Meaning of vocabulary learning to students using interactive powerpoint application for language learning.

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Sastrikirana, Anastasia. 2015. Meaning of Vocabulary Learning to Students Using Interactive PowerPoint Application for Language Learning. Yogyakarta: Graduate Program of English Studies Sanata Dharma University

ABSTRACT

Vocabulary learning as a part of English learning is a complex process. Students are expected to master a lot of vocabulary in Curriculum 2013 and various genres of texts as what is stated in KTSP curriculum. In order to help students learn vocabulary, a learning medium is employed. The learning medium is Interactive PowerPoint Application for Language Learning (IPALL). Students who participated in this research had the experience of using it for nine months. To know how IPALL means to them, this research was conducted in order to answer two research questions. The first is “What is the empirical meaning of vocabulary learning using IPALL to students?”The second is “What is the transcendent meaning of vocabulary learning using IPALL to students?”This research also has three goals: describing and interpreting the meaning of students’ lived experiences in vocabulary learning using IPALL, obtaining emphatic understanding, and explaining how IPALL has helped students to be self-actualized.

This research employed hermeneutics phenomenology as the methodology as it was related with the process of seeking meaning of a certain phenomenon. The texts about students’ lived experience from which meaning of vocabulary learning using IPALL could be found were obtained from fieldnotes, personal documents, and texts from the interview with the participants. The interviews were conducted four times in order to obtain rich texts about their lived experience. It was important especially to be able to gain texts about transcendent meaning which is beyond what is observable. Meanwhile, the fieldnotes functioned to record the empirical meaning which is observable. The participants were selected based on their willingness and openness, from what they wrote in their personal notes and from teachers’ recommendation.

In this research there are some themes. The themes functioned as a means to describe the content of the meaning of the lived experience. The empirical themes which show empirical meaning are better knowledge of word meaning and forms, better learning atmosphere, chances to repeat, and focus and concentration. Meanwhile, the transcendent themes are perseverance, honesty, acceptance, connection with a bigger world, and God talks to me. These themes are discussed in relation with vocabulary learning and the characteristics of self-actualized and transcendent people to see whether the ultimate goal of this research has been achieved. Based on the discussion, IPALL so far has helped students to be more self-actualized both as students and as human which means the ultimate goal of this research has been achieved.

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Sastrikirana, Anastasia. 2015. Meaning of Vocabulary Learning to Students Using Interactive PowerPoint Application for Language Learning. Yogyakarta: Program Pasca Sarjana, Kajian Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

ABSTRAK

Pembelajaran kosakata merupakan suatu bagian kompleks dari pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris. Para siswa diharapkan untuk menguasai banyak kosakata dalam kurikulum 2013 dan juga menguasai berbagai teks seperti yang disebutkan dalam KTSP. Untuk membantu siswa memahami kosakata, suatu media pembelajaran digunakan di kelas. Media itu adalah Interactive PowerPoint Application for Language Learning yang disingkat menjadi IPALL. Partisipan dalam penelitian ini memiliki pengalaman belajar kosakata menggunakan IPALL selama sembilan bulan. Untuk mengetahui apa arti pembelajaran kosakata menggunakan IPALL bagi mereka, penelitian ini dilakukan untuk menjawab dua rumusan masalah. Yang pertama adalah apa arti empiris pembelajaran kosakata menggunakan IPALL bagi para partisipan? Yang kedua yaitu apa arti transenden pembelajaran kosakata menggunakan IPALL bagi para partisipan? Penelitian ini juga memiliki tiga tujuan yaitu mendeskripsikan dan menginterpretasi arti dari pengalaman partisipan dalam mempelajari kosakata menggunakan IPALL, mendapatkan pengertian empatik, dan menjelaskan bagaimana IPALL membantu partisipan untuk mengaktualisasikan diri.

Penelitian ini menggunakan hermeneutics phenomenology sebagai metodologi karena berhubungan dengan proses mencari arti dari suatu fenomena. Teks-teks tentang pengalaman para partisipan didapat melalui catatan lapangan, dokumen pribadi, dan teks selama wawancara. Wawancara ini sendiri dilakukan empat kali agar mampu mendapatkan teks yang kaya informasi mengenai pengalaman para partisipan. Wawancara ini juga penting terutama untuk mendapatkan informasi mengenai arti transenden yang melampaui apa yang bisa diobservasi di kelas. Sementara itu, catatan lapangan fungsinya untuk mencatat semua yang bisa diobservasi dikelas. Para partisipan dipilih berdasarkan kemauan dan keterbukaan mereka, berdasarkan dokumen pribadi yang mereka tulis, dan berdasarkan saran dari guru.

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MEANING OF VOCABULARY LEARNING TO STUDENTS USING INTERACTIVE POWERPOINT APPLICATION

FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING

A THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain

Magister Humaniora(M.Hum) Degree

in English Language Studies

by

Anastasia Sastrikirana 136332009

THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

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i

MEANING OF VOCABULARY LEARNING TO STUDENTS USING INTERACTIVE POWERPOINT APPLICATION

FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING

A THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain

Magister Humaniora(M.Hum) Degree

in English Language Studies

by

Anastasia Sastrikirana 136332009

THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I would like to thank Jesus for His wonderful blessings. I am grateful for having the chance to feel His presence and to know that He is always beside me. There are not any things including the process of composing this thesis which seems easy without His help. When things seem to go very wrong, He is always in time to help. He has made everything possible.

Second, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Dr. J. Bismoko for always spending time to check my thesis. I am very thankful for all constructive feedbacks which have helped me improve it. He has given so much assistance that I was finally able to finish my thesis despite of all difficulties that I had faced in the process of composing it.

Third, I would like to thank all lecturers in English Language Studies for the chances to participate in their class, to share ideas, and to obtain deeper knowledge about things related to English language studies. They enabled me to learn more things through classroom and group discussion and also personal consultation that I was able to gain insights about English education. They had helped me understand things which I had not understood before.

