STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION ON BLOGGING ACTIVITY IN ICT ONLINE CLASS AT ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT UNIVERSITAS
MUHAMMADYAH YOGYAKARTA
A Skripsi
Submitted to Faculty of Language Education
As a Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree
Sarjana Pendidikan
By :
Anggun Selfiani
20120540116
Department of English Education
Faculty of Language Education
Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta
Chapter One Introduction
This chapter consists of several parts. The first part is background of the study. The second part is statement of the problem. Then, it is followed by limitation of the problem, formulation of the problem, purpose of the study and the last part is significance of the study. Background of the Research
Blog becomes a common resource today. Based on the researcher’s experience during the class, students of EED UMY commonly used blog to help them finish the assignment. Students used blog as their resources rather than book. This is caused by blogs are easy to be accessed.
Everyone can make their blog and write any information on blog. A blog is personal or professional journal that is frequently updated and intended for general public
consumption on the internet (Zhang, 2009). Blogging becomes very popular especially for young people. Blogs are easy to be used and simple websites where people can quickly write thoughts, interact with others, get feedback and post photo (Brown, 2007). People do not need special competences to use and maintain their blog. They just need to connect with internet for blogging.
Blogging activity has correlation with ICT because both of them are related to each other. Blogs are some tools used in ICT-based class. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) refer to technological tools and resources which are used to
English Education Department UMY has ICT subject. There are ICT offline subject, ICT online subject and ICT in Education. English Education Department of UMY wants to maximize the use of technology in classroom used ICT-based class. It is in line with Cheng (2010) as cited in Tagoe (2012) who found that rapid development of information,
communication and technologies (ICT) and Web-based application already developed in universities all around the world. Nunan (1999) in Restuti (2008) added that access to the internet also brings the world into the classroom. Moreover Philips and Vallance (2004) argued that ICT plays positive role in the language teaching.
The researcher focused on ICT Online subject because the researcher found some phenomena based on the experiences. Therefore, this research focused on blogging activities held in ICT Online subject. Blogs is one of features in ICT that frequently used in EED UMY rather than radio or podcast. Moreover, ICT Online subject consisted of blogging, operating the blogs and maintaining the blog. Maintaining the blogs means that students frequently post something in their blogs such as articles, diaries, journals and photos. Students should reply any comments on their blogs. In ICT online class that held in EED UMY, students focused on maintaining their blog during the semester then students get the score based on their blogging activities.
In the beginning of the class, the lecturer gives an explaination about the rules in ICT Online class and also explains about scoring system used. In ICT online class, students will get more score when they post on their blogs often and also actively give any feedback when people comment their blog. Students should be active in ICT online class for get higher score in the end of the class. In the other hands, students get bad score if they do not post articles on their blog.
Based on the reseacher’s experiences, there are two types of EED students in bloging
the class and they do not care about their blog outside the class. The second type is students who maintain and manage their blogs seriously. They always post anything such as articles, journals, diaries or photos in their blogs whenever they can. Some students will not care anymore about the blog after the class end. They only make and manage the blog for score only. They do not have any interest in blog activities.
In other side, some students interests in blogs activities. In spite of the ICT class ended, they kept maintaining their blogs. However, just few students who still maintain their blogs after the class end. Leaving their blog when the class ended is like a habit for English Education Department students. These phenomena happen in all classes and all batches in ICT Online class at English Education Department in UMY. Based on the phenomena above, the researcher is interested in a study of students’ perception on the implementation of
blogging activities in ICT class at English Education Department Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta.
Identification of the Problem
Based on the phenomena that have been explained in the background, the researcher find some problems which are faced by students in blogging activities. The first problem is classroom facilities who supported blogging activitiy such as connectivity. Second,
blogging for students becomes some problems on blogging activity itself. Moreover, grammar and vocabulary mastery in writing becomes a problem on blogging activity. Limitation of the Problem
Besides those problems above, the researcher only focused on assesing students’ perception on blogging activity at English Education Department Universitas
Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta. The researcher limited the problems into two categories. First is students’ perception toward the advantages of blogging activity in ICT online class at EED
UMY. Second is the obstacles that students faced on blogging activity at ICT online class. Formulation of the Problem
There are two questions formulated from the limitation of the problems:
1. What are students’ perceptions toward the advantages of blogging activity in ICT Online Class at EED of UMY?
2. What are students’ perception toward the obstacles of blogging activity in ICT online class at EED UMY?
Purpose of the Study
Based on the formulation of the problem, the aims of this research are:
1. Exploring the students’ perception toward the advantages of blogging activity which conducted in ICT Online Class.
Significance of Research
This research study can be beneficial for some parties such as the researcher, students, and lecturers.
