THE CONTRIBUTION OF PORTOFOLIO ASSESSMENT TOWARD STUDENTS’ WRITING ABILITY OF THE SECOND YEAR AT SMA BABUSSALAM
PEKANBARU
Diyah Ayu Rizqiani(1),Ari Budi Setiadi(2),
1)Dosen FKIP Universitas Islam Riau 2)Alumni FKIP Universitas Islam Riau
ABSTRAK
Portofolio adalah sekumpulan hasil kerja siswa, observasi guru, dan evaluasi diri siswa yang bertujuan untuk menunjukan kemajuan kemampuan siswa dengan kriteria tertentu. Tujuan menggunakan portofolio dalam proses pembelajaran adalah meningkatkan kemampuan menulis siswa. Dalam penelitian ini penulis tertarik untuk mengadakan penelitian tentang portofolio karena portofolio telah dikenal sebagai alat untuk mengetahui kemampuan menulis siswa. Penelitian ini dilakukan menggunakan metode penelitian time series pada bulan Juli hingga September 2012. Populasi penelitian adalah siswa kelas 2 SMA Babussalam Pekanbaru. Mereka adalah 33 siswa kelas IPA 2. Pre test and post test diberikan selama 4 kali berturut-turut. Peneliti mengambil 5 aspek dalam writing yaitu grammar (20%), vocabulary (20%), mechanic (20%), content (20%), dan organization (20%). Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa t-observedadalah 10 dan t-tableon degree of freedom (df) 32 at α = .0,5
di level yang signifikan terhadap dua tes sebelumnya adalah 2.021. Maka dari itu Null hipotesis ditolak dan hipotesis alternatif diterima. Selanjutnya hasil kerja siswa menunjukan adanya peningkatan antara pre test and post test. Maka dari itu penelitian ini berkesimpulan bahwa portfolio memberikan pengaruh positif dalam meningkatkan kemampuan menulis siswa SMA Babussalam Pekanbaru.
Kata Kunci: Portofolio, Kemampuan menulis siswa.
INTRODUCTION
Assessment is one of the major components in teaching and learning process. As a measurement of students’ performance, an assessment method must examine students’ collective abilities. In the last few years, the method of assessment changes from traditional to alternative assessment. Traditional assessment is considered not to be able to offer much feedback and authenticity. It tends to show only one-shot performances that timed. In other words, traditional assessment can not measure students’ ability and improve students’ ability especially in writing.
Portfolio can benefit students’ writing ability. It can be a useful tool for assessing students’ writing; it can be helpful for improving student’s writing ability. Moreover, it can increase students’ motivation and participation in the writing process. Hence, writing portfolio is beneficial for students who need writing, attitudes, and motivation improvement. It has been observed that students can write long compositions.
good product. For instance, they do not know how to construct a sentence grammatically; they do not know the spelling or how to use the punctuation; or they may lack vocabulary. Thus, they may first write a draft in their mother tongue and then translate it into English. Because of translation, the students’ writing contained many mistakes, both in terms of forms and meanings. Moreover, the teacher in assess the students’ exercise still uses conventional way. The teacher only focuses on students weaknesses. It can make the students loose their motivation to study. We need to find ways to help them develop their accuracy in their writing such as a composition with correct grammatical structures, spelling and punctuation, clear content and good paragraphing or organization; also, to motivate them to participate in the writing process.
The concept of portfolio assessment is not new. Portfolios originated with artists’ collections of their works and have long been used to demonstrate competencies. In respond to the need for alternative and more authentic assessment practices, portfolios have become common alternative to the traditional assessment methods (Mayer and Tusin, 1999) based on the constructive theories, which advocate that learning has to be constructed by the learners themselves, rather than being impacted by the teachers, portfolio assessment requires students to provide selected evidence to show that learning relevant to the course objectives has taken place. They also have to justify selected portfolio items with reference to the course objectives (Steffe and Gale, 1995).
They maintain that the value of portfolios is in the assessment of student achievement. They are particularly useful in this respect because they provide a continuous record of students' language development that can be shared with others. Genesee and Upshur clearly state that reviewing portfolio can increase the
students' involvement in and ownership of their own learning. The positive effects of portfolios student learning arise from the opportunities afforded by students to become actively involved in assessment and learning.
