70 outline via
whatsapp
talking about our topic, who would do this and this and the details. Finally, we compiled our ideas and
edited our own parts.” A9- A2-IA-EFCOM
During the process of creating the group presentation, she felt that she was
helped by her peer and the other way around. For instance, when her peer could not find the video as the medium for their presentation, Ata helped her peer find the
video. Likewise, her peer also helped her when she was confused about finding the examples for her presentation.
“I felt that it was very helpful. It might be because she was because a helpful person as well. For example, at that time, she was not able to find a video
and she asked me to help her find one. In addition, when I was confused about finding examples, she helped me find some and give some ideas for
me.” A9-A8-FtFP Additionally, when sharing or distributing the task or topic, Ata mentioned that her
peer initiated to start working on their project A9-A9- INTV. With her peer’s
initiative, Ata felt eager to start working on the project and they started to share their topic evenly who chose the first material and the second materials based on
their own interest A9-A9-EXIN. Moreover, in terms of sharing of the topic or the materials, Ata were aware that she and her peer had different capabilities. Ata stated
that “In terms of knowledge, perhaps, I was aware of our capability. In which part
we both were strong or good. The main point was we both maximized what we had” A9-A32-DINT. However, in terms of the way presented our part it
might also be different. Perhaps my friend was good at the introduction or the explanation part. Or it could be about the distribution of the topic that we both
liked. A9-A33-ENOP
Having explained about her experience in doing the project in the graduate program, Ata further mentioned that she was happy with her projects. She could
also learn how to appreciate her peer as well as could have the courage to deliver
71 her argument or her opinion A9-A11-APOT. Besides, she felt challenged when
she had to do the group presentations and felt responsible of what she was going to present. Moreover, she also explained that she felt challenged because she needed
to give her best when doing the group presentation as well. A9-A31-RESP “I felt like I own my own happiness. It was because I felt challenged. I tried
to… since we were presenting our presentation, I felt like I was really responsible for it and in charge of everything. So, we had to be responsible
and we had to give the best that we could A9-A31- RESP”.
Through doing projects also, she could maintain her emotional for not being selfish
with her friends. She also told that she could know and understand her friend’s
character better by working together. “Yes, I was not selfish at that time meaning that I could even know my
friend’s character better than before. So, I should be more understanding I guess.” A9-A37-UOCH
At last, not only being more understanding to her friends’ characters, but she also mentioned that when doing her group presentation, she could increase not
only her knowledge, but also her language skills especially her speaking and writing skills. She said that her public speaking skill was well-improved because of doing
a lot of group presentations. She further added that she could present materials for about one hour with various vocabularies. She uttered that
“I could enrich my knowledge. And by doing presentation, I could practice my public speaking skill. So, I could present my presentation for about one
hour since I like speaking. I could also broaden my knowledge and my vocabularies.” A6-A46-LSK
“I felt like I became more fluent both in speaking and writing. I used to stop using English before entering ELS. However, since studying in ELS, I had
to use my English since there were a lot of assignments and presentations requiring the use of English. Automatically, I felt the positive changes in
me.” A6-A48-LSK
72 Conclusively, from Ata’s story, I discovered that doing group presentations
in her BAL and LC classes was her memorable experience when she was in the second semester. She mentioned that when doing the group presentations, she
always worked with her peer together from the beginning until the end of her group presentations. In addition, they also helped each other when finding problems or
difficulties in the process of making their presentations. From her story, I also found that she was happy with her project since she could learn how to appreciate others,
how to understand others, and how to be responsible. Lastly, she also could increase her language skills especially in her speaking and her writing skills.
B. Interpretation of the Participant
s’ Lived Experiences
This section presented the interpretation of graduate students’ lived experiences in writing academic papers. The interpretations, of course, were based
on the findings. Overall, there are six meanings being interpreted in this section and they were divided into two sections, namely 1 pre-figured meanings and 2
emergent meanings. The pre-figured meanings consists of four meanings which were predicted after the pre-understanding of this study. In contrast, the emergent
meanings consisted of two meanings which emerged after the data or texts gathering.
1. Pre-Figured Meanings
The discussion below was bracketed and arranged based on the pre-figured meanings discussed in the theoretical framework. Logically, there were four pre-
figured meanings namely a authentic learning, b learner autonomy, c cooperative learning, and d multiple intelligences.
73
a. Authentic Learning
In project-based learning, authentic learning allows students to experience relevant real-world tasks. By experienci
ng so, it makes the students’ learning more meaningful by connecting their prior knowledge to their current study. I came up
with authentic learning since the concept of project based learning is finding solutions for problems which are close to the real life situation or authentic.