For the researcher. This research helps the researcher to understand the obstacles in blogging activities. Then, by understanding the obstacles, researcher can think the solution to solve and decrease the obstacles that occur on bloging activies in future.
For the students. The results of this research will give students understanding about the benefit and obstacles that may students faced on blogging activities. Students can prepare the solution to minimize the problems that they faced during blogging activity. Then, students can get better experiences on blogging class, and it can help students to maximize the features on their blog for better knowledge.
Chapter Two Literature review
This chapter discusses several studies related to this research. The first part of this chapter talks about some theories of perception. Second, researcher talks about Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Then, this part discusses the definition of blogs and types of blogs in education. This part also discusses advantages and disadvantages of blogs. In the last part of the chapter discusses review of related study and also the conceptual framework of this research.
Perception
According to Robbins (2001), perception is a process by which individuals organize and interpret their sensory impression in order to give meaning to their environment. Then, Kreiter and Kinicki (1992) stated that perception is mental and cognitive process that enables us to interpret and understand our surroundings. Based on the explanation above, perception is a process of people to understand and observe the environment arround them. In other words, perception is a cognitive process experienced by people in comprehending
information about the environment. Moreover, by using perception people can understand, comprehend and be aware of something or someone else in their environment.
Futhermore, people have different perception and expectation about world, things, places, methods, and environments. The personal perceptions are influenced by personal feel, imagination and interpretation. According to Lahey (2009) stated that humans are aware of the world because of they have a number of sense organs which enable humans to see, hear, taste, smell, touch, balance and experience such feeling as body stiffness, soreness, fullness, warmth, pleasure, pain, and movement.
While, the students’ perception of the classroom can help teacher to identify about what kind of activities that effective and suitable to be applied in classroom. In line with theory by Diamantes (2002) as cited in Fullerton and Guardino (2012) who found that students’ perceptions about the classroom environment can guide teachers in making environmental improvements. Then, students provided valid information about their preferred and ideal environment which helped the teachers in the classrooms. Knowing about students’
perception also helps teacher to engage students to participate actively in learning process. In this research, perception refers to how students perceive about blogging activity in ICT Online Class.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
According to Yunus et al (2013) who stated that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) cover a wide range of technologies. Toomey (2001) as cited in Restuti (2008) added ICT refers to a range of Information and Communication Technology which is including computer workstations, software and hardware. Toomey added that Information and Communication Technology (ICT) generally relates to those technologies that are used for accessing, gathering, manipulating and presenting or communicating information. Based on the statements above, it can be concluded that ICT refer to technological tools and resources which are used to communicate, create and manage information. These technologies include radio, television, computers, internet and social networks.
teachers or lecturer easier in teaching process. The lecturer can add others sample or
resources directly in classroom when it needed. It is related with theory by Yunus et al (2013) who found that the integration of new ICT tools such as laptop, LCD projector, internet and social networks in education is still in its infancy in comparison with the use of older technologies such as radio and television.
The significant purpose in the teaching learning ICT is the increasing convergence of computer-based, multimedia and communication technologies. And the main goal of
establishing the ICT- based class is preparing students to face future’s challenge. Umiyati (2006) as cited in Restuti (2008) argued that students of the ICT based class can master science and technology by using English competence. Students who mastering science and technology has better chance in the future. According to Philips and Vallance (2004) who stated ICT based class of the English language teaching is believed to be able to offer individualized, active, and interactive learning experiences to large numbers of students, solutions to the problem of an acceleration enrolment and higher demand for education.
Moreover, ICT has a positive role in the language teaching and learning. Students can access the world in the classroom by using ICT. According to Carrington and Robinson (2009) who said that today is time for our classrooms became places where digital and print literacy come together to allow children opportunities to develop the skills and attitudes they will need to navigate complex urban sites and social forms. Meanwhile, ICT based class offer the students big opportunities to faced the world and improve their skills used technology. Concept of Blog
journal or diary. Godwin (2003) cited in Zhang (2009) argued that blog is a web-based space of writing where all the writing and editing information is managed through a web browser and it is immediately and publicly available on the internet. Based on the statements above, blog is a place for everyone to share their feelings, ideas, stories, experiences and photos. People can use blog like their personal diary. In blog, people can write anything that they want to write.
Moreover, Hossain and Quinn (2012) found that web 2.0 technology is a new development of internet services available on the World Wide Web, allows internet users to collaborate and shares web information actively. Blog is a standard example of Web 2.0 technologies. Therefore, Blog is an online journals and their content is depend on the feelings of people who maintain blog. Blogs can be updated any time by using software that allows users with little or no technical background to create, design, and maintain the blog.
