STUDENT’S LIVED EXPERIENCE ON
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING
THROUGH SELF- ACCESS CENTRE
IN VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
A THESIS
Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Magister Humaniora (M.Hum)
in English Studies
by
CAECILIA LUPPI SATESTI
056332018
THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDIES SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
ii
A THESIS
STUDENT’S LIVED EXPERIENCE ON
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING THROUGH
SELF - ACCESS CENTRE IN VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
by
CAECILIA LUPPI SATESTI 056332018
Approved by
iii A THESIS
STUDENT’S LIVED EXPERIENCE ON
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING THROUGH
SELF- ACCESS CENTRE IN VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
by
CAECILIA LUPPI SATESTI 056332018
Defended before the thesis committee and declared acceptable.
THESIS COMMITTEE
Chairperson : F.X. Mukarto, Ph.D. ___________________
Secretary : Dra. Novita Dewi, M.S., M.A.(Hons), Ph.D. ___________________
Members : 1. Dr. B.B. Dwijatmoko, M.A. ___________________
2. Dr. J. Bismoko ___________________
Yogyakarta, 25 August 2010 The Graduate School Director Sanata Dharma University
iv STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY
This is to certify that all ideas, phrases, and sentences, unless otherwise stated, are ideas, phrases, and sentences of the writer. The writer understands the full consequences
including degree cancellation if she took somebody else‟ ideas, phrases, and sentences
without a proper reference.
Yogyakarta, 1 August 2010
v LEMBAR PERNYATAAN
PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH UNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS
Yang bertanda tangan dibawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma Yogyakarta dengan
Nama : Caecilia Luppi Satesti Nomor Mahasiswa : 056332018
Menyatakan bahwa demi pengembangan Ilmu Pengetahuan memberikan kepada perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma Yogyakarta karya Ilmiah yang berjudul:
“Student’s Lived Experience On English Language Learning Through Self-Access Centre In Vocational High School”
yang saya tulis beserta perangkat terkait yang tersedia.
Dengan demikian kepada perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma Yogyakarta, saya berikan hak dan wewenang untuk menyimpan, mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengolahnya dalam bentuk pangkalan data, mendistribusikan secara terbatas dan mempublikasikan di Internet atau media lain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin dari saya maupun memberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagai penulis.
Demikian pernyataan ini saya buat dengan sesungguhnya.
Dibuat di : Yogyakarta Pada tanggal : 25 Agustus 2010
Yang menyatakan,
vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The greatest Almighty Jesus Christ, my grateful goes to YOU. I believe that everything happens in my life is under your power, your generosity. I am so grateful for all the blessings, inspiration and never-ending guide from nothing to something, prior to, during, and upon completion of this master‟s thesis. Thanks also go to my inspiring father who passed away in the journey of completing my study, his spirit colors my life. I would like to thank to my adviser, Pak Dwi (Dr. B.B. Dwijatmoko, M.A.) for his encouragement, guidance and his constructive feedback in all period of accomplishing this research. My grateful also goes to English Language Studies lecturers for the chance to participate in their classes. Participating in their classes has indeed encouraged me to value the time, networking and to increase insight and knowledge.
Thanks to my family for their supports, understandings, and patience. Specially goes to my husband, Ignatius Didin Hernomo for his encouragement to join the program with all consequences. My beloved sons, Vincentius who helped me to work with the research data in his little vacation and for his motivation and also my second son, Antonius who motivates me to complete my thesis.
I would like to express my gratitude to the headmaster of SMK N 1 Pengasih (Drs. H. Rumawal) who permitted me to have a research at his school and for facilitating my access to the participants.
vii My gratitude also goes to LPMP Yogyakarta, Pemda Kabupaten Kulon Progo and Dinas Pendidikan Kabupaten Kulon Progo for the assistances, encouragements and support given to me throughout the duration of this study.
Finally, special for Rinto and Bonut, thank you for your willingness to be my participants. God Bless You.
Yogyakarta, 1 August 2010
Caecilia Luppi Satesti
viii TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Title Page ……….………...………… i
Approval Page………. ii
Thesis Defense Approval Page……… iii
Statement of Originality……….. iv
Statement of Lisence Agreement ……… v
Acknowledgements ……….……… vi
Table of Contents ………...…. vii
List of Tables ………..… x
C. Problem Delimitation and Limitation ………... 5
D. Problem Formulation ……… 6
E. Research Goals ………. ………... 7
F. Research Benefits ………. 8
II. THEORETICAL REVIEW A Literature Review ………. 10
1. 2. The Characteristics of Vocational High School…….. The Characteristic of Language Learner………. 10 12 3. Autonomy in Language Learning a. Concept of Autonomy……….. 18
b. Autonomy in Language Learning……… 23
4 Self-Access Centre a. Resource Based……….... 29
b. Technology Based………... 30
B. Theoretical Framework……….. 30
III. RESEARCH METHOD A. Research Method ..………..….………. 32
B. Nature of Data …….……….………. 33
C. D. Data Setting and Sources ……….. Data Gathering Instruments and Data Collection ………. 33
B. Findings and Discussion……… 47
ix
B. Recommendation ………... 64
Bibliography……… 65
Appendices
Appendix 1: Interview Data ………. 67
Appendix 2: List of SAC‟s Materials and Devices……….. 81
x LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1 Metacognitive Strategies……….. 27 Table 3.1 Blueprint for Interview Questions on the student‟s
experience on the autonomous language learning in
Self-access centre……… 36
xi LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Major influences on the theory of autonomy in language
learning………... 23
Figure 2. Framework of the research on the autonomous language learning through Self-Access Centre………..
xii CODING SYSTEM
The coding used for the result of the interview as follow: Example : I/R/15/3/10/ SAC-E
I : Interview
R : Rinto (the participant‟s name)
15/03/10 : The date of interview
xiii ABSTRACT
Caecilia Luppi Satesti. 2010. Student‟s Lived Experience on English Language Learning through Self-Access Centre in Vocational High School. Yogyakarta: English Language Studies, Graduate Program, Sanata Dharma University.
