52 suggestion that students should write more so that they can practice more. One of
them wrote in the questionnaire “I think students need more tasks in portfolio to improve their
writing skill.” Questionnaire, 2010 Three other students suggested using electronic portfolio E-portfolio.
Thirteen other respondents had other suggestions, for example portfolio should be more interesting so students were not stressful, teacher should give the portfolio
back to the students after their portfolio being assessed, etc. For the detail research result on the open-ended question number 29 will be depicted in table 4.3.
Table 4.3 The Result of the Open-Ended Question Number 29
Question Result
n Example of Respondents’ Answer
What would you
suggest changing
or improving
for the implemen
tation of portfolio
assess- ment in
writing class to
make the assess-
ment effective
No suggestion. It is already good.
11 13,75
I think it’s good enough, so there is no suggest on my mind.
Use more portfolio 5
6,25 I think the use of portfolio must be
increased, so that the students can be a good writer.
Explanation about portfolio itself
4 5
First, the teacher should explain about portfolio what is it for?
More feedback and correction
revision 30
37,5 I suggest that feedback from teacher
must be done and guide them. If there are some mistakes are found,
teacher has to correct well where are the mistakes.
Teacher discuss students’ mistakes
3 3,75
The teacher must give comment about our portfolio assignment and
dicuss the mistake. Provides folder to
keep students’ portfolio
4 5
Get in a folder. Put the date of every portfolio so, we can’t miss one of
them.
Write more 3
3,75 I think students have to be asked to
write more, especially about what they are interested in.
Use E-Portfolio 3
3,75 Using blog is good.
Other answers 13
16,25 Students should help the others more
seriously especially in correting their writing.
Confusing answer 4
5 I need more practicing and reading.
53
4.2 Discussion
This study aims at answering one research problem which is written in Chapter I that is “what is students’ perception toward portfolio assessment in
writing class?” From the close-ended questions, we know that students have positive attitude toward the implementation of portfolio assessment. Table 4.1
shows us that most of the students give positive response to all close-ended questions. They agree with most of the positive statements about portfolio. Only a
few respondents disagree with some statements. Although most of the respondents give positive response to all close-ended
questions by choosing “strongly agree” or “agree”, it still does not prove that students have positive perception toward portfolio. To figure out students’
perception toward the implementation of portfolio assessment in writing class, we need to look up the answer of open-ended questions on the questionnaire. Here are
the thorough analysis and discussion.
4.2.1 Students’ Opinion on the Advantages of Portfolio
In this study, it is found that students consider portfolio beneficial. From all the statements about the advantages of portfolio in the questionnaire, most of
them agreed. Students seem to consider portfolio beneficial. Using portfolio, students can plan their own learning goals. The goals may be varied and be apart
from the teachers’ goals. For example, students plan to improve their writing skill especially on grammar accuracy or they plan to improve their awareness. Then,
students can monitor how far their learning goals have been achieved during the
54 course because portfolio allows students to monitor their progress in writing by
comparing their previous compositions with the best composition. Portfolio also gives opportunity for students to learn from others. They can
learn both from their teacher or friends. In portfolio assessment, students are required to review their friends’ portfolio and give feedback on it. By reviewing
others’ portfolio, students can learn from other. If their friend’s composition is good then students know the example of a good composition, they can use it as an
example but if their friend’s composition still need improvement, then students learn to give feedback and correction on the mistakes. Thus, students also learn to
become more critical. Then, from the feedback and correction given by their teacher or friends,
students know whether they are already good in writing or not. It will motivate them to work harder. If their composition still needs improvement because there
are some mistakes on it, students will be motivate to revise their composition. However, if students’ composition is already good, it will give them self-
confidence and they will be motivated to write more. The more students write, the more they improve their writing skill.
4.2.2 Students’ Opinion on Portfolio as Self-Assessment Tool
In addition to some benefits that portfolio can give for the students, portfolio also promotes self-assessment. Most of the students seem to accept that
portfolio does promote self-assessment. Portfolio not only allows students to receive feedback from their teacher
and friends but it also allows them to give feedback for their own. Students can
55 make a reflection on their learning. Through this reflection, they can identify their
strengths and weaknesses. Being aware of their strengths and weaknesses, like what have been explained implicitly in point 4.2.1, students can plan their own
learning progress – what they have to do in order to make a good progress. Regarding to this explanation, we can say that portfolio also helps students to
develop their strengths and reduce their weaknesses. In brief, portfolio helps students to be autonomous learners because
portfolio allows students to assess themselves, learn from themselves, and improve their own skill.
4.2.3 Students’ Opinion on the Use of Portfolio Assessment
The research result shows students believe that the implementation of portfolio assessment in writing class is good and useful. They reveal the
implementation of portfolio assessment helps them to improve their writing skill because it gives them so many benefits. Here are some benefits of portfolio stated
by the students. 4.2.3.1 Portfolio gives students the opportunity to write more
Unlike in the examination where students can only write a few paragraph with limited time, using portfolio, students feel that they have opportunity to write
more. Portfolio requires students to write various topic and usually the process of writing is happened outside the classroom. Everytime they are asked to write
outside the classroom, students feel that they produce better composition. If they write outside the classroom, students have more time to do the process of writing,