Drexler, Dwason and Fredig (2007) described blogging is a vehicle for sharing feelings and insight with the world without leaving the classroom. It can be concluded that blogs are a constructivist tool for learning where participants construct knowledge, share ideas, and build upon each other’s work. Blog can combines with text, images, links to other blog, web pages and other media related to its topic.
Campbell (2003) as stated in Tseng (2008) specifically points out three types of blog used in EFL (English Foreign Laguage) classes. There are tutor blog, learner blog and class blog.
The Tutor blog. Dudeney and Hockly (2007) stated blog set up and maintained by teacher is known as tutor blog. In tutor blog, teachers can gives daily reading practice for students and provides handouts of syllabus or some websites related to articles or journals that students read. Moreover, this blog provides study tips, reviews class work and provides extra links on specific topics such as pronunciation.
Campbell (2003) in Tseng (2008) stated that tutor blog can also encourage students to give comments in tutor’s blogs or their classmate’s blogs, and do some online verbal
exchange. The teachers may decide to allow their learners to write comments in the blog. In a tutor blog, teachers can ask students to read some journals and teacher should manage them to make summary from that journal.
The learners’ blog. Blog who maintained by students known as learner blog. The learners’ blogs can be used as journals for writing practices or for personal expression.
According to Campbell (2003) as cited in Tseng, (2008) who found that by students can develop a sense of ownership that they master from their own blogs then they can gain the experience of exchanging comments with their teacher or their classmate.
Afterwards, teachers may encourage students to set up and maintain their individual blogs. Learner can be asked to post in their blogs once or twice a week or however often teacher judges’ convenient, and content can range from comments on current affairs to
comment the others students’ blogs and it is help students to develop their skills in giving
opinion about something.
The Class Blog. According to Campbell (2003) as cited in Tseng (2008) found that students can join access and publishing rights to create and maintain their class blogs. Teacher can decide to use a blog provide their learners with news and comments on issues, extra reading practice or homework, online links, a summary of a class for learners who were unable to attend and study tips. In the class blog, learners will access and read and possibly add comments to the blog outside the classroom.
Advantages of Blog. According toTseng (2008) provided that web is a familiar piece of the educational landscape, and for those sites where personal publishing or chronological ordered content would be useful, blogs have stepped to the fore. However, blogs are
innovative tools that require learners to interact one another. It is not only having interaction with computer but also having interaction with people.
Pinkman (2004) argued that blogging takes more communicative role than others computers assisted language learning (CALL) tools. Pinkman continued that blogging and CALL can not replace face-to-face interaction, but blog provide a practice environment where students can think, reflect, and create language slowly for a real-life audience. Drexler, Dawson and Fredig (2007) found that blogging can promote critical and analytical thinking. Blog can lead to creative, intuitive, associational thinking and also analogical thinking. Blog is the best combination of solitary reflection and social interaction. Blogs provide a real-world tool for learners with which to practice their written English as well as a way
blog appears to enrich the learning experience and provide an opportunity for learners to learn by themselves, such as blog as a learning journal is a way of documenting learning and collecting information for self-analysis and reflection. It helps students’ nurturance a habit to study from surface to deep.
Stanley (2005) in Zhang (2009) argued that there are numerous reasons for using blogs in education, namely provide a real audience for student writing, to provide extra reading practice for students, to increase the sense of community in a class, to encourage students to participate, and to create an online portfolio of student written work. Blogs are well suited to serve as online personal journals for students, particularly since they normally enable uploading and linking of files. Language learners could use a personal blog, linked to a course, as an electronic portfolio, showing development over time. Hossain and Quinn (2012) stated that student has the possibility of writing for readers beyond classmates which is not usually possible to be talked in discussion forums by publishing it on the blog. Readers can give comment on what they read, although blogs can be placed in secured environments as well. Self-publishing encourages ownership and responsibility on the part of students, who may be more thoughtful in content and structure if they know they write for a real reader.
Disadvantages of Blog. Despite the advantages, blog also bring some disadvantages. Tseng (2008) found that the first disadvantage of using blog is teachers’ workload when making correction. Students can post a lot of messages or comments on blogs. It increases teachers’ workload to correct all the students writing. Tseng continued that blog is a place for
Research done by Tseng (2008) found that some students might be lazy to post something on their blogs. Some of them just copy and paste something like articles or journals from other resources. Copy paste people’s work on your blog without any qoutation is a kind of plagiarism. Plagiarism make students uncreative, lazy to work by themselves. Sweeny (2010) as cited in Yunus et al (2013) added that the concerns of teachers who used technology like blog is that students will not take the work seriously.