Learning English in a non EFL country is not as easy as learning English in an English speaking country. In Vocational School, there are many programs to facilitate the students to improve their performance
This study tried to describe and interpret the Student‟s Lived Experience on English Language Learning through Self-Access Centre in Vocational High School. In this study, the student‟s experience are the centre information to understand how Self-Access Centre contributes to the autonomous language learning in Vocational High
School and how beneficial of student‟s experiences to be a reflection for all school
elements specially for school management to consider the improvement of Self-Access Centre continuously. This research also reveals the student‟s applying their strategies in their learning as the efforts of to be autonomous students in English language learning
It was phenomenological research and the main data were from the participants‟ description about their experience on the autonomous language learning through self-access centre and some interviews to get in-depth data. The participants of this research were two vocational high school students from SMK N 1 Pengasih at the second grade. They were from Multimedia program, and the main reason of the background selection was that they were already familiar and autonomous with the devices available in Self-Access Centre. The description of participants‟ experiences and the interview data were transcribed and thematized according to the components and categories of metacognitive strategies. The data were analyzed in the process of coding. The final step was making the interpretation of the result of analysis.
The result of this study shows that from the student‟s experiences, the Self-Access Centre is important to be managed well in order to support the students in their learning in order to be more autonomous in English language learning. Self-Access Centre is not only a place which provides facilities to have self-directed learning but also a „program‟ where the students develop their language learning. Self –Access Centre means deeper than only a place to learn language, the facilities are provided with certain intention to grow learning awareness among students up. It is also found out that the environment plays an important role on the process of learning, they felt comfortable with the situation and the available resources in Self-Access Centre. It is easy to get the needed materials.
xiv INTISARI
Caecilia Luppi Satesti. 2010. Student‟s Lived Experience on English Language Learning through Self-Access Centre in Vocational High School. Yogyakarta: English Language Studies, Graduate Program, Sanata Dharma University.
Mempelajari bahasa Inggris di sebuah negara dimana bahasa Inggris bukan sebagai bahasa asing atau bahasa kedua yang digunakan di negara tersebut bukanlah hal yang mudah seperti kalau kita belajar bahasa Inggris di negara atau tempat yang memang menggunakan bahasa itu sebagai bahasa pengantar sehari – hari atau sebagai bahasa kedua. Di Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan , ada banyak program yang diselenggarakan untuk memfasilitasi siswa untuk memperbaiki kemampuan berbahasa Inggris mereka.
Penelitian ini mencoba mendeskripsikan dan menginterpretasikan pengalaman hidup siswa dalam pembelajaran bahasa Inggris secara mandiri melalui Self-Access Centre di Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan. Didalam penelitian ini , pengalaman siswa merupakan informasi utama untuk memahami bagaimana SAC memberikan kontribusinya pada pembelajaran bahasa secara mandiri dan juga betapa pentingnya pengalaman siswa sebagai sebuah refleksi bagi seluruh elemen sekolah khususnya manajemen sekolah untuk mempertimbangkan adanya peningkatan SACnya secara terus menerus. Penelitian ini juga mengupas penerapan strategi belajar oleh siswa sebagai bentuk usaha untuk menjadi siswa yang mandiri didalam sistem pembelajaran bahasa yang mandiri pula.
Ini adalah penelitian fenomenal dimana deskripsi mengenai pengalaman hidup dan hasil wawancara dengan partisipan merupakan data utama dari penelitian ini. Partisipan dari penelitian ini adalah dua orang siswa sekolah kejuruan dari SMK N 1 Pengasih di tingkat dua. Mereka adalah siswa dari program studi Multimedia dan latar belakang pemilihan ini didasarkan pada kemampuan mereka dalam bidang penggunaan alat-alat yang tersedia dalam Self-access centre. Data wawancara ditranskrip and ditematisasi menurut komponen dan kategori dalam metacognitive strategy. Data dianalisa dalam proses pengkodean. Langkah terakhir adalah membuat interpretasi dari hasil analisa.
Hasil penelitian ini menggambarkan pengalaman siswa, dan juga informasi betapa pentingnya mengelola SAC secara baik sehingga bisa mensupport siswa menjadi siswa yang mandiri dalam model pembelajaran bahasa secara mandiri . SAC tidak hanya menjadi sebuah tempat yang memfasilitasi belajar siswa akan tetapi juga menjadi
sebuah „program‟ dimana siswa dapat mengembangkan belajar bahasa mereka.
Self_Access Centre mempunyai arti yang lebih daripada hanya sebagai tempat belajar, semua fasilitas yang ada disediakan dengan maksud tertentu yaitu untuk menumbuhkan kesadaran siswa . Ditemukan juga bahwa suasana atau lingkungan belajar mempunyai peranan penting dalam proses belajar, mereka merasa nyaman dengan suasana itu dan dengan tersedianya banyak materi sebagai sumber belajar. Mudah sekali mendapatkan materi sumber yang diperlukan.
1 CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Background information of the importance of this research will be presented in this chapter. The discussion is commenced with the general information of learner‟s learning strategy. The focus of the discussion is the student‟s lived-experience on English language learning through Self-Access Centre in Vocational High School.
A.
Background
Learning English in the Non-English speaking country is not as easy as learning English in an English speaking country. English as a foreign language brings a certain effect on the way of learning, on the language achievement and also on the view at the language itself. There are so many divergent response on the use of English as a world language both positive and negative response but actually they are aware of the needs of English in this era.
English is learnt in school and got greater contribution hours than other subject. It happens because the schools are aware of the difficulties of learning English there fore the school usually add special hours to this subject with the intension to provide more opportunity to explore the learning. But still, the problem arouse when the result of their English learning is not as the expectation. Their achievement is low, their language is still poor. Most of the students feel that learning English is difficult for them because there is less exploration on the learning itself.
2 conditioned, and the student followed what their teacher said strictly. All class practices led to the dependent behaviors of their language learning. So it is important to keep analyzing on the model of language learning process. Then, the effort to have an exploration of relevant language learning which appreciate to the changes in the education fields becomes an important step nowadays.