Portfolios are actually composed of two major components, the process and theproduct. To derive the greatest benefit from the use of portfolios, it is imperative to fully understand the relationship between the developmental process and the product (Sharifi and Hassaskhah, 2011).
The portfolio is the actual collection of work that results from going through the development process. The development process is at the heart of successful portfolio use. Although this process may be a new experience for students and initially a time-consuming one for their teachers, most find it well worth the time and effort. The developmental process of portfolio transforms instruction and assessment (Danielson & Abrutyn, 1997 in Mayasari (2011).
The portfolio development process consists of four basic steps: collection, selection, reflection and projection. The first step in the portfolio development process is the collection of various pieces of students’ works. Collection is the primary activity in creating a working portfolio. When using the assessment or evaluation portfolio, it is imperative that all writing assignments go into the working portfolio for evaluation at the end of the school term.
objectives are stated and the clearer the guidelines for evaluating student work, the more focused the criteria for portfolio selection can be.
The third phase of the portfolio development process is the reflection phrase. The reflection phase is a distinct stage in which students articulate (usually in writing) their thinking about each item in their portfolio. Through the process of reflection, students become aware of themselves as learners (Danielson & Abrutyn, 1997 in Mayasari (2011).
The final stage of the portfolio development process is projection. Projection is defined as looking ahead and setting goals for the future. At this stage, the students have the opportunity to look at their work as a whole and make their own evaluation and judgment.
This research used time series design that focusing on quantitative approach, it is intended to answer this research question: Is there any significant positive effect of portfolio assessment toward students writing ability of the second year students at SMA Babussalam Pekanbaru?. The aim of this research conducted to find out the significant positive effect of portfolio assessment toward students writing ability of the second year students at SMA Babussalam Pekanbaru. This research consists of two variables, they are: the role of portfolio assessment as independent variable and students’ writing ability dependent variable. The population of this research was the second year students at SMA Babussalam Pekanbaru. There are three classes. They are XI Science1, XI Science 2, and XI Social. The number of the students is 99 students. In this study, the writer took a sample by using cluster sampling. The writer named cards based on every single class of first year students at SMA Babussalam Pekanbaru. The writer took a card. The card is XI Science1 as a sample of the research.
The research instrument for this study is documentation about the
implementation of portfolio assessment at SMA Babussalam Pekanbaru. In this case, the documentation was taken by students’ writing portfolios which consist of two texts, they were: report text and analytical exposition. Those materials were taken based on syllabus in XI grade of the second semester.
To get the description of the total score of the aspects of writing by the students, the writer uses the following formula:
Grammar
4. Structure errors (if available), and relative few errors.
3. Some structure errors of words undisturbed of understanding. 2. Structure errors of words order
still often happen caused difficulties for the reader in understanding the text.
1. Structure of words error in written text very clear and the text in difficult to understand.
Vocabulary
4. Vocabulary or idiom used accurately.
3. The term used sometimes is not accurately yet, but the expression of ideas have accurate.
2. Limitation of vocabulary often happens and expression of ideas is obstacle.
1. Limitation vocabulary and inaccurate used very clear and the text is difficult to understand.
Mechanics
4. Using Punctuations are relatively few errors
3. Using punctuations errors still often happen but undisturbed understanding the reader.
2. Using punctuations often happen and appear unclear. 1. Using punctuations very clear
and the text is difficult to understand.
Fluency (Coherence and Cohesion)
4. Choosing structure and vocabulary very suitable to get near or like what the native author done.
3. Choosing structure and vocabulary often inconsistent in spite of undisturbed understanding of the text. 2. Choosing and using of
structure with vocabulary inaccurate and the reader difficult to understand the text. 1. Choosing and using of
structure with vocabulary very inaccurate, and the text is very difficult to understand.