Moreover, blogs is universal and everyone can write and read articles on blog easily. People can post any articles on their blogs including articles with adult content. And it is makes risk for students to read unappropriated articles. Ward (2004) as cited in Yunus et al (2013) stated that students could be exposed to a variety of reading materials and genres of writing, there is a danger that the reading skills that are developed from scrolling the
computer screen lead to an accelerated but superficial, and often inaccurate, understanding of the content students can read in some blogs.
Review of Related Study
There are some researcher that has been studied about blog and ICT. Moreover, this research is little bit different with previous research. This part will explain the previous research.
The first research has been done by Pinkman (2005). The aimed of this research is motivating students to take advantages of authentic environments outside the classroom in order practice language skills and communicate with others. This study seeks to determine the usefulness of using blogs in the foreign language classroom, and to assist foreign
interaction with, and feedback from, classmates and teachers. Although the project helped to improve reading and writing skills, some learners were more interested in developing oral communication skills not in the blog project.
Second, research done by Hossain and Quinn (2012). This research explored student perceptions of a twelve week blogging activity that became a standard component of a college Euclidean Geometry class offered in a university in the Western United States. This research used qualitative research and focused on students’ perceptions on the advantages and disadvantages of using blogs as supportive tool in the Euclidean Geometry course. Data were collected by open-ended interview. This research applied ten themes related to advantages and six themes related to disadvantages of using blogging activity as a supportive tool for teaching and learning in this class. The result showed that there is an unconnected aspect of an overall phenomenon.
Third, research done by Youssef and Dahmani (2008). The purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and student performance in higher education. So far, economic research has failed to provide a clear consensus on the effect of ICT investments on student’s achievement. The
research aimed to summarize the main findings of the literature and to give two
complementary explanations. The first explanation focused on the indirect effects of ICT on standard explanatory factors. Since a student’s performance is mainly explained by a
student’s characteristics, educational environment and teachers’ characteristics, ICT may
have an impact on these determinants and consequently the outcome of education. The differences observed in students’ performance are thus more related to the differentiated
This research is different from previous research. What makes this research different is from the focused of this research. This research focused on students’ perception on blogging activity at ICT Online Class. This research did not measure the impact or the influences of blogs with other variables. Then, this research did not focus on improving particular
variables. Therefore, this research collected the data only from students who have joined in ICT Online Class and they have learnt about blogging at EED UMY.
Conceptual Framework
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) refer to technological tools and resources which are used to communicate, create and manage information. ICT including computer workstation,software, hardware, internet and social networks. There are some examples of ICT tools such as radio, televison, computer, podcast and blog. Hence, one of the example of ICT tools which are used in teaching and learning process is blog. This is caused by blogs are easy to be accessed. Moreover, blog is technological tools which are used to share feelings, ideas, stories, experiences, photos or videos based on internet connectivity.
Although, blog is used on a classroom almost in all universities arroud the world, blog also has advantages and disadvatagesw for students. The advantages of using blog in
In addition, the researcher has assumption that the implementation of blogging activity in ICT online class at EED UMY gives some benefits for students, especially in increasing students’ writing skills and improving the implementation of autonomous learner.
Chapter Three Research Methodology
This chapter discusses research methodology which is used by researcher. The first part talks about design of this research. Then, the next part explains research setting and participants of the research. In the last, this chapter discusses data collection method to gather the data. Moreover, data analysis was also present in this chapter.
Research Design
This research used qualitative method. This was caused the researcher wanted to assess students’ perception on blogging activities in ICT Class at English Education
Department Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta. Creswell (2014) stated that qualitative research collect data themselves through examining documents, observing behavior, or interviewing participants. Then, assesing students’ perception means that the researcher wanted to know the opinions of the students. So, the researcher did some interview to got students’ opinion.
The type of research used in this research was descriptive qualitative. Lambert & Lambert (2012) cited in Karlinawati (2015) stateda descriptive qualitative approach was needed when a direct description of a phenomenon was desired. It was an approach that was very useful when the researcher wanted to know, regarding events, who were involved, what was involved, and where did things take place. Hence, this research based on the phenomena which researcher faced in real life of students at EED UMY. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to know about students perception on blogging activity in ICT online class. So, accordance with the statements above the descriptive qualitative was applicable for this research
Creswell (2014) explained that qualitative research tends to collect data in the field at the site where participants experience the issue or problem under situation. In this research, the site where participants of the experience on blogging activities is EED of UMY. Based on Creswell’s statement, the researchers chose EED as the setting are first, the researcher is also studying in UMY, so it was easier to gather the data. The main reason is the phenomena on blogging activity were faced in English Education Department of UMY. The other reasons were EED UMY had ICT Online class as one of subjects that students should take in third semester. Moreover, in ICT online class students learned about blogging. And, the researcher conducted the interview to collect the data in April 2016 (1-30 April 2016).