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I am also grateful to the headmaster of SMKN 7 Yogyakarta, Ibu Dra.

Titik Komah Nurastuti, who has given me permission to conduct the research. I also thank Ibu Nining Widuri, S.Pd. and Bapak Yohanes Budi Susilo, S.Pd. who have given a lot of help during my research at the school. It was impossible to conduct this research without their help.

The last, but not least, I thank my friends for the togetherness and for sharing any ideas and experience with me. My gratitude goes toIpins ‘Levyn’for always being my ‘crazy’ friend inside and outside the campus and the boarding house, bundo Wulan for always being patient with me, Joan, mbak Yun, mbak Nurul, mbak Hening, mbak Dina, mbak Gaby, mbak Adria, Desta, Ce Pi, Dita

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Vocabulary learning as a part of English learning is a complex process. Students are expected to master a lot of vocabulary in Curriculum 2013 and various genres of texts as what is stated in KTSP curriculum. In order to help students learn vocabulary, a learning medium is employed. The learning medium is Interactive PowerPoint Application for Language Learning (IPALL). Students who participated in this research had the experience of using it for nine months. To know how IPALL means to them, this research was conducted in order to answer two research questions. The first is “What is the empirical meaning of vocabulary learning using IPALL to students?”The second is “What is the transcendent meaning of vocabulary learning using IPALL to students?”This research also has three goals: describing and interpreting the meaning of students’ lived experiences in vocabulary learning using IPALL, obtaining emphatic understanding, and explaining how IPALL has helped students to be self-actualized.

This research employed hermeneutics phenomenology as the methodology as it was related with the process of seeking meaning of a certain phenomenon. The texts about students’ lived experience from which meaning of vocabulary learning using IPALL could be found were obtained from fieldnotes, personal documents, and texts from the interview with the participants. The interviews were conducted four times in order to obtain rich texts about their lived experience. It was important especially to be able to gain texts about transcendent meaning which is beyond what is observable. Meanwhile, the fieldnotes functioned to record the empirical meaning which is observable. The participants were selected based on their willingness and openness, from what they wrote in their personal notes and from teachers’ recommendation.

In this research there are some themes. The themes functioned as a means to describe the content of the meaning of the lived experience. The empirical themes which show empirical meaning are better knowledge of word meaning and forms, better learning atmosphere, chances to repeat, and focus and concentration. Meanwhile, the transcendent themes are perseverance, honesty, acceptance, connection with a bigger world, and God talks to me. These themes are discussed in relation with vocabulary learning and the characteristics of self-actualized and transcendent people to see whether the ultimate goal of this research has been achieved. Based on the discussion, IPALL so far has helped students to be more self-actualized both as students and as human which means the ultimate goal of this research has been achieved.

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xviii

Sastrikirana, Anastasia. 2015. Meaning of Vocabulary Learning to Students Using Interactive PowerPoint Application for Language Learning. Yogyakarta: Program Pasca Sarjana, Kajian Bahasa Inggris, Universitas Sanata Dharma.

ABSTRAK

Pembelajaran kosakata merupakan suatu bagian kompleks dari pembelajaran Bahasa Inggris. Para siswa diharapkan untuk menguasai banyak kosakata dalam kurikulum 2013 dan juga menguasai berbagai teks seperti yang disebutkan dalam KTSP. Untuk membantu siswa memahami kosakata, suatu media pembelajaran digunakan di kelas. Media itu adalah Interactive PowerPoint Application for Language Learning yang disingkat menjadi IPALL. Partisipan dalam penelitian ini memiliki pengalaman belajar kosakata menggunakan IPALL selama sembilan bulan. Untuk mengetahui apa arti pembelajaran kosakata menggunakan IPALL bagi mereka, penelitian ini dilakukan untuk menjawab dua rumusan masalah. Yang pertama adalah apa arti empiris pembelajaran kosakata menggunakan IPALL bagi para partisipan? Yang kedua yaitu apa arti transenden pembelajaran kosakata menggunakan IPALL bagi para partisipan? Penelitian ini juga memiliki tiga tujuan yaitu mendeskripsikan dan menginterpretasi arti dari pengalaman partisipan dalam mempelajari kosakata menggunakan IPALL, mendapatkan pengertian empatik, dan menjelaskan bagaimana IPALL membantu partisipan untuk mengaktualisasikan diri.

Penelitian ini menggunakan hermeneutics phenomenology sebagai metodologi karena berhubungan dengan proses mencari arti dari suatu fenomena. Teks-teks tentang pengalaman para partisipan didapat melalui catatan lapangan, dokumen pribadi, dan teks selama wawancara. Wawancara ini sendiri dilakukan empat kali agar mampu mendapatkan teks yang kaya informasi mengenai pengalaman para partisipan. Wawancara ini juga penting terutama untuk mendapatkan informasi mengenai arti transenden yang melampaui apa yang bisa diobservasi di kelas. Sementara itu, catatan lapangan fungsinya untuk mencatat semua yang bisa diobservasi dikelas. Para partisipan dipilih berdasarkan kemauan dan keterbukaan mereka, berdasarkan dokumen pribadi yang mereka tulis, dan berdasarkan saran dari guru.

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1 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

As this part is the introductory chapter, it presents rationale why this research is conducted. It presents reasons of the importance of this study along with the context in current education in Indonesia. Those reasons explain both the validity and feasibility of this research. This chapter consists of several parts, These are background of the study, problem identification, problem limitation and delimitation, statement of the research questions, research goals, and research benefits.

A. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The rationale of arranging and applying curriculum 2013 is the Indonesian Education Ministry’s Policy no.68 which states about the internal and external

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curriculum 2006. The disadvantage of curriculum 2013 for learners was the fact that learning was a complex process. The time reduction for English lesson would not allow students to achieve maximum results. What was meant by results here was specifically the optimum vocabulary knowledge. In the compulsory textbook there was a part in each unit in which focused on vocabulary. Yet, vocabulary learning could not be optimized as time to learn it was very limited. At that point, the teachers used interactive PowerPoint Application for Language Learning (IPALL) in order to help students learn vocabulary better. Students also had a chance to do the exercises at home because there were several exercises that the teachers uploaded in ELTgallery website. Both the IPALL and ELTgallery were developed by B.B. Dwijatmoko. Meanwhile, curriculum 2006 focuses on the four skills of English. Curriculum 2006 also focuses on genre-based approach in which students have to be able to recognize texts’ generic structures as well as the

language features. There is not a part in the compulsory textbook which specifically focuses on vocabulary. However, teachers use a supplementary textbook to enrich students’ vocabulary. IPALL is also applied to help students focus on more new vocabulary especially in relation with the need to comprehend the language features which are used in certain kinds of texts.

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(Thorne 2003 as quoted in Grgurovic, 2011). “Vocabulary learning using IPALL is a learning model which integrates computer and a specifically designed PowerPoint application. The consideration that students nowadays live in a world where advanced technology is available everywhere, makes integrating learning media an option to support learning. With the aid of IPALL students can do some types of exercises even when they are not at school or in the classroom. The layout of it is different from the PowerPoint which is commonly used for presentation. It is specifically designed to facilitate students to do some kinds of exercises such as multiple choice and matching. In IPALL, those are called Interactive PowerPoint Application for Multiple Choice Exercises (IPALL Multiple Choice) and Interactive PowerPoint Application for Matching Exercises (IPALL Matching). Those exercises are created so that students are able to focus on vocabulary that they have to know. For the students in SMKN 7 Yogyakarta, especially those in X MM and X AK1 classes, vocabulary learning using IPALL is a brand new experience. They have been using it since first semester of 2014/2015 academic year and they have been using it for nine months now. The fact that students are currently using it guarantees the feasibility of this study as this study aims to discover meaning of learning using IPALL. It also ensures the validity of this study as it enables me as the researcher to observe them in the classroom so that I know that what happens there matches with what they tell during the interview.

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breadth so that later their English will also improve. However, the meaning of vocabulary learning is not only the empirical one which means meaning which can be observed such as the improvement of vocabulary exercise score or their skills in general, but it also involves transcendent meaning which is beyond what is observable. Transcendent meaning is related to the moment in which students have the experience which is somehow difficult to explain; the experience in which students that they have become more self-actualized not only as students but also as human. It is when they feel that there is something beyond common daily experience.

There are some studies about phenomenological researches which have revealed teachers’ lived experiences in teaching using multimedia. However,

studies about students’ lived experiences are not as many as the ones about teachers’. There are two previous studies; the one by Lin, Lin, & Groom (2013)

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how meaning of vocabulary learning using IPALL is constructed. The fact that they are currently using it makes this study able to be conducted within the allocated time as the experiences in using IPALL are still fresh and are really vivid in students’ mind.

B. PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION

The IPALL is selected and is the main focus of this research because IPALL is a brand new learning medium and I am interested whether it is indeed meaningful and helpful to students. Previously, a classroom action research conducted by Sastrikirana & Hanardi (2014) showed that there was significant improvement in students’ scores. Now, I would like to see further how much

IPALL is meaningful to students’ life. It is because there are a lot of things about learning and becoming students which are often taken for granted. The exercises for the students in the IPALL are made into IPALL multiple choice and IPALL matching. These types of exercises are chosen because like other students in other schools, students in SMKN 7 Yogyakarta will have to do especially multiple choice exercises both in mid-term and final test. Meanwhile, IPALL matching helps students know the meaning first before they learn the vocabulary in context. Doing IPALL multiple choice is not only about choosing but also about how students use their logic in order to be able to answer correctly. It is hoped that students are able to learn vocabulary better and retain vocabulary that they have learnt.

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of learning as they bring the meaning of previous learning experiences, awareness, beliefs, and intention. This meaning is very subjective because it depends on a person’s very own way of perceiving it. It is necessary to understand what vocabulary learning is like to students because by understanding how the learning process is going, I am able to be aware myself about what is happening there.

Since it is a new medium to facilitate vocabulary learning process, and as students have just experienced learning using it, they have fresh, vivid lived experiences to tell. Thus, this study is feasible. Also, because students use it continuously, it guarantees the validity of this study as there is a chance to do observation. Learning media are often said to be helpful for students. However, as students have different previous learning experiences, awareness, beliefs, and, intentions which precede their action they may perceive the use of IPALL in a different way as they have those aspects which cause them to shape meaning differently, too. What this study aims to reveal is in what way the use of IPALL is meaningful to students especially in terms of vocabulary learning. It will be revealed by the process of gathering anecdotes about students’ lived experiences

as the experiences help the analysis process of meaning.

C. PROBLEM LIMITATION AND DELIMITATION

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shaped different meaning in their past, the meaning which is grasped by each person is also different. The meaning of vocabulary learning to students is not related to how IPALL and the exercises are designed because designing the application and exercises are not a part of students’experience.

The data about students’ scores is not included because this research

focuses on what has not been addressed in the previous research about learning media which is the transcendent meaning. It is also because the data about students’ scores have been discussed in an experimental research conducted by Hanardi (2015). Meanwhile, the data in a form of writing scores cannot be obtained because at the time in which this research was conducted, students were not given any writing exercises. Therefore, the data about how they use the vocabulary that they have learnt using IPALL in the writing composition cannot be gathered.

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D. STATEMENT OF THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS

Because this research aims to discover the meaning of vocabulary learning using IPALL to students, there are two research questions this research is going to answer, which is:

1. What is the empirical meaning of vocabulary learning using IPALL to students?

2. What is the transcendent meaning of vocabulary learning to students? There are two types of meaning; those are empirical and transcendent meaning. Both meaning is sought in this study. This is especially because the transcendent meaning is there, but often ignored and has not become the main focus on some research reports. The definition of empirical and transcendent meaning is elaborated in chapter two.

