PROPOSAL

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONSTRUCTIVE

INTERNET BASED LEARNING USING FACEBOOK IN IMPROVING

ENGLISH WRITING SKILL FOR THE 1ST YEAR STUDENTS

OF SMK PENERBANGAN BINA DHIRGANTARA COLOMADU

DANIEL SABBAT CHRISTIAN

2009101014

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

LIA SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

YOGYAKARTA
 2011

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CONSTRUCTIVE

INTERNET BASED LEARNING USING FACEBOOK IN IMPROVING

ENGLISH WRITING SKILL FOR THE 1ST YEAR STUDENTS

OF SMK PENERBANGAN BINA DHIRGANTARA COLOMADU

1. Background of Study

English as an international language has been playing an important role in

communicating people around the world. Therefore, many countries which may

not use English as their national language, like Indonesia, have made English as

one of their compulsory subjects at schools. One of the reasons is that the young

generation will need better and stronger English skill to compete in the

globalization world, especially in pursuing job or career opportunities.

Meanwhile, education system has been changing and improving from time

to time adjusting to the needs of growing modern world. The change and

improvement are partly contributed by the presence of the modern and advanced

technology. Like computer and internet technology for instance are moving

forward to be implemented in the education system. As we have walked to a step

of Computer Based Learning (CBL); now it is another step forwards of Internet

Based Learning (IBL). Both IBL and CBL are parts of E-Learning, which is

described by Naidu in his book entitled E-Learning. A Guide Book of Principles,

Procedures and Practices says, “E-learning is commonly referred to the intentional

use of networked information and communications technology in teaching and

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learning. A number of other terms are also used to describe this mode of teaching

and learning. They include online learning, virtual learning, distributed learning,

network and web-based learning.”(1). Describing in a broader term of E-learning,

he adds that e-learning are, “all educational activities that are carried out by

individuals or groups working online or offline, and synchronously or

asynchronously via networked or standalone computers and other electronic

devices.”(1)

The similarity between CAL and IBL is that both use computer as the

media. While the difference is that IBL requires on-line or networked connection

technology or so called internet connection; contrarily, CAL does not need

internet connection, or what Naidu calls standalone computer. Specifically, IBL

has broader advantages compared to CAL because it has unlimited access to

acquire information that is not only limited to one computer program or software

like what CAL has.

The wide services offered by Internet like World Wide Web, for instance,

which is commonly called web or website, offers not only text format but also

multimedia. Cohen in her article in Internettutorial.com explains that the

multimedia that is presented by today advanced web includes almost every

aspects that multimedia has, such as audio, video, photos, images, and animations.

The choices of website are huge and varied in topics and purposes. One of

the most globally known website nowadays is www.facebook.com. It is a social

networking dedicated website where people can interact each other through

multimedia features provided. Further more, Wikipedia explains, “Users may

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create a personal profile, add other users as friends, and exchange messages,

including automatic notifications when they update their profile. Additionally,

users may join common interest user groups, organized by workplace, school, or

college, or other characteristics”

The rich feature and interest that Facebook offers attract the researcher to

conduct a research in building a creative way of teaching English. Especially in

teaching English writing. Students will be introduced to different topics through

pictures and videos and other multimedia that will make them actively participate

in writing activity by posting or giving comments on the Facebook.

Specifically, the subjects of this research are the 1st year students of SMK

Penerbangan Bina Dhirgantara Colomadu (Bina Dhirgantara Aviation High

School of Colomadu). Meanwhile, the object of this research is the effectiveness

of Constructive Internet based learning using Facebook in Improving English

writing skill. The writer is interested in doing his research at the school because

the future demands on its graduates’ skills. Besides the aviation skills and

knowledge, the English skill factor will also determine their future career in

aviation industry. It is because aviation industry has come into international

standard and certification that requires good English skill for every employee. The

object of this research is inspired by the need of good and better English learning,

especially in English writing learning at the school. The brand new internet

connected computer laboratory that the school has is a great value for the writer to

conduct his research.

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 In this experiment, the writer will conduct a true experiment—using

experiment class and control class—analyzed in Independent Sample T-Test using

SPPS program to determine its significance. Systematically, the significance will

help the writer to reveal the effectiveness of the experiment.

2. Problem Statement

The problem statements of the research focuses on the following issue:

Is Constructive Internet based learning using Facebook in improving the English

writing skill effective?

3. Scope of Study

Based on the problem statement the scope of study focuses on the implementation

of Constructive Internet based learning using Facebook over the students of SMK

Penerbangan Bina Dhirgantara Colomadu to improve their English writing skill.

4. Objectives of Study

The objective of study in this research is to find out the effectiveness of

Constructive Internet based learning using Facebook in improving the English

writing skill

5. Hypothesis

The hypothesis that can be drawn to find out the effectiveness of the experiment

conducted are:

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Ho (Zero Hypothesis): there is no significant difference between the experiment

class and control class.