Research Participants
The participants of this research were the students of English Education Department of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta. The batches that ever got ICT Online Class at EED UMY are batch 2014, batch 2013, batch 2012, batch 2011 and batch 2010. Although, there are five batches that had been got ICT Online Class, the researcher chose batches 2014, 2013 and 2012 only. The researcher chose those batches because students in those batches are still studying in EED UMY. Then, it is makes the reseacher easier to do interview for collect the data.
In ICT Online Class, students learned about blog. This became great moment for researcher to assess students’ perception on blogging activity in ICT Class at EED UMY. The
the participants based on the criteria or type that researcher wants. And, this research used GPA (Grade Point Average) as the criteria or type.
In purposive sampling also referred to as judge to be typical, or representative, were chosen from the population (Cohen, Manion, & Marrison, 2011). The six participants on this research were chosen based on GPA (Grade Point Average). Robert (2003) as cited in Awaliyah (2015) defined GPA as the average grade obtained by dividing the total quality points earned by the total quality hours for courses. Awaliyah continued that the academic guideline book of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta Chapter Two about Education and Teaching determined the classification of bachelor students’ GPA into three levels. They are excellent/ Cumlaude: 3.51 – above, good : 2.76 – 3.50 and satisfying : 2.00 – 2.75 (Awaliyah, 2015).
The researcher divided the participants into 3 categories. The first participant was two students who got exellent GPA. The second participant was two students who were clasified in good categorization. The last one was two students with satisfying GPA. The researcher chose participants based on the three different categories in GPA and different gender because the reseacher wanted to get varied data. The researcher categorized students into cumlaude, good and satisfying based on the classification of bachelor students’ GPA of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta.
Data Collection Method
first time, the researcher asked about general question as the opening. Then, it continued to specific questions. The researcher asked some elicit question about the participant’s opinion on blogging activities in ICT Class at EED UMY and it was continued by some question about the obstacles that students faced during blog activities. The interview process used Indonesian language.
Data Analysis
Data analysis is an important phase in conducting the research. LeCompte and Schensul (199) in Karlinawati (2015) stated that the data was analyzed as soon as possible after the data have been collected, both while the researcher was still in the field, and later, when the researcher was no longer in the field. The first step in data analysis collected the data by using interview. Second, all data was transcribed from recording into writing
transcrips. Third, after the transcript was done, the researcher ask the participants to check the transcription, this step known as member checking. Member checking is important to check validity of the interview transcript. In member checking, the participants checked the result of interview and clarify or add something which was needed. The fourth step is coding.
Bohm (2004) described that in coding researchers use their background knowledge about the context of the textual passage being investigated and, in general terms, their knowledge about the area of investigation. The result of the work is an interpretative text which adheres to analytical thinking about the phenomenon and which often contains questions about how the phenomenon might be further investigated (p.271).
Coding was done by three steps. The first step was open coding. Bohm (2004) stated open coding is an expanding procedure in the sense that considerable quantities of
giving sign for information that is important from the participants. In open coding,the researcher made some table. There were two columns in the table, the left and the right side. In the left side was the dialog transcription between the researcher and the participants and the right column for open coding. The researcher gives code “R” that refers to “Respondent
(participant)”.
The second step was axial coding. Cohen et al (2011) stated that axial coding is a category label ascribed to a group of open codes whose referents (the phenomena being described) as similar in the. In axial coding, the researcher should categorize the information from the result of open coding. Then, researcher divided the result based on the research question.
Chapter Four Findings and Discussions
This chapter presents the result of the study. Finding and discussions report several information that was gotten from the interviews. This chapter report and discuss some
information about students’ perception on blogging activity in English Education Department
of UMY. The first part of this chapter explain about the students perception on the
advantages on blogging activity at EED UMY. The second part of this chapter reports the obstacles that students faced on blogging activity during ICT online class at EED UMY. Students’ Perception toward the advantages of blogging activity in ICT online class at
English Education Department Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta.
Based on the interview, the researcher got students’ perception about blogging activity that was implemented in ICT online class at English Education Department UMY. The first is students’ perception toward the advantages of blogging activity. Based on the
result of interview, there are five advantages that students got during the blogging activity. Finding 1: Blogging increases students’ writing skills. Based on the result of interview, blogging activity increases students’ writing. There are four students stated that
blogging activity increased their writing skills.