E. RESEARCH GOALS

There are some research goals that this study aims to achieve. The goals are divided into three. Those are immediate, intermediate, and ultimate goals. The immediate goal is achieved when this study has presented description and interpretation of the participants’ lived experience. The intermediate goal is when

the description and interpretation has encouraged empathic understanding. The last, the ultimate goal is achieved when self-actualization happens after using IPALL.

1. The Immediate Study Goal

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vocabulary learning using IPALL. The description is achieved when the anecdotes are presented together with the code which indicates themes. In the description part, there will be description to which themes certain anecdotes belong to. It is not explained further yet. This part also shows what new themes that emerge in students’ lived experience.

The interpretation of students’ lived experiences follows the description. It

is when students’ lived experiences are understood and explained further. The

themes are explained one by one in detailed. Through this interpretation the lived experiences will be clearer and more understandable to the reader. This research is said to have achieved immediate goal if both description and interpretation of students’ lived experiences have been presented.

2. The Intermediate Study Goal

The intermediate study goal is for the better empathic understanding. It constitutes the understanding of students’ lived experiences as the people who

experience vocabulary learning using the IPALL. It is due to the fact that this study is about hermeneutics. It emphasizes the importance of understanding from participants’ point of view. This understanding is able to be achieved when people

listen and are aware of what others have experienced. Thus, this study aims to achieve this goal.

This goal is able to be achieved when readers are reading students’ lived experiences and tries to understand it. When they are trying to understand it, they are capable of seeing from students’ perspective. It is when they understand how

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IPALL. It is when they are really aware that learning is not exactly like what is seen on surface. When readers understand everything from ‘the eye of the

students’, it is when the intermediate goal is achieved.

3. The Ultimate Study Goal

The ultimate goal of this study is the explanation of how IPALL is useful to help students’ move toward self-actualization. It is about how students can actualize themselves more by learning using IPALL. It is whether they are finally able to be self-fulfilled; to be much better students. Self actualization is indicated by some characteristics. The characteristics are various and these characteristics distinguish self-actualized people with ordinary people.

As the characteristics are able to be revealed only through students’ lived experiences which are written in a form of anecdotes, the anecdotes are explained carefully in order to identify parts which show that students possess characteristics of self-actualized people. Analyzing students’ lived experiences in details is able to give understanding of whether students gradually become more self-actualized. This study is said to have achieved the ultimate goal when the explanation of the process of becoming more self-actualized is presented and elaborated.

F. RESEARCH BENEFITS

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the results, this study has given some benefits for some parties. The parties are those who are directly or indirectly involved in English education. Those who are directly involved are those who work in educational field, in this case is in English education institution. Those can be teachers, lecturers, or teacher candidates.

Those who are not indirectly involved are the audience, in this case are teachers who may not teach English, yet who needs information about how important it is to perceive something from students’ point of view. Therefore, they are able to be enlightened themselves. It may also be useful for those who are working in other fields especially when they are interested in using hermeneutics phenomenology as the method in their research to see how it is applied in the research. It may also be useful for others who share the same interest, which is seeking for meaning, but meaning in other fields such as psychology or nursing, etc. This research will give them general overview about how meaning can be sought using hermeneutics phenomenology methodology.

1. English Education Institutions

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Institution plans to continue using of IPALL or when it plans to use other forms of media.

Students’ previous learning experiences, awareness, feeling, and intention are always there, always take part in the meaning construction. Those things have shaped a certain horizon and they are expanding their horizon as they keep learning. Therefore, it is important to note that learning does not only mean how much knowledge students are able to obtain. It is not merely about whether all students are successful. It is about facilitating learning using learning media which is able to lead students to be self-actualized both as students and as human.

2. Teachers and Lecturers

Vocabulary learning is encouraged because lack of vocabulary is usually the problem that students have that they have difficulties in developing their skills in English. The development of application such as IPALL has helped them a lot in knowing more vocabulary. IPALL is developed in order to help teachers develop a set of exercises for students. Yet, in fact, it means a lot to students and it has made them able to improve their achievement, but it has also made them able to learn much more important things which are valuable for their life.

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can improve their vocabulary score, reading or writing score, but it should help students become more aware of important values that they can learn for their life.

3. The Audience

This study is beneficial for any audience especially those who are interested in interpreting certain phenomena using hermeneutics. Hermeneutics allow the audience to understand a person not only from things they achieve or in other words, things that can be observed through senses, but also from the things beyond what can be seen. It allows the audience to understand the lived experiences which students have gone through which have shaped certain meaning to them. Students’ experiences enable readers to also reflect on things

which help them find important values which are useful for their life. It has given insights that in educational field, learning media can bring such meaning. The audience is able to relate the insights that this research has obtained to the field they are working in.

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for the sake of helping others go toward better achievement and which is able to lead others to be more self-actualized especially as human.

4. Further Researches

This research has revealed how much vocabulary learning using IPALL means to students. It has revealed how IPALL Matching and IPALL Multiple Choice have helped them to know more vocabulary and to also know more important things which are beyond what are observable in the classroom. IPALL is able to facilitate the development of some types of exercises. The other types such as IPALL Completion and True False have not been discussed in this research because those types are not used in the classrooms. Therefore, another researcher can conduct a research about meaning of vocabulary learning using IPALL Completion and IPALL True False.

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15 CHAPTER II

LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter aims to present the findings of some previous studies in order to find out what have been obtained and to put this research in current context. The related theories are also presented. The theories are about empirical and transcendent meaning. The empirical meaning is about observable things that participants have been able to have, achieve or improve. Meanwhile, transcendent meaning is related with self-actualization and the quality of being transcendent; processes in which participants feel something beyond what they feel about academic matters. At last, a framework of pre-understanding is presented. The framework is presented in order to help readers understand the plot of this study. In conclusion, what is presented in this chapter is the logical truth of this study.