Referring to the Vision of Transformative Education which will bring the changes from the traditional community to the modern community, where the most important factor of the transformation process is education and investments, an Education where the learners are permitted to grow their awareness in the use of technology. This vision gives greater chances for the teacher to make an innovation in the language learning process, there is a clear wish of this vision that it will be a modern community who has higher capability in technology and also has modern aesthetics, ethics and modern personality. Refers to this vision, there is greater chances to have wider exploration of language learning using many media and places, since the main point is how the learner acquire the language well.
3 out the realization of the autonomous learning issues. The learners are suggested to have an exposure on the various media available in the self access centre. The multimedia resources are be the main media with various learning software program. As we know. Multimedia seems identical to computer so it is necessary to take advantage of it. The changes in technology computer cause changes in different field of science. One of them is the changing in the way of learning.
Learning through computer offers opportunities for learners to direct their own learning. The using of multimedia to promote language learning will support language acquisition or perhaps more properly, language development. Learners must be as an active participant in learning, actively seeking ways to analyze, question, interpret and understand their ever-changing environment. There are many innovative multimedia sources which facilitate language learning. All skills of language can be learnt this interactive multimedia.
Multimedia on the computer allow students almost complete control of the number of repetitions and the amount of non-language media support, a choice of other language for bilingual glossing, and instant reply for any point in an audio or video presentation. A number of multimedia computer programs that provide opportunities for exposure and production and analyze their relative merits as a means to developing the target language. (Hanson – Smith, 1995:p189)
4 varieties of learning environments, it will give exposures to obtain the goal of learning itself.
The environment of learning in Self-Access Centre leads the learners to the autonomous learning which opens the chance for them to be responsible on their own learning process.
There are three principles of learning styles:
Learners who are more conscious of their learning styles make better use of learning opportunities.
Learners learn better when they are provided with learning opportunities that enhance and extent their learning preferences.
Learners work better with new learning styles when they are given guided opportunities to practice them.
(Karen Yeok-Hwa Ngeow, 1999:p.302-303)
From these principles of learning, multi media provided in self access centre can be the way for learners to explore their language learning. The computer will support the learners in their learning process and practicing different ways of learning. The challenging language learning software will enhance and extent the
learner‟s learning styles. This experience of learning will empower the learners to
make a strategic decision on their language learning in order to acquire the language,
therefore research on the student‟s lived-experience on English language learning
through Self-Access Centre in Vocational High School is necessary to reveal how
one‟s experience of learning is meaningful for others as an important point to reflect
at their learning.
B.
Problem Identification
Self-5 Access Centre also provides free working hours under the control of the administration staff to help them. The use of Self-Access Centre to explore language learning can be a model of self learning which increases opportunities for autonomous learning. The better the students apply the principles of learning, the easier for the teacher to direct the learning to the creative and challenging learning activities. “There are many advantages in the use of multimedia; one of them is in the
promotion of autonomous language learning”.(See Benson,2001,Benson and
Lor,1998,Benson and Voller,1997 in Beatty,2003).
Dealing with the issue of autonomous learning, here, this study will try to define (1) what the learners think and do about self access centre,(2) why do they decide to go there; Do they get advantages on the using of SAC in their language learning and also to reveal (3) what is learners lived-experience of their language learning through Self-Access Centre.
C. Problem Delimitation and Limitation
The study will focus on the area of language learners who has self-learning in the multimedia system which is provided by Self-Access Centre and the contribution of their learning into their progress in acquiring the language and then autonomous learning done by the autonomous learner will be the goal. The participants who study on multimedia program are already familiar with the technology available in Self-Access Centre.
6 D. Problem Formulation
Self Access Centre is designed to accommodate learners of different levels, styles, goals and interest. It aims to develop learner autonomy among the users. They are freely to choose and determine what materials they want to learn, they can select the sources according to their level, their interest in order to support their language acquisition. Self Access Centre potentiates to promote learner autonomy in a number of ways. It provides facilities which allow learners to pursue their own goals and interest while accommodating individual differences in learning style, level and pace of learning. The resources in self access centre are potential to raise learners‟ awareness of the learning process by highlighting aspects of management of learning such as goal setting and monitoring progress. The activities in self access centre is as a realization of self access language learning, learners make use of the SAC to learn deeply on what they learn in class with their teacher. Then finally, the experience of self learning done in self access centre will help the student to be more autonomous in the process of learning.
Language learner has a great opportunity to explore their learning, they are free to direct their learning, their plan, implement and evaluate themselves and finally the contribution of sources in self access centre will be seen in the progress of their learning to acquire the language.
7 metacognitive strategy in their autonomous learning shows one characteristics of how autonomous they are.
To reveal the contribution of the Self-Access Centre in promoting autonomous language learning, it needs to investigate their equipment, function, service, and setting. How Self - Access Centre accommodate language learning, contributes to the learning and finally promotes the autonomous learning. The study will describe and interpret the student‟s lived-experience in the area of English language learning through self access centre in vocational high school. The research, therefore, aims to answer theoretically and empirically the following question: What
is Student‟s Lived-Experience on English Language Learning through Self-Access
Centre?
E. Research Goals
This research aimed to describe, and interpret, how vocational school students experience self - access language learning in term of autonomous learning through self - access centre and what in their perspective constitutes language learning and to reveal the answer to the research question theoretically and experientially. The study also reveals and describes how Self - access centre contributes to the realization of the autonomous language learning among learners in order to be more empower, self-fulfilling, and autonomous, which means they can do what they are supposed to do and they can do it on their own when they learn. The
goal of this research was therefore to describe and interpret the students‟ lived
8 F. Research Benefits
Scientific and technological benefits are obtained in this research. At least, there are two scientific and four technological benefits.
1. Scientific benefits
This study may have two scientific benefits to empower learners and promote their autonomy in language learning.
a. This study may provide description of learners‟ autonomy in the autonomous language learning through Self-Access Centre as an attempt to understand learners‟ lived-experience on English language learning and to empower the learners to develop their sustain autonomous language learning.
b. Through the interpreted descriptions, this study may contribute in the development of education in general and English language learning in Vocational High School.