“My writing skill is not good before I write in blog mbak, but my writing skill has
increased after getting feedback from reader. Through feedback, I learn more about how to write in a good sentence. Besides that, I make sure that grammar is right and acquire some vocabularies.” (R2.13)
“…if we talk about the effectiveness for writing skill, this really helps. We practice to
write in blog.” (R3.2)
“Blog has benefits especially in writing skill mbak. When there is writing assignment,
also improving grammar. When I have to write, I have a lot of vocabularies to be used so that this will be better. Grammar is different because I got improvement in how to write in a good structure.”(R6.12)
“...there is benefit of blog mbak, blog increase my ability more than before I use
blog.” (R4.6)
The statements indicated that blogging can help students to improve students
vocabulary and grammar mastery. Blogging does not only improve vocabulary and grammar mastery, but also students mastering on structure in English literacy. The statements are in line with Zhang (2009) who stated that writting blogs offers students ways to improve their writting skills and encounter new ideas though interaction with other students. Moreover, Aydin (2014) added that using blogs has significant effects on developing rhetorical strategies, improving grammar, designing paragraphs and essays, revising written works, giving and receiving feedback and participating in peer reviews.
It can be concluded that some students agreed that blogging activity increases students’ writing skills. Students who agreed reported that their number of vocabulary
increased because they should write some articles. Besides vocabulary, their articles should have grammatical correct. When students post some articles on blog they will get feedback for grammatical and increase their vocabulary. Vocabulary and grammar mastery are important aspects on writing in English teaching and learning.
Finding 2: Blogging improves students’ creativity. Based on the interview, the second advantages of blogging activity is blogging improves students’ creativity. Creative
interview process, there were two participants who stated that blogging can improve their creativity.
“I really like it mbak, because we will be more creative, write our ideas to be posted
in blog. We can know about technology then our creativity increased.” (R2.2)
“…then we will be more creative because we should posts some articles to increase
visitor.” (R6.13)
The statements above showed that students at EED UMY agreed that blogging activity help them to improves creativity because they need to think about articles with different topic on every weeks. Drexler, Dwason and Fredig (2007) stated that blog be a powerful promoter of creative, intuitive, and associational thinking. The statement is in line with perception of students who stated that students’creativity incerased by writing articles on blog because they need think about the topics.
Finding 3: Blogging improves students’ knowledge.The third advantages of blogging activity for students is blogging helped students to improve their knowledge. There were two participants who stated that blog can improve their knowledge.
“…through blog, we can learn outside the classroom and also share ideas with
another. We can also increase our knowledge by reading another blog. We can read both article and journal to get another insight.” (R2.8)
“We add some new knowledge from that. For example, if we have problem in
blogging activity can improve their knowledge. Students shared their opinion and ideas on the blogs.
Finding 4: Feedbacks in the blog motivate students in maintaing the blog. Fourth, the others advantages of blogging is students feel motivated because they were given
feedback on their blog. Feedback or comment is an important aspect on blogging. Moreover, the students gave big attention on comments from others who read their blog. Giving
comments mean that the readers gave feedback for what they have written. Based on the interview, some participants said that:
“I love when my work is useful for other. My work can be read by other people, I
really thank for that moreover when they give me positive feedback. When there are a lot of people who read my blog, I feel really happy. They will evaluate what I post through
feedback given. (R2.9)
This indicated that feedback or comments from other give big influences for
participants in blogging activity. The feedback give the participants constructive thoughts to improve the blog. Getting feedback from others learners makes students of EED UMY aware that they needed to upgrade their blogs. This statement is in line with Drexler et al (2007) who stated that constructive feedback helped the learners organize their thoughts, refine the writing details and take a pride on blogging.
According to Drexler et al statement, students enjoyed the positive comments from others learners which was left on their blogs. Students felt that the reader appreciated their writing when the readers left comment on the blog. This is the following statement.
“…when I posted some articles on the blog, and people read and quoted my statements, I felt that they appreciated my works” (R2.12).
“When I did blogging seriously and there are a lot of visitors read my blog, so I could
got money from blogging. I felt motivated and enthusiasm to maintaing my blog” (R6.18)
Pinkman (2005) argued that comment on blog makes the project communicative, interactive, and interesting. This can be concluded that students agreed about getting
feedback such as comments, opinions or suggestion on the blog was impressive for students and also motivated them to improve their blog. Futhermore, commenting encoursges students to frequently check their blog.
Finding 5: Blogging motivates students to be an autonomous learner. The fifth advantages is blogging motivated students to be an autonomous learner. There were two participants who stated that blogging activity help them to become an autonomous learners.
“That is good to develop autonomous learning mbak, because through blog our
autonomous learning skill increased indirectly, we become independent in learning. In other word, we find anything by our self then improving our skill.” (R2.6)
“When talking about independent in learning, blog can be one of examples because
through blog we should push our self to improve. Lecturers give general explanation then we should make it by our self. We should find anything related to this so that we can develop blog. We are pushed to be an autonomous learner.” (R5.2)
above showed that students at EED UMY agreed that blogging activity promoted learner autonomy through self-regulation and self-management.