A. THEORETICAL REVIEW

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1. Previous Studies on Students’ Lived Experience

Previous studies of students’ lived experience are put first to highlight the

context in which this research is placed. This starts by presenting the results of the studies conducted in other countries and by presenting the results of the studies conducted in Indonesia, specifically in Jogjakarta. These are presented in order to discuss what have been found in similar researches and to give a general overview of what this research can contribute. The studies mostly reveal empirical meaning about the use of multimedia in any types and how the media has created meaning to students’ life. Meanwhile, one of the studies has revealed a little about transcendent meaning. The previous studies have provided context of this research; that this research is trying to dig much deeper empirical and transcendent meaning to provide more complete understanding. It is also especially because transcendent meaning is not fully addressed by the previous studies.

There are some reports about students’ lived experience in learning with the aid of multimedia. One of those reports is the study on students’ lived experience of blog-assisted learning. One of the participants mentions that “This is very convenient because I don’t need to worry about forgetting to bring the material or rushing to school to hand in the assignments to the office” (Lin, Lin, &

Groom: 2013). It is an advantage that students can take. She feels that it makes learning easier without having too worried about being late. Another participant also thinks that it is beneficial. She says, “Blogs are convenient because I can

access material or review your (referring to the teacher) notes any time I like”

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to go back and carefully read the materials which she still does not understand. She is also able to read it many times.

Meanwhile, there are also some things which are less convenient. The most inconvenient thing is when other readers read their blog and find grammatical mistakes. A participant tells that what makes her worried is “there

would be more people spotting my grammatical mistakes…They may laugh at

me” (Lin, Lin, &Groom: 2013). Students’ anxiety will likely to make them unable to write freely. They think that whatever they post, they have to make sure that everything is correct. Yet, for other students, they are not afraid of it. It is because they always check everything before they post a writing composition.

Students’ understanding about the materials and also their motivation and

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“I think that the student interactions were very important – the initial meeting, the icebreaker the bird camp – it allowed us to actively form this community of learners. We got into a collegial, non-competitive learning environment where it wasn’t about who has the best grade, it’s about look we all gotta succeed.” (Jacobs)

For this participant, establishing good learning environment is desirable. He would like to cooperate with others to achieve success. The same thing is mentioned by another participant named Chad. Liu (2008) mentions that he says, “I didn’t, I didn’t like it (the distance education course) as much as a traditional class because I really didn’t … I didn’t talk to (my classmates), I don’t know, I

didn’t even talk to the teacher.” Instead of helping students, he feels that it is

burdensome. It is because he feels isolated from his friends. This study by Liu (2008) has revealed a few about transcendent meaning. The use of computers in distant learning has influenced not only the learning process but also something which is more than it. The feeling of not being able to talk with somebody has caused discomfort and loneliness.

In relation with empirical and transcendent meaning that this study is going to seek, the study conducted by Lin, Lin & Groom (2013) has revealed empirical meaning which is about how technology makes writing and reviewing lesson much easier. It has not revealed the transcendent meaning yet. On the other hand, the one conducted by Liu (2008) has revealed some information about something which is not directly observable, which is the feeling that having good grade is not always at the top of learners’ priority list. It is about the learners’

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In local context, there are some studies about lived experience, two of which have highlighted the importance of learning media. The first studywas conducted by Satesti (2010) who mentioned that the learning media which were provided in Self-Access Centre (SAC) created enjoyable learning atmosphere. Students could control their own learning process. The learning media also enabled them to practice listening that they were able to improve their listening skill. The second study was conducted by Setyawan (2013) who examined the teacher’s lived experience in teaching hearing impaired students. The text

obtained from the interview showed that the teacher did some efforts in order to adjust the materials because there were not any materials which specifically develop to teach hearing impaired students. She also mentioned that learning medium was really needed for the sake of visualization of the objects that she was talking about to help students learn more easily.

Meanwhile, there are two studies which have been conducted before this study. The first one was classroom action research conducted by Sastrikirana & Hanardi (2014). The results showed that the mean before students learned using IPALL was 55.5. After the students learned using IPALL the mean of the scores was 84.21, so the improvement was significant. Another study was conducted by Hanardi (2015). She conducted a quasi experiment research. She used the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test and the results showed that P < 0.05, so it is significant.

2. Meaning

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of the texts about participants’ lived experience. It aims to gain insights about

what meaning a certain phenomenon, which is vocabulary learning using Interactive PowerPoint Application for Language Learning, has brought to students’ life. The concept of meaning is proposed by Ferdinand de Saussure through the explanation of a famous concept of the signifier and the signified. Saussure as quoted in Hall (2003: p. 31) as written in Marleku (n.d)states, “…a sign as being composed by a signifier – the form which sign takes – and the signified– the idea or the concept it represents.” A sign always has an idea that it refers to. The meaning of the sign is something which is constructed. Therefore, it is not suddenly there.

Meaning exists because people construct it. It is the concept which is proposed by Hall (2003) as quoted in Marleku (2011) which states, “This is a

matter of invention/creation: there is no meaning that we simply can ‘find’

somewhere.” Meanwhile, in relation with meaning of lived experienced, Derksen (1983: p.165) attempts to tell that Gadamer defines meaning as “…the meaning of

the statement, as referring to the ‘unsaid’.” The ‘unsaid’ meaning is what is

needed to be dug deeper as it is infinite or limitless depending on how people perceive the phenomenon when it shows itself. Dilthey as quoted in Palmer (1969: p.119) states, “…what words point out and the expression that is behind the

words. Meaning is historical, it changed over time…” A word such as the word ‘vocabulary’ has already had the concept it represents, but behind it there is something more than the word itself.

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fore-sight, and fore-conception, forms for any project the horizon in terms of which something can be understood as something.” How something is perceived as

something really depends on the participants. It is also similar with what Wiersma (1995) has highlighted, “The phenomenological approach emphasizes that the meaning of reality is, in essence, in the “eyes and minds of the beholders.”