2. Technological benefit
This study has several technological benefits to contribute in the improvement of autonomous language learning through self - access centre.
a. This study may encourage media designer to design multimedia sources in a specific way in order to have an appropriate sources for language learning
b. This study may encourage school management to improve and keep
develop the school curriculum with the orientation of learners‟ needs, the
progress and the goal of language learning.
9 d. This study may encourage teacher to develop their teaching activity
supporting to the establishment of autonomous language learning.
e. This study may encourage learners to be autonomous in the effort of exploring their language learning experience.
10 CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
In this section, the discussion focuses on literature review and theoretical framework. Several previous research related to the topic of this research are discussed to support construct understanding of the study. Theoretical framework is described to get the tentative answers to the research questions.
A. Literature Review
The literatures on related topics are discussed in this section. The discussion will go around the characteristics of Vocational High School in general, the characteristics of language learner, and the style of learning. In the next part, it will reveal the depth concept of autonomy, language learning, and Self Access Centre in Vocational High School.
1. Lived – Experience
Dilthey suggested that in its most basic form lived experience involves our immediate, pre-reflective consciousness of life: a reflexive or self-given awareness which is, as awareness, unaware of itself.
A lived experience does not confront me as something perceived or represented; it is not given to me, but the reality of lived experience is there-for-me because I have a reflexive awareness of it, because I possess it immediately as belonging to me in some sense. Only in thought does it become objective (Dilthey quoted in Mannen.1990, pg.35).
11 experience are the activities in this study. And the main point is how others use the essence of the experience to the beneficial of own life, as a mirror. As stated by Mannen, 1990 that the aim of phenomenology is to transform lived experience into a textual expression of its essence in such a way that the effect of the text is at once a reflexive re-living and a reflective appropriation of something meaningful.
2.The Characteristics of Vocational High School
Vocational School is an educational institution which has a responsibility to prepare the students goes to work in a certain field. There are two goals: general goals and specific goals. It is stated in general goals that vocational school aiming the
learning to develop the field of learners‟ humanistic. The learning process is try to
reveal all humanistic potentials of the learners in order to be a people who are ideally good in their moral values on any side of humanism. While the specific goals state that vocational school is aiming to prepare the students to be a productive people who are able to work independently and has the capacity to fill the vacancies in industry as a middle skilled worker based on their competency. The goals also said that vocational school is to prepare them to be able to develop themselves in order to be ready with their life, their future.
Competency based learning in vocational school have to cover mastery learning principle in order to master the attitude, knowledge and skills for an appropriate profession as the competencies. For the realization of mastery learning, it is
important to develop following learning Principe‟s such as Learning by doing means
12 Another principle is Individualized learning which allows the students to develop their uniqueness in learning.
The system of learning in vocational school is done as a combination of Dual System Education, Multi entry – multi exit, and Distance learning. Dual system education is arranged together with the industry at the intention of making closer to the industry, whereas the multi entry – multi exit is the realization of the concept of education with the open system, means that the student gets flexible service on their learning so as they are able to study while having other activity such as having part time job or certain course. The last learning system of vocational school is distance learning means that the process of learning can be done in a distance. The student needs not to come to school, but this system can only do for certain competencies which allows student to learn individually without any assistance.
Now, come to the characteristic of vocational school student. Vocational school student is a student who learns in a school which delivers vocational education, certain field of science. Vocational school student is prepared to be a middle skilled worker. The student is prepared to go to work after graduated from the school, they
aren‟t prepared to go to university although this paradigm is changing now. Recently,
there is a new trend of vocational student; they try to develop their study by having higher learning at the university although it is irrelevant with their previous field of study at the vocational school. Market demand affects this decision; the competition among job seekers is tightly happen.
13 occupy them as their employee even the process of the final examination has not finished yet. Then soon after they graduated, they go to work directly.
3. The Characteristic of Language Learner
Learners have certain characteristics which are different from one another, their
characteristics will lead more or less successful language learning. Learners‟
characteristic will affect the language acquisition; extrovert learner and introvert
learner will express different acquisition. Learners‟ personality will also take an
important part in gaining the target learning. Some learners have a much easier time of learning than others; there are some characteristics of language learner that influence their successful of learning. They are intelligence, aptitude, personality, motivation and attitudes, learner preferences, and learner beliefs (Lightbown and Spada, pg.49.2004). Every element has their own roles on the effort of attaining the successful of language learning. It is belief that students who have all elements in
„good‟ condition will get their successful easily.
Intelligence seems has a close relationship with the characteristic of „good‟
language learner. This intelligence usually is tested by a test called „IQ‟ test and it is
14 more on the communication and interaction. But it is important to keep in mind that intelligence is complex, there are so many factors influent the performance of language learner. It is a belief that every learner has various abilities and other strengths that can not be measured by IQ test and it influents their successful of their language learning.
The second characteristic of language learner is aptitude. This is a gift from
God indeed, it‟s really individually; it‟s really different one from others. As reported
by Lorraine Obler in 1989, he found that there was a language learner who could
learn fast by only hearing the native‟s spoken. She could cover what she heard with
what she had learnt in school. Aptitude is distinguishing one learner to others in the way they learnt and show their different types of abilities. There are two famous test which used to measure this aptitude such Modern Language Aptitude Test (MLAT) and Pimsleur Language Aptitude Battery (PLAB).
The aptitude identifies different types of abilities such as 1. the ability to identify and memorize new sounds, 2. the ability to understand the function of particular words in sentences, 3. the ability to figure out grammatical rules from language samples and 4. the ability to memorize new words. It is reported that the relation of the test result and the performance in their language learning expressed on the implementation of grammar translation or audio-lingual methods. It is beneficial to recognize the learner‟s aptitude; it will help the teacher to design the appropriate
activities which accommodate learners‟ needs in order to get maximum achievement.
15 information to place the learners on the appropriate learning program. In relation to maximize the use of self-access centre, knowing self aptitude will help the learners to decide the way and the aid they will use to.