Students’ perception toward the obstacles on blogging activity in ICT online class at
English Education Department UMY.
Based on the interview, students of English Education Department UMY faced some obstacles during the blogging activity. The obstacles which was faced by students during the ICT online class are connetivity, finding ideas, vocabulary and grammar mastery. The finding and discussion had been described those obstacles in detail here.
Finding 1 : Bad connectivity obstruct students in posting on blog. In blogging activity, students should connect with internet when they wanted to post articles, journals, photos or videos on blog. Moreover, students needed high connectivity to make a post on the blog, but students faced bad connetivity when they connect with internet. These are following statatements of students.
“…besides that, the connectivity to internet is poor connectivity.” (R1.16)
“I think internet speed mbak, when internet has high speed, we will have more spirit
in writing blog. However I live in rural areas as we know that internet speed is poor so that I posted blog late. That internet speed gives effect for productivity in posting blog.” (R2.14)
“Poor internet speed becomes the obstacle. When I want to post videos then it will be
fail because of poor internet speed.” (R6.6)
The perceptions from participants showed that bad connectivity has impact for
connectivity and computer access issues are in place both students and staff may experience frustration with the process.
Finding 2: Students’ low mastery on grammar and vocabulary in writing articles
on the blog. The second obstacles on blogging activity is students faced problems in
grammar and vocabulary mastery in writing articles. In spite of some students stated that they grammar and vocabulary mastery increases after blogging, some students mention that they have problems with both of them. Based on the result of interview, there were three
participants who reported that they have problems in grammar and vocabulary mastery during the writing articles on blogging activity.
“Obstacles that I find in writing blog namely vocabularies from Indonesia to English, grammar, and also facility like poor internet speed, that’s it.” (R4.10)
“Of course there is obstacle mbak, grammar is one of them. If I should post article in
Indonesia language it will be easy, if it is in English, I feel difficult in grammar. I worry if I post the English article then that article has wrong grammar.” (R6.5)
Then, some participants stated that low mastery in vocabulary became one of problems in blogging. Students need to have numbers of vocabularies in writing article. Students who were lack of vocabulary felt difficult to write the articles. These is following statement of participants.
“…limitation in English vocabulary become the obstacle.” (P4.5)
Juan and Nazli (2013) who stated that cohesion of grammatical or structural unity and coherence the unity of sense or meanings are also essential for high quality writing.
In blogging activity, students should write articles or journals with grammatical correct and vocabularies because their articles or journals would be read by others. This perception is accordance with by Tseng (2008) who said that blogs are the places where students can create their own works in a less stressful way, but they are still nervous with using English to
express their thoughts. Students of EED UMY are still nervous and worried about they articles which write in English. Students feel stress with the correctness of grammar and vocabulary on their writing.
Finding 3: Students feel difficult in constructing ideas for write articles on the blog. The third obstacles who was faced by students o blogging activity is the difficulty of constucting ideas for writing articles or journals. There were three of six participants mentioned that construct ideas on blogging is difficult.
“…for me it is about ideas what will be written. We should find new ideas so that our
blog will be more varies. That new ideas become problem for me in writing blog.” (R5.5) “…ideas to write mbak, we should write something new in blog, I cannot find new
ideas, I need to find some references like google.” (R4.8)
“Sometime when I still have some paragraphs in writing blog I cannot finish it. We
need ideas in writing, however find the ideas are not easy.” (R1.12)
Based on the participants’ statements, it can be concluded that students of EED UMY
Chapter Five
Conclusion and Recommendation
This chapter included two parts. The first part is conclusion. In this part researcher summarizes the result of this research. The second part is recommendation. In this part researcher give some recommendations for students, lecturers, and future researchers based on the result of the study.
Conclusion
Based on the researcher experience, blogging activity was implemented in
Information Communication Technologies online class at English Education Department of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta. Based on the result of this research, there are five advantages and three obstacles that students reported during the activity. The first advantage is that blogging activity increased students’ writting skills. Blogging helps the students improves grammar and vocabulary mastery by writing articles. The improvement of grammar and vocabulary mastery aslo improve students’ writing skills because both of them are in
line. Second, blogging improved students creativity because students need thinking about different topics for each week. The third advantage is blogging improved students’ knowledge. Reading articles on journals on others blog makes students improves their knowledges. Fourth, getting feedback from reader gave students motivation to maintain the blog. Possitive feedback from the reader make the students felt pride. The fifth advantage is blogging activity motivated students to be an autonomous learner. The implementation of blogging in ICT class is one way to promoted autonomous learning because students need to explored by themselves the teaching and learning materials.
vocabulary mastery. Students who has bad grammar and vocabulary mastery found some difficulties on blogging activity, because they should post some things like writing articles, diaries or photos. It means that students needed a lot vocabulary and grammatical correct on their article. Third, students felt difficult in construct ideas in writing articles, and it is means that students felt difficult to write on blog. Based on the result of this research, it can be conclude that participants felt more benefits of blogging rather than the obstacles. So, blogging activity was applicable for students of EED UMY because blogging activity improves students’ skills.