Laverty (2003), attempts to explain what it means by horizon by stating, “A

‘horizon’ is a range of vision that includes everything seen from particular vantage point.” Everybody has his or her own way of thinking and that is the

vantage point which enables me to achieve the sense of understanding based on their point of view. This vantage point is specific only to the person and it is not the same with the others who have experienced the same thing.

a. Empirical Meaning

Based on what Saussure mentions as quoted in Hall (2003: p. 31) a signifier must have something that it represents which is called as the signified. Just like the word‘cat’ signifies a four-legged mammal which has fur of different colour and two ears, the words ‘vocabulary learning’ signify learning word

meaning and other aspects involved. The aspects will be discussed further in the sixth part of the theoretical review section. McLeod (2008) states that empiric means ‘a method of inquiry that used careful observation and experiments to gather facts and evidence.’ It comes from empiricism (founded by John Locke)

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Based on the definition of empiric and empiricism, empirical meaning in this research refers to meaning that vocabulary learning using IPALL has brought to students’ life which can be seen through observation. Observation enables

researcher to use senses; to see and to hear things that happen in the classroom and jot them down in observational sheet. By seeing, the researcher can notice things which may be related to meaning which is being constructed in students’

life. By hearing, the researcher knows how students react through vocabulary learning by listening to what they say to their friends or to their teachers. It is important because certain reaction can be the empirical meaning itself which is related to their previous horizon constructed by their awareness, beliefs, intention, feeling, and action. More explanation about these aspects is presented in the sixth part of the theoretical review. Meanwhile, more explanation about observation is presented in chapter three.

b. Transcendent Meaning

Transcendent meaning is also sought in this research. Thus, it is necessary to know what it actually is. Maslow has proposed a definition of being transcendent. Maslow (1979) as quoted in Fernando (2002) states,

Transcenders are those who transcend, who live more at the level of being...who are more inclined to have had peak experiences, which are experiences of ecstasy, rapture, bliss, the greatest joy, awe, mystery, humility, surrender and the happiest moments in life.

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transcendence of one’s past. It is about understanding ourselves for everything

that we have done. If we feel that what we have done is wrong then, we need to forgive ourselves. “It means the transcendence of remorse, regret, guilt, shame,

embarrassment, and the like.” (Maslow, 1979: p.261) The second type of transcendence is it is as mystical experience. It is “Mystic fusion, either with another personor with the whole cosmos or with anything in between.” (Maslow, 1979: p.261) It is the sense of belonging with the universe and all the people in it. It is the feeling of connectedness to a bigger world; that we are a part of a bigger thing. The third typeof transcendence is love. It can be the love “for one’s child, or for one’s beloved friend. This means ‘unselfish’...this can also be phrased as

the more and more inclusive self.” (Maslow, 1979: p.262) The last type of

transcendence which is also stated by Maslow (1979: p. 264) is “the word transcend also means ‘surpass’ in the sense simply of being able to do more than one thought one could do, or more than one had in the past.”

Meanwhile, a study conducted by Levin & Steele (2005) mention transcendent experienceas ‘difficult to describe’. It is difficult to describe as it is very personal. The ones who do not experience it may not understand. It has some elements which make it be called transcendent experience. Levin & Steele (2005) mention, “...the element of this experience is the perception of merging or identification with the source of being – whether known as God, Higher Self or the Absolute or Eternal.”Further, they mention the key feature to transcendence.

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By considering the definition and explanation aforementioned, transcendent meaning in this study is meaning which cannot be seen by our senses as it involves ecstasy which comes from unusual experience such as experiencing God’s work or feeling connection with the whole universe. In relation with this

research, it is a certain moment in the middle of vocabulary learning process in which they experience the beyond-human-understanding experience. It is about what goes beyond vocabulary learning using IPALL itself.

3. Roles of Computers in CALL

One kind of learning media commonly available at schools is computers. It is one of the most common forms of media. In daily life actually, it is not the only kind of media which can be found. Other kinds of media such as smart phones also exist. Yet, in this research, the kind of media being discussed is IPALL which is developed by B.B.Dwijatmoko. Prensky’s (2001) as quoted in Gregory (2009) argues that “Our students have changed radically. Today’s

students are no longer the people our educational system was designed to teach. They have spent more hours playing video games and surfing the internet than reading books.” The argument shows that students’ life is very close to

technology. They are accustomed in operating any forms of technology or gadgets. Integrating such technology may help teachers create more engaging learning environment.

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hyperlinks to other, explanatory texts.” (1999: p. 189) The use of technology, in this research it refers to IPALL, has created another type of interaction. It is called as students and media interaction. The term ‘interactive’ in IPALL acronyms is

specific. It does not refer to students and students or students and teachers interaction but it is like what Reeves and Herdberg (2003) states, “…learners

interact to process, tasks to accomplish, and a problem to solve…an interactive

learning system requires a digital device equipped with a microprocessor (e.g., a computer) and at least one human being (a learner).” The term interactive is special because it is not related with communication carried out by two or more people. In relation with the use of technology in the classroom, Bouhnik and Marcus (2006) suggest that “In parallel to the efforts to exploit modern technology...there is a need to make sure that the technology itself will remain transparent and will not create a psychological or functional barrier.” If it does, it will cause discomfort because students tend to be isolated from both their classmates and teachers. The role of computer in CALL refers to types of its role in the classroom. It is about how computers are utilized in teaching and learning process. There are some ways to use them which classify the role of computers. Computers can serve some roles. Taylor (1980) in Paul (1999) as quoted in Ramanair and Sagat (2007) mention that computer can be used as a tutor and as a tool. The roles are quite distinctive. It depends on how computers are used in the classrooms. Those roles are explained as follows.

a. Computer as a Tutor

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(2000) as quoted in Ramanair and Sagat (2007) mention, “As a tutor, computer

technology is utilized as a system that presents the subject to which the learners will respond and provides a learning environment which is controlled.” It provides step by step information as guidance for students. What students have to do is stated there and they have to accomplish the given tasks. The given tasks for example, how they are able to design worksheets using Microsoft Word (Ramanair and Sagat, 2007). Computer as a tutor is usually found in distant learning class like what Liu (2008) has mentioned in her study because the teachers are not present in the classroom.