Ha (Alternative Hypothesis): there is a significant difference between the

experiment class and control class.

Criteria:

If p or sig.(2-tailed) > 0.05 then Ho is accepted. It means that this method is not

effective. If p or sig.(2-tailed) < 0.05 then Ho is unaccepted or the variance of the

population is not the same. Therefore, this method is effective.

6. Significance of Study

The researcher expects that this research will be a good study for him to pursue

his dream to have an English School that has good facilities for teaching and

learning including internet to help students learn English in a better and modern

way.

The writer hopes that his research will give good contribution to teachers,

students, and the readers who are involved in education, especially in applying

Internet lased learning for English writing skill specifically, and generally to other

English skills like Reading, Writing and Listening. Furthermore, the Internet

based learning will also be implemented in other disciplines.

Hopefully, the research will also be useful in enriching the national

standard of education system. Moreover, the Educational Ministry will provide

more e-learning technologies to schools equally and nationally.

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 As for students, this research is expected to bring about the habit for students

to explore and use internet technology for educative purposes other than just for

online games, social networks or other entertainment purposes that are not very

educative.

7. Theoretical approach

The writer applies the theory of constructivism in the role his experiment.

Gagnon in his book entitled Constructivist Learning Design: Key Questions

for Teaching Standards cited Jean Piaget, “Learners construct their own

meaning in acquiring knowledge rather than just memorizing information

offered by a teacher”(3). Constructivism is a big part of Internet Based

Learning. It is how learners or students construct their own knowledge by

experiencing the learning process interactively through a media of internet.

Unexceptionally, English learning and teaching can also take this constructive

Internet based Learning. Reinfried in his on-line article Can Radical

Constructivism Achieve a Viable Basis for Foreign Language Teaching?

States,

Constructivist language learning should be action oriented where language

is learned through collaboration, free creation is praised, learning is

achieved by actively doing projects and self-teaching. Constructivist

language learning should be learner centered that supports

individualization of learning and autonomy...In this aspect, implementing

online applications, using instructional technologies and diverse media in

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 the process of learning and teaching languages is advocated by

constructivist approach.(1)

8. Method of Research

8.1 Method of Collecting Data

There are two classes given two different treatments of teaching. They are

Experiment Class and Control Class. Both classes are at the same school and level

of 1st year.

The treatment of Experiment Class uses IBL that is conducted in the Internet

Connected Computer Laboratory for the learning and teaching process.

The treatment of Control Class uses standard textbook that is conducted in

ordinary classroom.

There are six meetings to conduct this research. The 1st meeting is for pre-test to

find out the homogeneity, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th meetings are for the treatments,

and the 6th meeting is for the final test of the treatment. Therefore the final test is

the data used for this research.

8.2 Method of Analysis

The researcher analyzes the data taken from Independent Sample t-test. This is to

find out the effectiveness of Constructive Internet based learning in improving

English writing skill for the 1st year students of SMK Penerbangan Bina

Dhirgantara Colomadu.

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9. Thesis Organization

Structurally this thesis is presented in five chapters:

Chapter 1 will introduce some important points of Constructive Internet

based learning in improving English writing skill for the 1st year students of SMK

Penerbangan Bina Dhirgantara Colomadu. It consists of background of study,

problem statement, scope of study, objective of study, significance of the study,

theoretical approach, method of research, and thesis organization.

Chapter 2 is the theoretical review of the experiment based on

Constructivism view associated to Internet based learning.

Chapter 3 is the methodology, which consists of data gathering and data

analyzing.

Chapter 4 is the part where the writer is going to present the data and the

analysis of the Constructive Internet based learning experiment. This is the part

where the effectiveness of the experiment will be revealed.

Chapter 5 is the conclusion and suggestion from the writer toward his

experiment.

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Collins English Dictionary. Glasgow: HarperCollins Publisher, 2009.

Cohen, Laura B. “Multimedia on the Web”. Internet Tutorial. 22 February 201. 03

March 2011.< http://www.internettutorials.net/multimedia.asp>

“Constructivism (Learning Theory)”. 1 March 2011. Wikipedia Foundation Inc..

03 march 2011.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructivism_(learning_theory)>

Gagnon, George W. Constructivist Learning Design: Key Questions for Teaching

to Standards. California: Corwin Press, 2006.

Hughes, Arthur. Testing for Language Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge

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“Internet”. 1 March 2011. Wikipedia Foundation Inc.. 03 march 2011.

< http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet>

Naidu, Som. E-Learning. AGuide Book of Principles, Procedures and Practices.

New Delhi: CEMCA, 2003

Reinfried, M. Can Radical Constructivism Achieve a Viable Basis for Foreign

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<http://www.ingilish.com/online-learning-constructivism.htm>

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