Exploring Design-Based Research to Develop Writing Material in Higher Education

A material design suitable to the student’s needs was believed to be an appropriate solution to solve students; writing problems. That is why the lecturer who taught English foreign language material or EFL in the classroom hoped can design material design that could help students in writing. The purpose of the research is to give new science and knowledge to the students, primarily related to the student’s ability, while this method of analysis uses Design-based Research (DBR). This method was done through an adopted process by Reeves (2006). The technique of collecting and analyzing data was done by; (1) Analysis of problems from practice collaboration of researcher and practitioners. These methods are done by collaboration between researcher and lecturer who teach writing material, (2) Development and innovation of morphosyntactic solutions for solving problems in writing. These methods are done by giving and developing innovation through a morphosyntax approach to improving the basics of students’ writing skills or knowledge, (3) Iterative cycles of testing and refining innovation in writing. These methods are done through repeated exercises (4) Reflection on the theoretical production of creation and its implementation into the lesson. Data were collected from the third semester of students’ writing paragraphs in English Study Program. The research finding is (1) 75% to 85% of students were still errors in writing a paragraph. At the same time, 85% of lecturers and stakeholders stated that writing material design is better related to morphosyntax. Between 65% and 85% of students needed the improvement of writing ability. The conclusion is Design-Based Research has an excellent potential method to assist in creating and developing a material design. DBR method is more suitable for creating a writing material design since it analyses the field problems before creating or developing it. Writing Material design was created by the student's needs analysis, curriculum, syllabi and lesson plan. AbstrakDesain materi ajar yang sesuai dengan kebutuhan mahasiswa diyakini dapat menjadi solusi yang tepat untuk mengatasi permasalahan menulis mahasiswa. Oleh karena itu, dosen yang mengajar matakuliah English Foreign Language (EFL) di kelas diharapkan dapat mendesain materi ajar yang bisa membantu mahasiswa dalam menulis. Tujuan dalam penelitian ini adalah untuk memberikan ilmu pengetahuan baru terhadap mahasiswa khususnya berkaitan dengan kemampuan menulis. Metode dalam penelitian ini menggunakan metode Design-Based Research (DBR). Metode ini dilakukan dengan cara mengadopsi metode yang pernah dilakukan oleh Reeves (2006). Adapun tekhnik pengumpulan dan analisis data dilakukan dengan cara; (1) menganalisis permasalahan dari praktik kolaborasi, metode ini dilakukan dengan berkolaborasi antara peneliti dan praktisi, (2) pengembangan dan inovasi terhadap materi ajar morfosintaksis untuk memecahkan permasalahan menulis mahasiswa, (3) uji siklus secara iteratif dan menyeleksi pengembangan inovasinya dari hasil tulisan mahasiswa, dan (4) refleksi teoritis terhadap hasil tulisan mahasiswa serta inovasi dan penerapannya. Sementara itu data dikumpulkan dari data tulisan paragraf mahasiswa di semester tiga prowagram studi bahasa Inggris di IAIN Jember dan UNTAG Banyuwangi. Temuan dalam penelitian menyatakan bahwa 75%--85% mahasiswa masih salah dalam menulis paragraf, 85% dosen dan pemegang kebijakan berpendapat bahwa materi bahan ajar menulis sebaiknya berkaitan dengan morfosintaksis. Sekitar 65% hingga 85% mahasiswa membutuhkan peningkatan kemampuan dalam menulis.