The Interactive PowerPoint Application for Language Learning (IPALL) also plays this role as it contains instructions and exercises students have to do. They need to really pay attention to the instructions in order to be able to operate the software. The difference is however, the school in which this study is conducted is not a distant learning class. IPALL is used whenever there is a need to focus on vocabulary learning. It does not replace the teachers’ role in teaching

vocabulary. The teachers are still in the classroom giving necessary assistance in case students find difficulties.

b. Computer as a Mediated Tool

Computers function as a mediated tool when it enables students to do the required activities. Chen et al. (2000: p.185) as quoted in Ramanair and Sagat (2007) it is when “…the computer is exploited to support or facilitate a variety of

instructional activities.” The example of this is when students need to present data

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Microsoft Excel there is an option in a toolbar to create line charts which is able to make the data clearer. It will also be the same when students need to do other things. For example, when they have to do presentation, they have to know how to insert animation to support the content in order to engage the audience. Fisher (2003) defines PowerPoint as “a type of presentation software that allows one to

show coloured text and images with simple animation and sound.” It is specially created software which can really support the presentation activities. Such computer software is basically utilized according to what instructional activities the students need to do. In other words, computer software is utilized based on its function. Leffa as written in Marriott and Torres (2009) mentions, “…as a mediating tool, standing between subject (usually the student) and object (usually the content to be learned).” It is due to her argument that the emphasis should not

be neither on teachers nor students. It is better if it is used as a link or a bridge. When it functions as a link then, it can be used in a certain way that helps students understand the content through practice. It will also help connect students with teachers, for example, in online learning environment.

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in this research is on matching and multiple choice exercises. Even though the explanation has been stated in IPALL, teachers still repeat the instructions in order to avoid confusion in the process of doing IPALL matching and multiple choice. Prensky’s (2001) as quoted in Gregory (2009) argues that “Our students have changed radically. Today’s students areno longer the people our educational system was designed to teach. They have spent more hours playing video games and surfing the internet than reading books.” The argument shows that students’

life is very close to technology. They are accustomed in operating any forms of technology or gadgets.

4. Interactive PowerPoint Application for Language Learning (IPALL)

IPALL is a PowerPoint application, but which is specifically designed to facilitate some types of exercises. Dwijatmoko (2015, in print) defines it as, “A set of PowerPoint templates which are developed to help teachers construct 5 (five) kinds of objective test or exercise: multiple choice, completion, cloze-test, matching, and true false.” Teachers can give those types of exercises at any time when it is necessary. They are the ones who have to upload the questions and answers. Meanwhile, students are not responsible for that. They have to just open the application and do the exercises. There are two types of exercises which are mostly used at school; Interactive PowerPoint Application for Language Learning Matching (IPALL Matching) and Multiple Choice (IPALL Multiple Choice). a. Features of IPALL Matching

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states, “the encrypt button is used to convert the readable questions and answers

into an encrypted (unreadable) text.” It is important in order to prevent students from cheating. Not all students have tendency to cheat, but once they find the chance to do it then, it is possible for them to cheat. Meanwhile, the decrypt button has a function contrary to encrypt button. It makes the unreadable text readable.

Then, the next important feature is the separator box. IPALL matching has separate boxes one of which is for the questions and the other is for the answers. “The separator box is used to set the character to separate the answer from the

question in the exercise slide.” (Dwijatmoko, 2015, in print) Whatever questions or answers the students click, it will be displayed first before it disappears. It disappears whenever students select the right match of question and answer.

b. Features of IPALL Multiple Choice

IPALL Multiple Choice has more features than IPALL Matching. Not all features are mentioned here, but this part will explain some features which are operated manually. First, there is a feature named a correct textbox. Before writing the next question it is important to “set the correct answer key” (Dwijatmoko, 2015: in print). It is to enable the display of the correct answer when students have clicked the correct answers. The second feature is a set of five clue text boxes. It can be used whenever there is a need to help students choose the answer by giving related clues.

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confirmed and thus, it is not recorded and it affects their score. The instruction not to forget clicking the button is stated in the IPALL. However, reminding students to always be careful and not to forget to click the button every time they work using IPALL is suggested. The last feature is navigation arrows. Dwijatmoko (2015: in print) mentions that it functions “to move to the next or the previous question.” Having navigation arrows is important as it enables the users to go to the previous or the next pages. It also enables students to easily move to the next pages. They will not get confused because the navigation arrows that they need are already there. They will not go to the wrong pages.

IPALL is accessible both at school and at home. At school, the teachers usually save the IPALL files in the computer in the language laboratory and they can also upload the files in a website calledELTgallery. It enables the students to access the files from home or some other places which have internet connection. IPALL is equipped with feedback box feature. However, IPALL does not exactly explain the reason why certain answers are right or wrong. Thus, students need to discuss the exercises with the teachers at school. The term ‘interactive’ in this research is more specific. It is not about students and students or students and teachers interaction but it is like what Reeves and Herdberg (2003) states, “…learners interact to process, tasks to accomplish, and a problem to solve…an

interactive learning system requires a digital device equipped with a microprocessor (e.g., a computer) and at least one human being (a learner).” In

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and media interaction. The following pictures are the examples of IPALL exercises.

Question 2

Emmy got 100 and Mia got 60 in the final test. Emmy is really____than Mia.

A. more intelligent B. more smarter

C. intelligent D. smartest

Excellent! Your answer is correct.