Other characteristics of language learners is personality, seems that personality is also play role on the successful of the language learners. There are some aspects of personality such assertiveness, adventurousness, inhibition, self-esteem, empathy, dominance, talkativeness, and responsiveness (Lightbown Spada ,2004). Every
aspect is supporting each other in the learner‟s personality and then the personality
will support other learner‟s characteristic and finally it will contribute in the
achievement of second language learning.
Motivation and attitudes are also part of language learner‟s characteristics.
Positives attitudes and motivation are related to successful second language learning (Gardner 1985). Motivation in second language learning is a complex phenomenon
which can be defined in terms of two factors: learner‟ communicative needs and their
attitudes towards the second language community. If learners need to speak the L2 in a wide range of social situation or to fulfill professional ambition, they will perceive the communicative value of the second language and will therefore be motivated to acquire in it. Like wise, if learners have favorable attitudes towards the speakers of the language, they will desire to contact with them.
16 based on their own interest, but doing something based on order or a desire to arrive at some instrumental end, is called extrinsic motivation. Gardner and Lambert in Lightbown and Spada (1999) coined the terms integrative motivation to refer to language learning for personal growth and cultural enrichment, and instrumental motivation for language learning for more immediate or practical goals. The result of the research showed that these types of motivation are related to success in second language learning. Basically type of motivation determines the performance or the way or the attitude of the learners in their learning language.
Other characteristic of language learner is learner preferences. In this case, learner has clear preferences for how they go about learning new material. The term
„learning style‟ has been used to describe an individual‟s natural, habitual, and
preferred way of absorbing, processing and retaining new information and skills (Reid in Lightbown and Spada,1999). There are differences on the style of learning, seems this really individually. Basically there are three categories of learning style such as visual, auditory and kinesthetic and every style has its own strength and weakness, this will affect to the way of learning.
Still talking about language learners‟ characteristic, Learner beliefs is other
language learning characteristic which also influent the second language learning. Second language learners are not always aware of their learning style but actually they have strong beliefs and opinions about how their instruction should be delivered. These beliefs are usually based on their previous learning experiences and the assumption on the particular type of instruction is the best way for them to learn
17 their learning style or their beliefs on the way the languages are learned, will influence the selection of strategy to learn new material.
When the learner plays on the strategy and they are willing to explore it in their language learning , they will be an autonomous learner gradually. Defining the profiles of autonomous language learner is rather complex because it is also in relation with the personality and characters. There are several researches which try to profiling autonomous language learner. There are more than 100 competencies associated with autonomy in learning, which grouped into 13 headings. According to Candy (quoted in Benson.2001.pg.85), the learner capable of autonomous learning will characteristically as follows:
1. be methodical and disciplined, 2. be logical and analytical, 3. be reflective and self aware,
4. demonstrate curiosity, openness and motivation, 5. be flexible,
6. be interdependent and interpersonally competent, 7. be persistent and responsible,
8. be venturesome and creative,
9. show confidence and have a positive self-concept, 10. be independent and self-sufficient,
11. have developed information seeking and retrieval skills, 12. have knowledge about and skill at, learning processes, 13. develop and use criteria for evaluating.
There is another profiling which maybe more accommodative to the
requirements of autonomous learners‟ profile. It is suggested by Breen and Mann
(quoted in Benson.2001.pg.84) that autonomous learners:
1. see their relationship to what is to be learned, to how they will learn and to the resources available as one in which they are in charge or in control.
2. are in an authentic relationship to the language they are learning and have genuine desire to learn that particular language.
18 4.are able to step back from what they are doing and reflect upon it in
order to make decisions about what they next need to do and experience.
5.are alert to change and able to change in an adaptable, resourceful and opportunistic way.
6.have a capacity to learn that is independent of the educational processes in which they are engaged.
7.are able to make use of the environment they find themselves in strategically.
8.are able to negotiate between the strategic meeting of their own needs and responding to the needs and responding to the needs and desires of other group members.
There are many characteristics in the profiles, the ideal points of the autonomous learners. I think it is difficult to obtain the ideal ones if the environment is not similar with the prerequisite but the profile of an ideal autonomous learner may change in relation with the changing times and the changing of standard criteria.
4. Autonomy in Language Learning A. Concept of Autonomy
19 learner in Vocational School, which applied block system in their curriculum, the fostering of independent attitude in learning among learners is open widely.
Autonomy as the freedom and ability to manage one‟s own affairs, which entails
the right to make decisions as well (Scharle and Szabo, 2000). In this sense of autonomy, the value of responsibility is powerful enough. Learner may take or make an action with the comprehension that they have to be responsible of what they do although in this case, what learner do belongs to the notion of contributing the learning. Means that learner tries to be involved in learning, it is also can be seen as autonomous behaviors in the sense that they act independently, not waiting to be told what to do. Learning can only happen if there is willingness to contribute, although all necessaries in learning are provided. Then, it is clear now that responsibility and autonomy are plays role. The matter is on the degrees which are vary from one student to another, but at least it can be a starting point to help them become more autonomous.
Holec (quoted in Benson, pg.48) defines Autonomy as the ability to take charge
of one‟s own learning means that there is an ability to have and to hold the
20 also different points of view on whether or not autonomy also involves a 'situational' element (i.e., the freedom to exercise control over learning). These differences explain why it is so difficult to explain exactly what autonomy is. Autonomy in learning is about people taking more control over their learning in classrooms and outside of the class and autonomy in language learning about people taking more control over the purposes for which they learn languages and the ways in which they learn language.
Autonomy is the situation in which the learner is totally responsible for all of the decisions concerned with this learning and the implementation of those decisions (Dickinson quoted in Benson, pg.13). This concept of autonomy is tightly relate to
the psychological side of the learners, the environment surrounds and „the cultural‟
background of the learners. As we know that the image of „Timorese‟ arise some
cultural barriers, they can‟t express their idea as freely as „the western‟ do in their
society. In this case, it needs some extra time to ensure that really from now on they should put away the cultural barriers in order to have an inline attitude with the spirits of autonomy. Whereas the establishment of independent attitudes among learners is fostered, the innovation of the teaching method is proposed to support it.
