S ING 1104789 Chapter1

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Sonia Destrie Pratidina, 2016

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PEER ASSESSMENTAS A METHOD IN ASSESSING STUDENTS’ D ESCRIPTIVE TEXT

Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

This introductory part of the paper presents background of the study, research

questions, purposes of the study, the scope of the study, the significance of the

study, clarification of terms, and the organization of the paper. The discussion of

the points above is elaborated in the following sections.

1.1 Background of the Study

Traditionally, teachers conduct tests with some criteria and standards at the end of

the semester to measure students’ skills. Then, the result of the measurement will become students’ grades. However, many educators affirm that traditional

measures fail to assess significant learning outcomes and undermine curriculum,

instruction, and policy decisions (Dietel et al., 1991). Brown (2001) also reserves

that traditional assessment is not effective in measuring students’ language ability

since students only have few opportunities in showing their knowledge of the

lesson. Writing is one of the substantial skills which occurs to be assessed in

traditional way. Basically, the teacher only administers the task, which is making

some written texts, to the students. In fact, one of the standard competencies for

senior high school students in the first grade is understanding the meaning of short

functional text in the form of descriptive in the context of daily life. The students

have the urge to perform their abilities in writing by making descriptive text.

Then, the teacher assesses it based on some criteria which have been arranged.

Regardless, as O’Malley & Pierce (1996) asserts, writing assessment can be used effectively if the instruction and the criteria for scoring are clear. It makes the

students able to see the relationship between what they have written and the

scores they have received. Thus, teachers need alternatives in evaluating the

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Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia | repository.upi.edu | perpustakaan.upi.edu

Peer assessment is one of alternative forms as an evaluation method which

can increase student-students and student-teacher interaction and can be used to

enhance learners’ understanding about other students’ ideas during the learning experience (Butler et al., 2001).It underlines the importance of involving students

into assessment procedure. The practice of peer-assessment in the classroom has

been influenced by major learning theories such as autonomous learning, intrinsic

motivation, cooperative learning, learner-centred, and collaborative learning.

Those theoretical principles are underpinning and considering cooperative

learning as an extra asset of peer assessment (Brown & Hudson, 1998). As Boyle

and Nicol (2003) also argue that peer assessment brings some beneficial values;

improving student motivation, helping to develop a better understanding,

encouraging in-depth learning, controllingthe autonomy of the process of

learning, treating assessment as part of the learning process, and increasing the

made them confidence and could enhancetheirknowledge. Reviews of the

previous research also reveal that peer assessment is able to develop students’

skills such as critical reflection in assessing others. Students can learn from

reflecting on and justifying what others have done (Liu & Carless, 2006). Thus,

the implementation of peer assessment in the classroom is consideredasa very

valuable experience for students.

However, the implementation of peer-assessment is relatively a new

phenomenon in Indonesian classroom. Both teachers and students are unfamiliar

with the application of peer-assessment. Both of participants have their own

doubt. The way the teachers implement peer assessment in Indonesian classroom

setting is questioned. Meanwhile, as well as teachers, students also have similar

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adequately. Thus, the issue of the implementation of peer assessment as a method

in assessing students’ descriptive textsis worth being investigated.

In attempt to see whether peer assessment could be implemented in high

school Indonesian learning environment, the implementation of this method was

investigated. Moreover, the investigation dealt with how this method was

implemented in assessing students’ descriptive textand what the students’

perceptions are towards the implementation of peer assessmentas a method in

assessing students’ descriptive text.

1.2 Research Questions

This study is conducted to investigate:

1. in what ways the peer assessment is implemented as a method in assessing

students’ descriptive text?

2. what the students’ perceptions are towards the implementation of peer

assessment as a method in assessing students’ descriptive text?

1.3 Purposes of the Study

Considering the questions formulated above, this study aims at:

1. describingthe implementation of peer assessment as a method in assessing

students’ descriptive text.

2. finding outthe students’ perceptions towards the implementation of peer

assessment as a method in assessing students’ descriptive text.

1.4 Scope of the Study

The study covers two main parts of discussion. First, the study investigates the

implementation of peer assessment as a method in assessing students’ descriptive

text. Second, it investigates students’ perceptions towards the implementation of

peer assessment as a method in assessing students’ descriptive text,whereas the

result of the study cannot be generalized for all levels of learners. The research

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result of the study can still be valuable for researchers who would like to

implement an alternative assessment; peer assessmentas a method in assessing

students’ descriptive text. 1.5 Significance of the Study

The present research can be seen through several significances for theoretical,

practical, and professional perspectives.

1. Theoretical perspective

Theoretically, this study is expected to enrich the literature about the

implementation of peer assessment and students’ perception towards the

implementationof peer assessment as a method in assessing students’

descriptive text. The research which focuses onthe implementation of peer

assessment and the study about students’ perception towards the

implementation of peer assessmentas a method in assessing students’

descriptive text is still lack of number. The previous research which is

assessing the students’ performance and found the appropriate technique for assessing the students’ performances.

3. Professional significance

This study is also expected to contribute to professional development. This

provides the insight of peer assessment as an alternative assessment which

can be used by the teachers in the classroom especially in senior high school.

1.6 Clarification of Terms

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1. Assessment in this study refers toa method used to gather information about

students’ knowledge, ability, understanding, motivation and attitudes towards the lesson in the classroom.

2. Peer assessment in this study refers to the process whereby the students rate

their peers, and it involves various types of activities such as peer feedback

and peer learning.

3. Descriptive Textin this study refers to the product of the students’ writing

which is going to be assessed by using peer assessment.

1.7 Organization of the Paper

The paper of the research will be organized as follows:

Chapter I presents brief introduction to the area of investigation. It consists

of an introduction which provides the information of backgroundof the problems,

the research questions, the purposes of the research, scope of the research,

significance of the research, research design, clarification of terms, and

organization of the paper.

Chapter II elaborates several related theories and literatures related to

definition of peer assessment, types of peer assessment, benefits and limitations of

peer assessment, the procedure of implementing peer assessment, validity and the

reliability of peer assessment, the nature of writing, the aspects of good writing,

assessing writing, descriptive text, and related research reports.

Chapter IIIdiscusses the research methodology which deals with research

design, research site and participants, procedure in collecting the data, and data

analysis.

Chapter IV provides the result of the research and discussion of the research

findings obtained from the exploration of observation, interviews, and

questionnaire.

Chapter Vpresents the overview of all findings, consisting of conclusionand

suggestion for further research.

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This chapter has discussed the background of the study, research questions,

purposes of the study, scope of the study, significance of the study, clarification of

terms, and organization of the paper. The next chapter will elaborate the

theoretical background which related to the research as the foundation in