Score: 7.4

A

Answer: A

Picture 2.1. An Example of IPALL Multiple Choice Exercise

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5. Vocabulary Learning

Theories about vocabulary learning are presented because this research itself is related to vocabulary learning. It is important to understand the nature and the types of vocabulary learning which are commonly used in the classrooms. It is to highlight the importance of vocabulary learning as a part of English learning because “a large vocabulary is an asset to readers....” (Harmon & Wood: 2008). The theories about vocabulary will later be connected to how IPALL can facilitate vocabulary learning both in the classrooms and outside classrooms. In other words, it will relate to what IPALL as a learning medium can offer to students.

a. Nature of Vocabulary Learning

Vocabulary has been a part of English learning. Vocabulary is defined as “all the words in a particular language” (Wehmeier, et al.,2005:1707 as quoted in Cahyono & Widiati: 2008). To be able to read, write, listen, and speak in English, students need to know sufficient amount of English vocabulary. It is because vocabulary is essential for students in order to be able to develop their skills in English which can facilitate communication. It is what Cahyono &Widiati (2008) emphasize that “...increasing vocabulary provides the basis for developing students’ ability in communicating.”The more vocabulary that students know, the easier it is for them to communicate.

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We have all had the experience of being able to recognize and understand a word when we see it in a text or hear it in a conversation, but not being able to use it ourselves. This common situation shows that there are different degrees of knowing a word. Being able to understand a word is known as receptive knowledgeand is normally connected with listening and reading. If we are able to produce a word of our own accord when speaking or writing, then that is consideredproductive knowledge(passive/activeare alternative terms).

The experience shows that vocabulary learning takes time. It develops gradually and it sometimes begins with receptive knowledge. As it goes on, learners’

productive skills also develop that they are finally able to use it to communicate meaning both in spoken or written form.

b. Types of Vocabulary Learning

There are ways of learning vocabulary. The ones commonly known are incidental, intentional, direct, and indirect vocabulary learning. Hunt and Beglar (1998) as quoted Richards and Renandya (2002: p.259) mention, “In the long run,

most words in both first and second languages are probably learned incidentally, through extensive reading and listening.” It refers to vocabulary learning in which

new words are found in the reading text or listening passage. As unfamiliar words appear, students may want to know what those words mean. When they try to find the meaning, it is when they learn vocabulary incidentally. Incidental vocabulary learning, in other words, is when students do not plan to learn new vocabulary, yet they do it because it appears in the texts that they read or listen to. Hunt and Beglar (1998) as quoted Richards and Renandya (2002: p.261) further mention that “…intentional learning through instruction also significantly contributes to

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vocabulary. Hulstijn (2006) as quoted in Alemi and Tayebi (2011) states, “Intentional learning refers to the learning mode in which participants are

informed, prior to their engagement in a learning task, that they will be tested afterward on their retention of a particular type of information.”

Further Hulstijn (2006) mentions, “incidental learning refers to the mode

in which participants are not forewarned of an upcoming retention test for a particular type of information.” Intentional learning is when students are told that

they have to learn vocabulary as it is an important of learning process and which will later be assessed. Meanwhile, Ahmad (2012) argues that “… intentional vocabulary learning based on synonyms, antonyms, word substitution, multiple choice, scrambled words and crossword puzzles, regardless of context, is not so effective, because learners are more prone to rote learning.” It is sometimes

necessary to give such exercises. It is because it is “...essential for beginning students whose lack vocabulary limit their reading ability.” (Cahyono & Widiati:

2008). Yet, students have to be made accustomed to more than rote learning; that they need to know more than just vocabulary itself. Knowing vocabulary only will not help them much in understanding how those are used in sentences or contexts. Harmer (2007) proposes the importance of learning vocabulary very well. He states,

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There are also other types of vocabulary learning, those are direct and indirect vocabulary learning. Those learning types are almost similar to the idea proposed by Hunt and Beglar (1998) as quoted in Richards and Renandya (2002). The idea is proposed by Nation (1990) who states the reason why indirect vocabulary learning needs to be emphasized and why it is more important than the other type of vocabulary learning.

Opportunities for indirect vocabulary learning should occupy much more time in a language learning course than direct vocabulary learning activities. This is just in fact another way of saying that contact with language in use should be given more time than decontextualized activities. (Nation: 1990, p.3).

It is good to have direct vocabulary learning as students have a chance to recall the meaning of the vocabulary. They may also relate it with the word meaning in their language. It will also be more helpful when pictures are provided during the game. Yet, it is discouraged to learn through this way all the time. When vocabulary is not put in context, students will never learn how to use the words. Thus, indirect vocabulary learning should also be facilitated. It gives students a chance to learn to use the vocabulary in real context. It is important as vocabulary learning should not be isolated from context in which the words are usually used. Further, Nation (1990: p.31) states, “…This includes being able to

distinguish it from words with a similar form and being able to judge if the word form sounds right or looks right.” So, it is also about students’ understanding that

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able to know that a word is written correctly or incorrectly. It is about how the word looks like and also about how the word is like when it is pronounced.

Still according to Nation (1990), it is also the knowledge about whether a word is a singular noun or plural noun. It is related to knowing about the word forms. Yet, sometimes they do not know that it is the plural form of ‘child’ that they tend to add –s so that it becomes ‘childrens’. If they do this, it means their receptive knowledge has not been fully developed yet. Further, according Nation as quoted in Richards & Renandya (2002: p. 271) also suggests that guessing from context should be encouraged. It is because students are likely to remember the usage of certain words longer than when they only rely on a single definition of those words. For instance, students know what the word ‘children’ mean. Carter

and Nunan (2001) also highlights similar thing that it is not enough only to memorize.

There is now a general measure of agreement that ‘knowing’ a word involves knowing: its spoken and written context of use; its patterns with word of related meaning as well as with its collocational partners; its syntactic, pragmatic and discoursal patterns (Carter & Nunan: 2001: p.43).

Meaning of vocabulary learning to students using interactive powerpoint application for language learning.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Question 2

A