21 of learning. The matter is how much they care of their learning, how much they control on every step of learning. This degree will differentiate one another, and also will measure how much they feel independent to decide the „color‟ of their learning. Autonomy is treated as a capacity belonging to the learner therefore it is true that everyone has differentiation. It is more learners attribute than learning situation.
This also has a close relation with the style of learning. Every learner has their own ways of learning. The approach to learning emphasizes the fact that individuals perceive and process information in very different ways. The learning styles theory implies that how much individuals learn has more to do with whether the educational experience is geared toward their particular style of learning.
The concept of learning styles is based on the classification of psychological types, different individuals have a tendency to both perceive and process information differently. The learner will choose the suitable way for them to learn. The learner have probably noticed that when they try to learn something new that they prefer to learn by listening to someone talk to them about the information. Some people prefer to read about a concept to learn it; others need to see a demonstration of the concept. Learning Style Theory proposes that different people learn in different ways and that it is good to know what their own preferred learning style is. Learn your learning styles, understand the differences between auditory, visual and kinesthetic style of learning and finally identify your own learning styles. To learn, we depend on our senses to process the information around us. Most people tend to use one of their senses more than the others.
22 able to develop their own style by having an exploration on various media both written and multimedia. It is not unusual to use different learning styles for different tasks. That's why people can respond so differently to the same thing. The acknowledgment of their learning style leads the learner to go further on the field of independent learning.
In relation with the research which tries to find any autonomous language learning among vocational school students through self-access centre, the issue of autonomy is very close because the activities done in self-access centre need
student‟s feel independently. Self-Access as a means of facilitating self-directed
learning, Self-access language learning centers have proliferated to the point where
„self-access language learning‟ is often treated as a synonym for self- directed or
autonomous learning (Benson.2001.pg9). Indeed this opinion seems true because learning in self-access centre means learning without any assistance, they have to make a plan, do and evaluate themselves, work in self-access will automatically lead to autonomy. So it can be concluded that autonomous learning may inhibited by self-instructional modes of learning.
B.Autonomy in Language Learning
The transition from novice to expert depends on learning, therefore learning is the point of this statement. So what is the essential thing of learning?
Learning is a “persisting change in human performance or performance potential
(brought) about as a result of the learner‟s interaction with the environment”
23
measured by the amount of change that occurs within individual‟s level of
knowledge, performance and behavior.
According to behaviorist view, language learning seen as a habit formation (Mitchell & Myles, 2004). The language learning seen from the notion of human beings, psychologically concept because learning related to their behavior. So there is stimulus and response in their environment of learning. The successful of learning depends on the response which is given to the stimuli. If it is done again and again, it will format a habit. But seems that it will be difficult to apply in second language learning because of the environment is not the origin of the language.
Autonomy in the field of language learning has influenced of variety of approaches of language learning. Here are some influences on language learning autonomy.
Figure1. Major influences on the theory of autonomy in language learning (Adapted from Benson pg.22 with shape modified, figure 2.1)
Autonomy
in Language
Learning
Political philosophy
Personal autonomy
Educational reform
Freedom in learning
Self-directed learning
Adult education Psychology of
learning
24 The research focuses on the autonomous language learning seen from the influencing aspect that is Self-directed learning, Adult education. It is traced by Candy (quoted in Benson.2001) that an interest in self-directed learning to nineteenth-century concerns with self-improvement and self-education, then has been developed after that. The literature focuses on adult self-directed learning be likely talk more on the processes of learning outside the context of formal education. Knowles (quoted in Benson 2001:33) defines self-directed learning as follows:
In its broadest meaning,‟ self-directed learning‟ describes a process in which individuals take the initiative, with or without the help of others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating learning goals, identifying human and material resources for learning, choosing and implementing appropriate learning strategies, and evaluating learning outcomes.
This definition is inline with what the language learners do in the self-access centre. As adult learner, they make their own design of preparation, process and even the evaluation. Other researcher, Brockett and Hiemstra (quoted in Benson 2001.pg.33) states that learner self-direction as a dimension of self-directed learning that centers
on a learner‟s desire or preference for assuming responsibility for learning. They
25
refers to the learners‟ capacity to do the overall activities of learning and autonomy
refers to the learners‟ moral qualities which come with the capacity. While in the
field of language learning, autonomy defines broader than just moral qualities but the overall capacity to take control over their learning. And self-directed learning refers to the carried out of learning process under the learner‟s own direction. In brief, it can be said that autonomy is learner‟s attribute and self-directed is learner‟s mode in treating the process of learning.
The ideas of the research is how adult self-directed learning plays role on the autonomous language learning in the context of self-learning in self-access centre. So
everything‟s done by the learners can be seen as an independence over the process of
learning. Little (in Benson.2001. pg.49) defines autonomy as follows:
Essentially, autonomy is a capacity – for detachment, critical reflection, decision-making, and independent action. It presupposes, but also entails, that the learner will develop a particular kind of psychological relation to the process and content of his learning. The capacity for autonomy will be displayed both in the way the learner learns and in the way he or she transfer what has been learned to wider contexts.
This definition described that the capacity to take responsibility for one‟s own
learning focuses more on the aspect of control over the cognitive process involve in effective self-management of learning. Indeed, autonomous learners should have an independence to determine their own goals and purpose of their own learning.
Autonomy, at least brings the importance of three levels of learner‟s control: learning
26 goal is to reveal how adult learners treat their language learning; Do the learners autonomous enough to manage their own language learning.
Learning management is one indicator where „the role of control‟ can be
observed, in learning management there are learner‟s behavior on the way they
manage the planning, organization and evaluation of learning. Why adult learners? The reason is that the behaviors of adult learners in term of learning management that control over learning are observable. It is undeniable that the profile of autonomous learner also determines the capacity of self-management in learning.
Learning management covers some behaviors of the learner on the learning strategies. Some studies found that learning strategies happened under the awareness in the level of adult learner. They are supposed to be autonomous enough to direct their own learning. There are some voices on what and how strategy works on learning. One comes from Cohen, as follows:
In an earlier volume on language learning, I defined learning strategies
as „learning processes which are consciously selected by the learner‟.
