Cooperative Learning as the Method to Stimulate and Motivate

Students in Schools of Linguistics Class at English Department

Andalas University

Ike Revita

, Dhiant Asri

and Wahyudi Rahmat

English Department, Universitas Andalas, Padang, Indonesia

STKIP PGRI Sumatera Barat, Padang, Indonesia

Keywords: Cooperative Learning, Schools of Linguistics, Students.

Abstract: Schools of Linguistics is one of optional course for the students who are interested in Linguistics to take as a

must. The Schools of Linguistics mostly talks about the development of Linguistics since Greek era until now

in America, Europe and Indonesia. Because the lack of implementation, the students often get bored and the

expected learning outcome is not fulfilled. This writing is aimed at describing the implementation of

cooperative learning method in Schools of Linguistics class at English Department of Andalas University.

The objective of the research is to identify the effectiveness of the method to stimulating and motivating the

students in learning Schools of Linguistics. The research is conducted at Schools of Linguistics class English

Department of Andalas University. The data are collected by the questionnaire, interviewing and focused with

group discussion. The analysis has been done related to the concept proposed by Wahab (2009) and Jack and

Richards (2002). The result of the analysis is presented descriptively.

1 INTRODUCTION

English Department is one of the four departments in

Andalas University provided that Linguistics as their

concentration. In English Department, Linguistics is

one of the concentrations beside Literatures. Both

concentrations have English Language as their

objects.

One of the subjects offered in English Department

of Andalas University is Schools of Linguistics.

Schools of Linguistics is provided at even semester

for the second year students. However, not all the

students would take this course since it is not an

obligatory subject. The Schools of Linguistics is

compulsory for those whose interest and

concentration is on Linguistics. Thus, the class is

usually not divided into two.

However, in last four years, the number of

students who took this course was boomed. One class

comprised more than 50 students. English

Department then decided to prepare two classes in

order the class may run effectively. Since then,

English Department of Andalas University provides

two parallel classes for Schools of Linguistics to be

conducted by three different lecturers.

Schools of Linguistics deals with the development

of Linguistics since Greek Era until modern era in

Europe, America and Indonesia. Mostly the Schools

of Linguistics talks about the history in which the

discussion seems monotonous. Even though, the class

was conducted by having seminar. The students are

divided into several groups based on the number of

the topics for one semester. Each group then presents

their paper based on the topics. The discussion is done

after the presentation in order that every student may

take part in discussion.

Unfortunately, this method does not

successfully help the students to gain full

understanding towards the topic. Most of students

totally depend on the information from their friends.

They come to class in absent-minded. As the

discussion comes up, only ??? or actively participate.

Given question to the students, they could not answer

well. When they are asked to give questions or

comments, they could not response. Silence becomes

their only choice.

The above description forces the lecturers from

Schools of Linguistics to be more creative in

designing the class method. In this semester,

cooperative learning becomes the choice to be

Revita, I., Asri, D. and Rahmat, W.

Cooperative Learning as the Method to Stimulate and Motivate Students in Schools of Linguistics Class at English Department Andalas University.

DOI: 10.5220/0008681601390142

In Improving Educational Quality Toward International Standard (ICED-QA 2018), pages 139-142

ISBN: 978-989-758-392-6

139

implemented in the class. It is expected that the

students can be motivated and stimulated in learning

Schools of Linguistics.

2 METHOD OF THE RESEARCH

The research is conducted in Schools of Linguistics

Class B, English Department of Andalas University.

There are about 34 students taking this course in Class

B. Class B is selected as the place to run the research

for the consideration of applying class action

research. The data is taken by giving questionnaire

and interviewing those 34 students. Furthermore,

focus group discussion is also used to enrich the data.

The analysis is done by using the concept proposed

by Wahab (2009) and Jack and Ri chards (2002). The

process of implementing the cooperative learning

method is explained chronologically. At the end, the

effectiveness of the method is identified after the final

exam. The result of summative assessment comes

into the indicator. Finally, the result of analysis is

descriptively presented.

3 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Cooperative learning is a kind of teaching and

learning method for students to become the center

(Jack and Richards, 2002) when the process of

teaching and learning is conducted. In teaching and

learning method, students are encouraged to be more

active. They do not only get the information from the

lecturer but they seek for the course materials by

themselves (Budiawan, 2008).

In applying the cooperative learning, the students

can interact with the others to gain and practice the

elements of material in the course so that the learning

objective can be achieved (Unand, 2014). Such kind

of method is called Students Centered Learning

(SCL).

Andalas University, as a public university in

Indonesia has applied this SCL which is already set

forth as the regulation of Rector number 3 in year

2016. Every lecturer at Andalas University has been

obliged to implement this SCL, including those

belong to English Department.

Schools of Linguistics as one course offered in

English Department has applied SCL in teaching

learning process. However, it was not fully done yet.

Some topics still need teacher centered learning

(TCL) to be used in the class. This is due to that the

Schools of Linguistics is mostly deal with the history

and development of Linguistics. Thus, the

explanation from the lecturers are still in need.

The use of TCL did not build the positive

atmosphere since most of the students totally depend

on the lecturer. They did not prepare well before

coming to class. Consequently, as the question given

to feed back the understanding, the students only keep

in silence. This method seemed un-effective.

Cooperative learning is then tried to apply in

Schools of Linguistics. This method is selected for the

cause of motivation and stimulation for the students.