Form (Organization)
4. Ideas are very organized; well develop like the native educated author.
3. Ideas and material wrote organized well, related each idea is clear but the readers often need reread the text.
2. Ideas unorganized well, but the reader still get some related each ideas.
1. Ideas unorganized and the reader is difficult to understand the text.
Adopted from Hughes in
Nessia (2010)
To get the description of the total score of those aspects of writing, the writer uses the following formula:
TS= G + V + M + F + O
(Hatch and Farhady,1982)
TS: Total Score G: Grammar V: Vocabulary M: Mechanics F: Fluency O: Organization
If the value of t-calculated was less than the value of t-table, the null hypothesis was accepted. On the other hand, if the value of t-calculated was the same or more than the value of t-table, the null hypothesis was rejected.
Table 1. Interpretation of students’ score in term of the level of ability
No Test Score Level of Ability
1 80-100 Good to Excellent
2 60-79 Average to Good
3 50-59 Bad to Good
4 0-49 Poor
DISCUSSION
The data analysis technique was analyzed to see whether the mean different is significant. As the result of computing, it was found that t-calculated was 10 while t-table with degree of freedom at .05 level of significant was 2.021. In other word that t-calculated bigger than t-table. Based on
the data above, the effect of portfolio assessment is accepted.
Since, t-calculated (10) are higher than t-table (2.021) with 32 degree of freedom and at the hypothesis there is significant positive effect of portfolio assessment in teaching writing. This mean that H1 (alternative hypothesis) is accepted while H0 (null hypothesis) is rejected.
Table 2. Total Students’ Score During Research
No Meeting G V M F O Total Score Mean
1 First 86 78 80 70 59 1865 56,5
2 Second 89 79 82 70 60 1900 57,6
3 Third 93 78 84 69 58 1910 57,9
4 Fourth 94 81 82 68 61 1930 58,5
5 Fifth 108 97 88 76 71 2210 67
6 Sixth 112 99 100 88 77 2380 72,1
7 Seventh 113 100 104 84 82 2410 73 8 Eighth 117 104 109 87 85 2505 76
From Table 2, we can concluded that students’ score is increase over the period. The students’ growth over time is also shown through the following diagram.
As shown in the diagram above, there was a gradual improvement from the mean score of 56,5 to 58,5 before they received the treatment. The improvement turned out to be significant by the time they received treatment, moving from the mean score of 67 on the first posttest to 76 on the last one.
As a result of the data analysis run above, There is positive effect of portfolio assessment on students writing ability.
The data interpretation of implementation portfolio assessment in teaching writing for five indicators were grammar, vocabulary, mechanic, fluency and organization become increase if we compare before using portfolio assessment. Where is the result of post-test is higher than pre-test. It could be interpreted that implementation of portfolio assessment in teaching learning process could be accepted by the students.
From the data analysis, the writer found out that total means of writing ability of students in pre-test was 56. Then the writer gave treatment to the students by applying portfolio assessment. To know the result of treatment, the writer gave post-test trough composition test in which students might choose the topic given. The writer found out the mean score of post-test was 76. It could be seen that the mean increase made by the students from pre-test and post-pre-test is 20%. This evidence indicates that teaching writing by using portfolio assessment is successful. It gives positive effect to the students’ writing ability. Students are better in writing.
Moreover, based on the calculation of standard deviation of pre-test it was found that score was 6,5 and post-test was 7,3, then the writer use t-test to know the increase of students’ writing ability. It was found that the value of test was 10 and t-table is 2.021in degree freedom (df 31) at
0.05 level. It means that t-test is greater than t-table (10>2.0395) in alpha decision level @0.05. Consequently, the null hypothesis is rejected; in short, there is significant positive effect of using portfolio assessment Toward students’ Writing ability at SMA Babussalam Pekanbaru.
CONCLUSION
Based on the analysis of data in the previous chapter, the result of research can be concluded as follows:
1. The value of tobserved was greater than
value ttable. So the null hypothesis was
rejected. It can be presented where tobserved = 10 and ttable = 2.021. it means
that there is significant positive effect of portfolio assessment toward students’ writing ability at SMA Babussalam Pekanbaru.
2. The effect of portfolio assessment was able to make students increase their writing ability, most of students felt happy when they got correction from the teacher. Portfolio assessment made the students interested learned English. 3. The result of data shows that the
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