Background of the research

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CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

The research investigates the students’ perceptions toward the contribution of group presentation technique in Sociolinguistics and Mass Media Communication Class. This research presents background of the research, problem formulation, problem limitation, objectives of the research, benefits of the research, and definition of the terms.

A. Background of the research

Traditionally, a teacher is the only one who becomes the source of information and the only one who handles the class. A teacher is the center of the learning process. The students do not have roles in learning process because they only sit down and listen to what the teacher explains in class. This traditional method is usually said as a teacher-centered method. Teacher-centered method can be defined as a formal lecture, whereby a teacher stands and talks all the time in front of the learner. In this method, the teacher has a dominant role in class. The learners have a lack of participation in class. Communication in formal teaching is mostly delivering lesson or lecture to the students. Terenzini and Pascarella 1994 in their research as cited by Huba and Freed 2000 : 2 state that teacher-centered methods are not effective or less effective. From the statement, it can be suggested that a change in teacher- centered method of college teaching is needed to enhance students’ learning. Even, Cross 1998 as cited by Huba and Freed 2000: 3 states that the current 2 view in higher education should focus on students’ learning rather than teaching in order to improve students’ college experiences and participation. Nowadays, the condition has been shifted from teacher centered into learner – centered. It could be proved by the condition in which there are some classes in English Education Study Program, Sanata Dharma University which use some technique applying students’ participation in class, for example presentation technique. Burden and Byrd 1994 state that teacher-centered which is considered as formal lecture should be changed into informal. It means that it is better to change the teacher having a dominant to a nondominant role to create the innovative learning methods. Hadi 2007 states that there are some learning methods which belong to classification of learner-centered method. Those are small group discussion, role-play and simulation, case research, discovery learning, self- directed learning, cooperative learning, collaborative learning, contextual learning, project based learning and problem based learning and inquiry. One of the techniques which can increase student’s interaction and play the learners’ dominant role in class is group presentation technique. The relation between group presentation and cooperative learning approach is that learners need to cooperate with other learners in group presentation. It means that group presentation belongs to cooperative learning approach. This group presentation is expected to help the learners become independent learners in class because in this group presentation session, the learners can participate in learning process and interact with other learners. 3 In group presentation, there should be a presenter who presents the materials and the audiences. The audience gains the information from the presenter. In common teaching, the teacher can be said as the speaker because heshe is the main source in transferring the knowledge. According to Hills 1986, the main idea of group session is that “the students should talk”. Nevertheless, a teacher who applies group presentation asks the learners to transfer the knowledge. Also, heshe has a role as the facilitator who will help the learners whenever they need. This group presentation technique has been applied in some courses in English Education Study Program Sanata Dharma University. This research was similar to the research conducted by Hanani 2007. Hanani stated that generally the students of Language Teaching Methodology had positive perception toward the use of group presentation in their class. Nevertheless, the researcher intends to know the contribution of group presentation in other classes. In this case was Sociolinguistics and Mass Media Communication Class which used group presentation technique in class. Moreover, as the researcher experienced in Sociolinguistics class when she was in 6 th semester, group presentation was beneficial for her. The researcher intends to know whether group presentation has contribution or not because the students might not know the contribution of group presentation. This research is aimed at finding out what the students’ perceptions toward the contribution of group presentation technique in Sociolinguistics and Mass Media Communication Class are and possible suggestions toward group presentation to improve its implementation. 4

B. Problem Formulation