The element of choice is important here because this is what gives a strategy its special character. These are also moves which learner is at least partially aware of, even if full attention is not being given to
them… It still seems appropriate to me to link the notion of
consciousness to the definition of strategies, though as we will see below, this is a controversial issue. In my view, the element of consciousness is what distinguishes strategies from those processes that are not strategic. (quoted in Benson.2001. pg.80)
27 This research reveals student‟s lived experience on English language learning through Self-Access Centre by focusing on the strategy selected by adult language learners. Wenden (quoted in Benson,pg.80) classified the strategies used by adult language learners into three categories covers the knowledge of language and language learning, the content planning and learning methods, self monitoring and the experience of learning. Based on Wenden theory, O‟Malley and Chamot (1990.pg.44) proposed three categories such cognitive, metacognitive and social /affective strategies. The goal of this study is to understand how adult learners regulate and treat their learning . O‟Malley and Chamot categories this into what is called metacognitive strategies, make use of knowledge of cognitive processes to regulate the learning process.
Metacognitive strategies involve thinking about the learning process, planning for learning, monitoring the learning task and evaluating how well one has learned (O‟Malley and Chamot, 1990.pg137). These behaviors are closely related to autonomy. Rabecca(1990) states that Metacognitive strategies help learners regulate heir own cognition and to focus, plan, and evaluate their progress as they move toward communicative competence.
Metacognitive strategies describe mental operations used by learners in the self-management learning. The strategies are stated in the following table.
Table 2.1. Metacognitive Strategies (O‟Malley and Chamot.1990.pg137)
28 b. Directed Attention Deciding in advance to attend in general to a learning task and to ignore irrelevant distractors; maintaining attention during task execution.
c. Selective Attention Deciding in advance to attend to specific aspects of language input or situational details that assist in performance of a task; attending to specific aspects of language input during task execution
d. Self-Management Understanding the condition that help one successfully accomplish language tasks and arranging for the
presence of those condition; controlling one‟s language
performance to maximize use of what is already known. e. Self-Monitoring Checking, verifying, or correcting one‟s comprehension or performance in the course of language task. This has been coded in the think-alouds in the following ways: 1. Comprehension Monitoring: checking, verifying, or correcting one‟s understanding.
2. Production Monitoring: checking, verifying, or
correcting one‟s language production.
3. Auditory Monitoring: Using one‟s ear for the
language (how something sounds) to make decisions. 4. Visual Monitoring: Using one‟s eye for the language (how something looks) to make decisions.
5. Style Monitoring: checking, verifying, or correcting based upon on internal stylistic register.
6. Strategy Monitoring: tracking use of how well a strategy is working.
7. Plan Monitoring: tracking how well a plan is working.
8. Double-check Monitoring: tracking, across the task, previously undertaken acts or possibilities considered. f. Problem Identification Explicitly identifying the central point needing
resolution in a task or identifying an aspect of the task that hinders its successful completion
g. Self-Evaluation Checking the outcomes of one‟s own language performance against an internal measure of
completeness and accuracy; checking one‟s language
repertoire, strategy use, or ability to perform the task at hand. This has been coded in the think-alouds as:
1. Production evaluation: checking one‟s work when the task is finished.
2. Performance evaluation: judging one‟s overall
execution at the task.
3. Ability evaluation: judging one‟s ability to perform
the task.
4. Strategy evaluation: judging one‟s strategy use when
29 This study reveals all aspects of metacognitive strategies applied by the language learner in their autonomous learning process in Self-Access Centre. This is the point of this study, revealing learner‟s metacogitive strategies to understand their lived-experience on the English language learning through Self-Access Centre.
5. Self-Access Centre A. Resource Based
Self-access is probably the most widely used and recognized term for an
approach to encouraging autonomy…Self-access language learning is an
approach to teaching language. There are misconceptions in the literature about self-access. It is sometimes seen as a collection of materials and sometimes as a system for organizing resources. We see it as an integration of a number of elements which combine to provide a unique learning environment. Each learner interacts with the environment in a unique way. (Gardner and Miller quoted in Benson.2001.pg.114)
Self-Access Centre can be defined as a place to have self learning where learners are able to find learning materials and they have independent interaction with them.
Self-access centre is also defined as any purpose-designed facility in which learning resources are made directly available to learners (Benson.2001.pg.114). Means that all sources available in self-access centre are intentionally provided to give wide access of learning for the learners.
Then Self-access centre should be organized to foster autonomy, to give
opportunity for directing one‟s own learning and finally autonomous language
30 B.Technology Based
Self-access centre in the view of technology based provides chances for self directed learning. Learners are able to explore their language learning through the IT facilities in SAC. The activities based IT lead to self-directed learning and promoting autonomous language learning.
There has always been a perceived relationship between educational technology in its broadest sense and taking learner autonomy as the superordinate term. This has become increasingly true for computers and self-access (Motteram quoted in Benson 2001, pg.136). In this era, capability in the use of technology seems be a must for students. There fore the promotion of autonomous language learning through self-access centre will be run well and finally, self-access centre can be used as the agent of autonomous language learning.
B.Theoretical Framework
Language learning is a process of acquiring the language done by the language learners. In this process, language learners are freely to accomplish it in many ways. The learning processes were done by the learners as an effort to acquire the language. Every learner has different ways and strategies to reach their goal. The participants in this research belong to adult learner who is already autonomous with the devices in self-access centre. Since they are adult, the research tries to reveal their metacognitive strategies which applied in the language learning process through Self-Access Centre. Whereas Self-Access Centre is also seen from the view as
31 Then, from the on going process of language learning applied strategies in their self learning in SAC, the research finds the existence of autonomous language learning.
Metacognitive Strategies Technology Based Resource Based
Figure 2. Framework of the research on the autonomous language learning through Self-Access Centre
Language Learner
SAC
32
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
The purpose of this study is to reveal the student‟s lived experience on the autonomous language learning on the exploration of learning in Self-access Centre. Therefore, this chapter will present the sequential procedure of this research. There are several interconnected parts that build the research method. Those parts are research method, nature of data, data setting and sources, data gathering instruments and data collection, data collection techniques, data processing, data analysis, and trustworthiness in research findings.
