistargeting issues. Overall, the instrument is valid, reliable, and contextually relevant for large-scale studies, enabling the assessment of research culture in schools, guiding teacher training interventions, and supporting evidence-based educational policies.ReferencesAdhikari, N. P. (2023). Teachers’ problems and concerns in teacher education. Interdisciplinary Research in Education, 8(1), 125-135. https://doi.org/10.3126/ire.v8il.56732Ag-Ahmad, N., Mohamed, A. T. F. S., & Bakar, E. W. (2023). Systematic review on issues and challenges of pre-service English teachers in Malaysia. Journal a Publication on the Teaching and Learning of English, 34(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.15639/teflinjournal.v34i1/1-20Ambon, J., Alias, B. S., & Mansor, A. N. (2024). Hubungan amalan pembangunan profesionalisme berterusan guru dengan kualiti PdPc guru di Sarawak. e-Bangi: Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 21(4), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.17576/ebangi.2024.2104.07 Aulls, M. W., & Shore, B. M. (2023). Inquiry in education, Volume I: The conceptual foundations for research as a curricular imperative. Routledge.Bahagian Profesionalisme Guru. (2023). Dokumen Kompetensi Guru Bidang STEM. Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia.Bond, T. G., & Fox, C. M. (2015). Applying the Rasch Model: Fundamental measurement in the human sciences (3rd ed.). Routledge.Chukwuma, N., & Zondo, R. W. D. (2025). Impact of Climate Change on Teaching and Learning: A Literature Review Perspective of Higher Education in Africa. e-Bangi: Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 22(2), 45-59. https://doi.org/10.17576/ebangi.2025.2202.45El-Den, S., Schneider, C. R., Mirzaei, A., & Carter, S. R. (2020). How to measure a latent construct: Psychometric principles for the development and validation of measurement instruments. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 28(4), 326–336. https://doi.org/10.1111/IJPP.12600Fullan, M. 2015. The new meaning of educational change (5th ed.). Teachers College Press.Latip, N. A., & Abd Latif, S. (2024). Strategi pemimpin sekolah dalam menangani isu ketidakupayaan guru melaksanakan inovasi pengajaran di sekolah menengah. e-Bangi: Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 21(4), 122–134.Linacre, J. M. (2022). Winsteps® Rasch measurement computer program user’s guide (Version 5.2.5). Winsteps.com.Makhsin, M., Teoh, Y., & Ismail, N. (2022). Malaysian Teacher Standard 2.0 in becoming the soul of educators. International Journal of Education, Psychology and Counseling, 7(46), 26-39. https://doi.org/10.35631/ijepc.746026.Moktar, A., Alias, B. S., & Rasul, M. S. (2024). Exploring  factors  in  teachers’  action  research: A case   study analysis, Educational Administration: Theory And Practice, 30(4), 10106-10116. https://doi.org/10.53555/kuey.v30i4.6177Mustapha, N. A., & Rahman, A. F. A. (2024). Amalan Penyelidikan dalam Kalangan Guru: Cabaran dan Strategi Pengukuhan di Sekolah Rendah. e-Bangi: Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 21(4), 89–101.Pallant, J. (2020). SPSS survival manual: A step by step guide to data analysis using IBM SPSS (7th ed.). Routledge.Rostini, D., Syam, R.Z.A., & Achmad, W. (2022). The significance of principal management on teacher performance and quality of learning. Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan 14(2), 2513-2520. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v14i2.1721Talib, S., Alias, B. S., & Matore, M. E. M. (2024). Principal competency, teacher readiness, and teacher commitment in STEM education implementation: A qualitative study. e-Bangi: Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 21(4), Article 30. https://doi.org/10.17576/ebangi.2024.2104.30Tavakol, M., & Dennick, R. (2011). Making sense of Cronbach’s alpha. International Journal of Medical Education, 2, 53–55. https://doi.org/10.5116/ijme.4dfb.8dfdTifanny, R. S. N., & Roie, M. U. (2024). Cultivating action research culture among Teachers. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Analysis, 7(7), 3179-3194. https://doi.org/10.47191/ijmra/v7-i07-15Widayati, A., MacCallum, J., & Woods-McConney, A. (2021). Teachers’ perceptions of continuing professional development: A study of vocational high school teachers in Indonesia. Teacher Development, 25(5), 604-621. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2021.1933159Wright, B. D., & Masters, G. N. (1982). Rating scale analysis. MESA Press.Youngs, P., & Printy, S. M. (2022). Principal leadership for instructional improvement: What does research say? Journal of Educational Administration, 60(2), 161-186. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-03-2021-0042