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Course evaluation of language teaching in Indonesia Inculs, Gadja Mada University, Indonesia
>>> Introduction
Language Indonesia Culture and Learning Service (INCULS) is a department in the faculty of cultural, Gadjah Mada University. The overall objective of INCULS is to prepare students foreign language and culture of Indonesia through a period of training. International students from developing countries receiving Indonesian government scholarship to pursue a master's degree in Indonesia have to be trained in INCULS to survive in the time of reporting in their daily lives and their academic environment. The program was carried out over a period of eight months from September to May 2007. The evaluation was intended to make judgments about the merit, value, or value training program conducted in INCULS. The evaluation study was to determine the reaction of students taking the course and to find out if the program was effective and efficient in delivering knowledge to students. It was expected that this evaluation study would increase the efficiency, effectiveness and good performance in the delivery of good quality of learning in INCULS program.
The evaluation of the reaction is the same thing as measuring customer satisfaction (Kirckpatrick, 1998:25). He continued that if the training is to be effective, it is important that students react favorably to training or will not be motivated to learn. Motivation has been considered a great impact on human behavior (Sprinhall, NA & RC Sprinhall, 1987: 463). According to Brophy (1987), motivation to learn is a competence acquired "through general experience but stimulated most directly through modeling, communication of expectations, and direct instruction or socialization by significant others (especially teachers). "The beliefs teachers have about teaching and learning and the nature of the expectations for students also exert a powerful influence (Raffini, 1993:286). As Stipek (1988) states: "For a very high degree, students waiting to know if their teachers expect them to learn. "School-wide goals, policies and procedures also interact with classroom climate and practices to affirm or change the attitudes of students for learning increasingly complex and beliefs. classroom climate is important. If students experience the classroom as a caring, place of support where there is a sense of belonging and everyone is valued and respected, they tend to participate more fully in the learning process. Effective learning in the classroom depends on the teacher's ability to maintain the interest that brought students to the course in the first place "(Ericksen, 1978:3). The courses must be instrumentally motivation to be obviously related to the preparation for future goals and aspirations (McPartland and Braddock, 2000).
Cognitive theorists view learning as a reorganization of a series of perceptions, this reorganization enables students to perceive new relationships, solve new problems, and gain a basic understanding of a subject area (Sprinhall, NA and RC Sprinhall, 1987:192). In addition, learning can be defined as the extent to which participants change attitudes, improve knowledge, and / or increase skill as a result of attending the program (Kirkpatrick, 1998:20).
Therefore, one can assume that the positive reactions of students into a training program tend to help aa learn more. Students can learn effectively and be able to apply knowledge learned in an efficient one Once they have high motivation to learn. It is in the hands of teachers, administrator and school climate that can facilitate the process of learning and raising student motivation.
>>> Assessment Method
The first two levels of Kirkpatrick (1998) evaluation model, ie the reaction and learning applied in the evaluation of the training program. A combination of qualitative and quantitative approach was used to study the population in order to obtain valid data and reliable. Data collection techniques included observation in and out of class activities, interviews, documents and questionnaire. Twelve students from various countries who attended the program were the people of this evaluation study.
1. Reaction: How well as students of the training course? Each student completes the reaction sheet was divided into the content, teaching and overall course satisfaction. Course content relates to the clarity of course objectives, the agreement between the course and lesson assignment objective, and well-planned, organized and used time. Instruction focuses knowledgeability of trainers in the purpose, methods and teaching techniques used by instructors, and understanding and to facilitate instructors to the needs of students. Finally, the overall program evaluation was to assess the satisfaction of all of the students to the training program. A five-point scale was used to increase the responses, with 5 being the highest satisfaction and 1 the lowest. The interview was conducted to assess reliability.
2. Learning: Is there knowledge after the training? Can students use the language learned? All students before receive the training they knew nothing about the language of Indonesia, which means he had no knowledge of Indonesian language. To evaluate learning, test scores of students were compared to see if there were improvements in vocabulary, reading, grammar, writing, and conversation. The observation was made to see if students use the language learned in public.