Recommendation
This research give recommendation and sugesstion regarding the advantages and disadvantages on blogging activity in English Education Department of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta. Hence, the recommendation is concerned to the lecturer, students and also future researcher.
For the lecturer. After knowing the advantages of blogging activity such as blog increase students’ writting skills, blog can improve students creativity, and many others, the
lecturer should optimize the quality of blogging activity. Moreover, lecturer should concern to decrease the obstacles felt by students at EED UMY that have been explained in this research.
For the students. Students should optimize blogging activity. Students should take it seriously.By knowing the obstacles on blogging, students should minimize the obstacles that may be faced during blogging activity.
1
References
Awaliyah, N. (2015). The correlation between students’ self-efficiacy and achievement at English Education Department of
UniversitasMuhammadiyah Yogyakarta. Yogyakarta: UMY.
Aydin, S. (2014). The use of blogs in learning English as a foreign language.
Mevlana International Journal of Education, 4(1), 244-259.
Bohm, A. (2004). A companion to qualitative research: Theoretical coding: Text
analysis in grounded theory. London: SAGE
Brown, D. (2007). Teaching by principles: An Interactive approach to language
pedagogy. New York: Pearson Longman.
Cohen, L., Manion, L., &Marrison, K. (2011).Research methods in education. New York: Routledge.
Creswell, J.W. (2014). Research desaign: Qualitative, quantative and mix method
approaches. London: SAGE.
Dudeney, G., &Hockly, N. (2007). How to teach English with technology. London: Pearson Longman.
Drexler, W., Dawson, K., &Fredig, R. E. (2007). Collaborative blogging as means to develop Elementary expository writing skills.Electronic Journal for the
Integration of Technology in Education, 6, 140-160.
Fullerton, E.K., &Guardino,C. (2010). Teacher and Students' Perceptions of a modified inclusion classroom environment.Electronic Journal for
2
Javed, M., Juan, W.X., Nazli, S. (2013). A study of students’ assessment in
writing skils of the English language. International Journal of Instruction, 6(2), 129-143.
Hossain, M., & Quinn, R. J. (2012). Advantages and disadvantages of using a blogging activity in a College Euclidean geometry course.International
Journal of Computer Technology and Electronics Engineering (IJCTEE),
2(6), 1-8.
Karlinawati, E. (2015). Students’ perception on writing weekly journal at English
Education Department of UniversitasMuhammadiyah Yogyakarta.
Yogyakarta: UMY.
Kreitner, R. &Kinicky, A. (1992). Organizational behavior. New York: Richard D. Irwin, Inc.
Lahey, B.B. (2009). Psychology: An introduction (tenth edition). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Lee, L. (2011). Blogging: Promoting learner autonomy and intercultural competence through study abroad. Language Learning &
Technology,15(3), 87-109.
Marsden, N., & Irvine, E. P. (2012). Using blogging and laptop computers to improve writing skills on a vocational training course.Australasian Journal
of Educational Technology, 28(1),30-47.
3
Pinkman, K. Using blogs in foreign language classroom; encouraging learner independence.The JALT CALL Journal, 1(1),12-24.
Restuti, A. D. (2008). The characteristic of the ICT-based class in the process of English teaching learning at SMA 8 Yogyakarta in the second semester in
academic year of 2007/2008. Yogyakarta: UNY
Robbins, S.P. (2001). Organizational behavior: Structure, design, and
applications. NJ: Prentice-Hall International, Inc.
Salehi, H., & Salehi, Z. (2011). Washback effect of high-stakes tests on ICT usage: Teachers’ perceptions. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied
Sciences, 5(12), 1976-1984.
Tagoe, M.(2012).Students’ perceptions on incorporating E-learning into teaching
and learning at the University of Ghana.International Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication Technology
(IJEDICT),8 (1), 91-103.
Tseng, M. C. (2008). The use of blog in English classes for Medicine related majors. Chang Gung Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 1(1), 167-187.
4
Yunus, M., Nordin, N., Salehi, H., Sun, C. H., Embi, M. A. (2013). Pros and Cons of Using ICT in Teaching ESL reading and writing. International Education
Studies,6(7), 119-130.
Zhang, D. (2009). The appplication of blogging in English writing.Journal of