The students are expected to be more active in the

class.

Some sub-methods of cooperative learning in Schools

of Linguistics is then applied (Unand, 2014).

3.1 Think-pair-share

The students are given certain topics or cases related

to the phenomena of actual use of language. After

being given around 1-2 minutes, the quick response

from the students is asked. This response is then

discussed in their group. Each group then discussed

the result of their discussion with other groups. Two

until three groups sit together re-discussing what they

have concluded before.

3.2 Three-step-interview

Three step-interview is used as the ice-breaking in

order to build up the chemistry. This is due to the

course Schools of Linguistics comprises various

students from different grade levels. In the sense of

there is still a gap among them. To overcome this gap,

the three-step-interview is conducted. Thus, the

students are familiar with each other.

The students would sit in pair and give answer to

question. Then they could change the partner and give

the similar question. Finally, those who have given

the questioners could gather into one group to discuss

the result of digging question.

3.3 Numbered Heads Together

Students are divided into several groups comprising

3-4 members. These students are given case/factual

question and they sit in their group discussing the

answer. This is created to make deep understanding

of each students and they can find the answer of the

question by themselves.

The discussion is continued by delivering

question and randomly point at certain student to

answer the given question. The students are expected

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140

to get involved actively in the discussion among their

group.

3.4 Three-minute Review

Students are given 3-5 minutes to discuss and review

what they have discussed. Then they are given to

report orally or in written the result of discussion.

3.5 Partners

The class is divided into two big groups which then is

re-divided into small number of groups comprising 3-

4 students. These two big groups are given two

different sub-topics. The member of these big groups

spread over and find partner from other big group to

share their understanding. They then go back to sit

within their group and discuss what they have got.

In implementing the cooperative learning at

Schools of Linguistics Class, the process of gathering

information from the students’ point of view is also

done. The students in their small groups are requested

to make a kind of review or summary towards the

material given, process of learning, as well as the

possible improvement for teaching and learning

process. This information can be done as part of

evaluation (Widiyawati, 2008; Arifin, 2012) or

checking to do another action in the next year class of

Schools of Linguistics.

From the questionnaires given to the students,

around 77% feel that there is en enhancement of their

motivation because they are forced to participate

actively in class teaching and learning process. 17%

respond that this is very difficult and the rest have no

idea. This can be seen in the following chart 1.

Figure 1. Motivation of Students with Cooperative

Learning Method

The motivation gets bigger around 77% students,

because they are fully involved (Pelton, 2010) in the

process of solving problem. It is not the lecturers who

find the answer for them. Besides, getting involved in

seeking the answer of the questions gives deep impact

to the way of memorizing information (Jin, 2009;

Wetzler, 2001). Students are struggling to dig

information related to the topic discussed per

week/meeting. Thus, the syllabus is also helpful [10]

as a guidance for students in one semester. They

know what to do during their studying in Schools of

Linguistics.

The 17% students who get difficulties in

following the method of cooperative learning are due

to several factors. The answer of the questionnaires

indicates that their English competence and the

schedule regarded infertile is because the class of

Schools of Linguistics is conducted on Friday, 2 p.m.

The weekend class is sometimes avoided by some

students because they mostly go to home town. This

lack of competence in English also reduces the

students’s motivation. The schedule at noon on

Friday is judged of interrupting the time they go back

to their village, especially at the beginning of every

month. It can be seen in the below chart 2.

Figure 2: Causes of Difficulties of Students in Stimulating

the Motivation

84 percent of the students find difficulties in

following the cooperative learning which are caused

by their lack competence of English. They get hard to

understand the information and deliver as well as to

give the ideas in discussion. Thus, silence becomes

their choice. 16 percent is due to the schedule. This

problem would not overcome since the lecturer tries

to remind students that they should go to Andalas

University to study but not going back and forth to

home town. Having personal persuasion is the way

applied to raise their awareness about studying.

Those who have no idea towards the method is

caused by no inner motivation to get knowledge.

These students are those who take Schools of

Linguistics for the second and third time. They were

failed at the first time of taking the course or got small

mark. They then retake for mark revision. The

orientation for mark only brings about they do not

know what to do in class. They just come, sit and

sometimes listen without any understanding.

The description of such above students is

displayed in the following chart 3.

Cooperative Learning as the Method to Stimulate and Motivate Students in Schools of Linguistics Class at English Department Andalas

University

141

Figure 3: Reasons of No Idea toward Cooperative Learning

Method

No inner motivation and retaking students in Schools

of Linguistics are two things that cannot be avoided.

There are small number of students who have no

willingness to choose English Department to study.

The external factor like the urge of their parents or

wrong choice of the department are the common

reasons of these less-inner motivated students.

Commonly, the role of their academic supervisors is

very important. By cooperating with their parents and

friends, such students can keep in being motivated to

enjoy studying at English Department.

Meanwhile, the re-taking students at Schools of

Linguistics are mostly because they get failed (70%)

and want to revise their mark (30%). These re-taking

students are being more senior than the others, tend to

keep their image in front of junior. Thus, in silence or

less active is also becoming their choice.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The institution of Educational Development and

Quality Assurance, thanks for funding the class action

research for Schools of Linguistics course. The

students of English Department of Andalas

University who took Schools of Linguistics, Class B

in 2018, thank you for the participation and responds.

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