Moreover, Herrington and Herrington 2006, p. 2 added that when students learned in an authentic learning environment, they were involved in motivating and
challenging activities or projects which need collaboration and support. Not only working in a real-word task, the students in an authentic learning
environment could also have real-life roles which are the same as the real world outside the class room and this also requires teamwork, negotiation, and the use of
problem-solving skills. Even though the students seemed to be the main actors in their project-based learning, the teachers or the lecturers in authentic learning
environment, acts as a facilitator to guide the students to reach their learning’s goals by giving support and guidance throughout the learning process.
According to Markham et al. 2003 authentic activities are one of the main features of project based learning as the students have an opportunity to connect to
real world conditions while completing their projects. It also requires authentic situations and practices, for instance, having a communication with people outside
their classroom, using their problem-solving skill, using their teamwork skill, and their critical thinking skill. The students also have an opportunity to use other than
their textbooks, since they need to search and do research or investigation for their
74 projects through the use of other resources such as internet, local community,
advertising materials, and verbal communication in the real world. Dewi, in her interview mentioned that she and her friend was assigned to
design an English course program as well as the materials in PMD course. “At first, we were requested to create an English program A7-D2-RWT.
Then, my friends and I discussed about making English for Specific Purpose ESP or English for Academic Purpose EAP. A7-D2-
COLL.” After Dewi and her friends decided their English program, with the help of their
friend, they chose to go to one of the hotels in Yogyakarta. They sent the cover letter, and conducted the interview to the HRD representative as well as
receptionist. At the end of their observation, they decided to specifically design an English program and create the materials for the receptionists only.
“At that time, we were suggested by our friends to go to one of the hotels in Yogyakarta. We sent a cover letter, and we were welcomed very warmly by
the hotel staff. After that, we conducted interview to the HRD representative as well as to the receptionist. At the end, we decided to specifically design
and create an English program and its materials for the receptionist only.” A7-D2-AS
Not only being engaged in the authentic situation, Dewi and her group also used other resources when doing their PMD projects, especially when creating the
English Materials. She stated that she and her friends used internet in order to find the materials.
“We admitted that it was difficult to find English materials for the receptionist since most of the materials provided are only for general
English. Hence, we used internet to help us find the materials. A7-D2- UOR”
From Dewi’s experience, it could be inferred that Dewi and her friends were involved and engaged in the authentic learning environment where they had to
design an English program for the hotel receptionist. Moreover, she and her friends
75 also did communicate first with people outside their classroom to gain as much
information as possible in order to support their program. In addition, she was also collaborating with her friends in deciding which English program that they were
going to design. At last, Dewi and her friends also realized that the use of other resources such as internet were very helpful in a way that they could find the
materials for the receptionist. Likewise, Evi also shared the same experience as Dewi in a different project.
When she was in the first semester, she was assigned to do research on a selected text in CDA course A8-E4-RWT. Since it was a group project, Evi mentioned that
she and her friends had to discuss first before deciding the text they were going to analyze. Furthermore, they also needed to work together in deciding who would
read the theories consisting of four steps. “My group consisted of four people and we needed to discuss the text first.
Since in CDA there were four steps according to Ferkarl, we also discussed who would read the step A, B, C, and D.” A8-E4-TW-NEGO.
To confirm whether they had correctly analyzed their text, they also did research on the internet to help them strengthen and also support their argument. Evi stated
that “since CDA is subjective, we needed to do research on the internet to make sure that we had correctly analyzed the text. It was also to help us strengthen and
support our argument” A8-E10-UOR. Ata, the third participant, shared differently about her experience in doing
project. Her project was more about doing group presentation in BAL and LC classes. She mentioned that in her BAL and LC classes she did presentation with
her peer. At the first time, both of them searched the materials based on the topic given by their lecturer on their own. In addition, they also needed to arrange the
76 time to meet each other to discuss and develop their topic. When doing the
presentation as well, Ata needed to use video or images to support her presentation with her peer.
“The process was we find our materials, we also needed to find video or images, to support our presentation in class.” A9-A12-UOR
“After that, we needed to arrange our time to meet each other, then we shared our topic what we were going to present. When we both had agreed,
we then develop the topic and prepare the presentation.” A9-A12-TW- NEGO
Based on their individual experiences it can be interpreted that when they were doing their own projects, they had involved in the authentic learning
environment which requires real-world tasks, authentic situation, collaboration, teamwork and negotiation in different ways. It is also in line with what Herrington
and Herrington 2006, p. 2 have previously stated that in authentic learning students are engaged in activities which require collaboration as well as support.
Woo, Herrington, Agostinho, and Reeves 2007 further explain that in authentic learning the students have real-life roles that require teamwork and also negotiation.
Markham 2003 also adds that project based learning invites the students to be involved in the authentic situations such as communication with people outside the
classroom and the students also have their opportunity to use other resources such as internet, local community to help their project.
b. Learner Autonomy
In project-based learning learner autonomy is showed through the project work. The students or the learners are allowed to choose their own topic of the
project and are allowed to be involved in planning and creating their project and the process of learning with support from their teachers. It can be said that the