>>> Evaluation Results
The evaluation was conducted as successfully planned and the results were reported in the following manner:
1. Reaction
Score opinion on the content, instruction and assessment general was:
Content: 3.29
Instruction: 3.46
Total: 3.5
The results suggest that students were quite satisfied with the program. However, according to the interview, some students found that the program was not very important for future study, when they do master, and they said they could use English. The perception that the program was very important to everyday life, but not academic. Some students complained the book was not very attractive and no clear objectives in each lesson. In response to the question of whether a variety of media was used to help teach the learning process, most of the students said no and come to some teachers to teach without preparation.
2. Learning
There was absolutely learning occurred in the program. It was known that students had zero knowledge of Indonesian before coming to study. This means that they knew nothing about Indonesia, however, after studying can Indonesia to communicate effectively, they can read a bit of paper and even write something for your class. To be sure, mean scores of the two tests were performed in the middle and end the course were taken for comparison. The test report was obtained and revealed the results INCULS:
Total Reading Writing Vocabulary Grammar Conversation average
Test 1 77.58 83.83 85 72.33 77.75 79.29
Test 2 80.25 84 76.91 72.58 80.83 79.91
Total Gain 2.67 0.17 -8.09 0.25 3.08 0.62
The scores show there has been an enormous improvement of pupils from 0% (zero knowledge of Indonesia) to 79.29% in the first test and 79.91 in the second test. There has been an overall increase of 0.62% at the end of the course, however, if we look at each subject in the first test and the second reading score decreases 8.09%. This means reading ability of students is very limited. Conversational score increased 3.08%, which is the highest gain among the five topics and vocabulary gain The score is 2.67% which is the second highest. The observation was made on school campuses and public places, including markets, football … etc, and surprisingly revealed that most of the time students used a language of Indonesia to communicate with friends. Indonesian students were reported with the population stated that communication means 90% on various issues in Indonesia. Foreign students also preferred to communicate in Indonesian reading or writing.
>>> Conclusions and Recommendations
The conversational students learned a lot from the program. language teaching program in INCULS is very important for foreign students and to equip students with the ability to use and understanding of Indonesia in various contexts and culture. The result of the reaction can always improve certain aspects if taken into consideration. The course content should be improved. The content should be valid, meaningful, interested can learn and consistent with social realities, and utility. The course is divided into two levels. First level is for the general language that use the capacity, ie capacity Indonesia to use communication in everyday life. Finally, the language should focus on each topic that students will do in her master's program. The objectives Each lesson should be clearly indicated. Students will be more motivated to learn if they know the real objectives and the benefit of learning. Instructors should While planning their lessons and present them attractively and effectively to the class. satisfaction and high quality learning will improve if all the above factors are considered. On the contrary, if all the negative aspects are not taken into account, the learning situation could be worse for the next program.
>>> Acknowledgements
I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who gave me the opportunity to complete this evaluation study.
I am deeply indebted to Prof. Kumaidi who gave so freely of their time with their valuable comments and support extended to me during the study in Indonesia. His stimulating suggestions and encouragement helped me all the time research and writing of this evaluation study. Your help and advice is priceless contribute greatly to my educational achievements.
I want to thank the Dr. Ida Rochani Adi for giving me permission to conduct this study in INCULS.
Students, friends and staff INCULS supported me in this evaluation study. I want to thank them for all their help, support, interest and valuable advice.
>>> References
Brophy, J. (1987). The Student Motivation. Paper 101. East Lansing, Michigan: Institute for Research on Teaching Michigan State University.
Ericksen, SC (1978). "The Lesson." Memo to the Faculty, no. 60. Ann Arbor: Center for Research on Teaching and Learning at the University of Michigan.
Kirkpatrick, DL (1998). Assessment Traning Programs: The Four Levels. San Francisco. Berrect-Koehler Publishers, Inc.
McPartland and Braddock. (2000). A conceptual framework on learning environments and motivation of students in languages of minorities and other underserved populations. Available in http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/pubs/symposia/third/mcpartland.htm (Access: May 11, 2007)
Raffini, J. (1993). Winners without losers: structures and strategies for increasing student motivation to learn. Boston: Allyn and Bacon
Stipek, D. (1988). Motivation to learn: from theory to practice. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
About the Author
Chum Chandarin is a Cambodian student doing master degree in education management at State University of Yogyakarta under the scholarship of Indonesian government
Group GWU Business School Marketing