A. Research Method
The study applied phenomenological-hermeneutic method as the way to reveal the research problem. This method provides opportunity to comprehend the
humans‟ phenomenology intellectually and to go deeper in the humanistic side.
Phenomenology is the study of the lifeworld, the world as we immediately experience it pre-reflective rather than as we conceptualize, categorize, or reflect on it (Husserl,1970b; Schutz and Luckmann, 1973 in Mannen, 1990). Phenomenology aims at gaining a deeper understanding of the nature or meaning of every day experience. Since I was interested understanding the meaning people have constructed about their world and experiences, thus, the aim of this study would try
to achieve „depth‟ rather than „breadth‟.
33 understand human experience, to reveal both the processes by which people construct meaning about their worlds and to report what those meanings are and help us to understand the world in which we live and why things are the way they are.
This approach allowed me to capture the student‟s own experience. It was an
attempt to understand the phenomenon and to answer the main research question. This was due to the fact that English education deals with the most complicated human behavior.
B. Nature of Data
A Holliday (2002) states, Qualitative data is what happens in a particular social setting or a particular place or amongst a particular group of people. There are
many types of data, including the researcher‟s description of what she sees and hears,
what participants say and write, and what participants use and produce. Hence, in order to answer the research question, the nature of data in this research was lived experience description, whether caught in oral or written. The description of
student‟s experience on the autonomous language learning through Self-Access
Centre was the main data of this study. In-depth interview with the participants were also done to focusing and sharpen the notion of the phenomenological experience therefore the quality and the essence of the experience are detected in overall theme.
C. Data Setting and Sources
1. Setting
34 learning, the school was also being chosen as the regional IT centre by National Education Department so in this case the environment is really adequate for conducting the research because in the use of IT , this school is one step ahead than other school and also the students who learnt here are selected from the higher level from others proved by their National Examination Mark ( NUN as the based of the entrance selection ) .The centre is also providing wide access for English teacher in Kulon Progo to have an activity . there. The time management of teaching and learning process which applies block system provides much opportunity for students to manage their own learning (since they belong to adult learner, in the notion of metacognitive strategies). Therefore, this school would provide rich data.
As Holliday (2002) said, “This setting can itself motivate the
researcher….the setting is connected closely to the research questions in that it
provides environment in which the questions can be addressed” (Holliday 2002:37) Although I don‟t teach there, I have wide access to gain the data. The result of this research is also can be used as a reference for the management of my own school to think of establishing self-access centre and I guess the participants are really free to vocalize their voice because they know that their voice will be very important in the effort of developing self-access centre.
2. Participants
35 speaking test. The choice of participants here was regarded to the accessibility and adequacy of information which was relevant to the topic research.
The participants of the research were two students. They are from Multimedia Department. The reason of selection is based on the assumption that they are already familiar with the use of multimedia system in self-access centre. They are already autonomous in the use of software and hardware available.
Since I don‟t teach there, I asked help from a friend who teach English there to
choose the participants based on some criteria. The criteria are as follows: students from Multimedia program who are on the high level achievement in their class. This is reasonable to have these criteria because I think students with high level are different on the way they treat their learning.
D. Data Gathering Instruments and Data Collection
To attain the research goal on describing the student‟s experience of the autonomous language learning in self-access centre, some instruments were needed
to gather the desired data. Since the primary data was in the form of participant‟s
lived experience, the appropriate means of obtaining them was by gaining their story of experience and conducting in depth-interviews.
The data gathering instruments of this research were interviews that were guided by interview blueprint and based on construct definition, categorization, and
derivation of indicators. The blueprint of components in the student‟s experience
accommodated self-access centre and metacognitive strategies of learning. Each component had several indicators and actualized into interview questions to get the
36 1. Constructing Interview Questions
Interview questions were constructed based on literature study on the autonomy in language learning. Table 3.1 below shows the components and
indicators of student‟s lived experience of the autonomous language learning through
self-access centre, what they experience about autonomous language learning. Each component had several indicators and actualized in some interview questions.
Table 3.1 Blueprint for Interview Questions on the Student‟s Lived-Experience on the Autonomous Language Learning in Self-Access centre.
No Construct Concept Component Indicators
1. Lived Experience: is a starting point and end point of
phenomenological research whereas the aims is to transform lived experience into a textual expression of its essence and use it as a reflection.
Self -Access centre is A centre of learning which equipped with learning sources as a means of facilitating
is the capacity to take
37 Table 3.2. List of Interview Questions.
No Question
Do the language learning sources available in SAC support to your needs? What equipment in SAC that really help you in learning language?
According to you, what is SAC related to your learning language? Do the SAC motivate you to learn English?
Do the SAC help you to acquire English? In what case?
Does the SAC‟s setting support to your learning?
Do you make any plan of your language learning? Do you also plan the time visit?
How about the learning material, do you map it?
What do you usually do in SAC related to your language learning?
Do you do other activities which have no relation with your language learning in SAC, such play a game?
Do you choose your own learning material in SAC? What is the reason of your selection?
Do you limit the time for every item of your language learning plan in SAC? Do the SAC suitable for your language learning needs?
Is there any development at your English?
Do you map your needs in your learning plan related to the maximum use of SAC?
How about your language achievement?
How about your performance? Are you satisfied with the result?
38 2. Conducting In-depth Interview
In-depth interview was an effort to get several points of views of
student‟s experience on the autonomous language learning in self-access centre. I
interviewed the student because I was interested in their experiences. The purpose of this in-depth interview was not merely to get answers to questions, nor to test
hypotheses, and to evaluate, but an interest in understanding the experience of other people and the meaning they made of that experience.
In-depth interview was conducted after the interview questions were finalized. The interview was held at school and after the class so that it did not disturb the teaching learning process and some other interviews were done via phone in order to save time because they are in the period of Industrial Practice. Each participant at least was interviewed twice. The last interview was the reflection of participants to his/her tentative profile of his/her experience on the autonomous language learning.
E. Data Collection Techniques
