49 discussion in CLS I. The respondents believed that they have followed all
activities in a group discussion since it was implemented by the lecturer. This means that the respondents perceive that they have worked well to be an active
learner and given the best effort during the group discussion activity in the speaking sessions of CLS I.
From the data analysis, it wa s clear that students’ perceptions on their
effort in group discussion might influce their engagement. Kuh 2009 also defines student engagement as the time and effort students devote to activities that
are empirically linked to desired outcomes of college and what institutions do to induce students to participate in these activities p. 683.
b. Students’ Perceptions on the Purpose of Their Engagement
The majority of literature on student engagement is concerned directly or indirectly with improving student learning. Being engaged in group discussion
might help the students to improve their speaking skills. Coates 2005 states this is fundamental: The concept of student engagement is based on the constructivist
assumption that learning is influenced by how an individual participates in educationally purposeful activities in group discussion p. 26
Table 4.3 Percentage Distribu tion of Students’ Perceptions on the
Purpose of Their Engagement
Statements Percentages Distribution
SD D
A SA
11 76.92
23.07
50
12 7.69
69.23 23.07
Table 4.3 presented the percentage distribution of students’ perceptions on the purpose of their engagement. There are two statements in this part related to
students’ perceptions on the purpose of their engagement. The result of statement number eleven shows that none of the respondents strongly disagreed and
disagreed with the statement. In fact, there were 76.92 20 people of the respondents who agreed and 23.07 6 people of the respondents who strongly
agreed that they could participate well in group discussion in the speaking sessions of CLS I in order to develop their speaking English skills. This means
that 80 of the respondents agreed that they could participate well in group discussion in the speaking sessions of CLS I in order to develop their speaking
English skills. Moreover, statement number twelve results in the fact that none of the
respondents strongly disagreed and only 7.69 2 people of the respondents who disagreed that they were confident enough to deliver their opinions in group
discussion in the speaking sessions of CLS I in order to improve their speaking English skills. However, there were 69.23 18 people who agreed and 23.07
6 people of the respondents who strongly agreed that they were confident enough to deliver their opinions in group discussion in the speaking sessions of
CLS I in order to improve their speaking English skills. Therefore, it can be concluded that 92.3 24 people of the respondents agreed with the statement.
51 The researcher also conducted interviews to the respondents who
disagreed with the statement number twelve. The third interviewees told “When I
join group discussion, I am quite passive and less talked. I feel better to work individually and directly talk in front of the class rather than speaking in a group
discussion ”. The result of this interview showed that the interviewee was not
confident enough to deliver hisher opinions because heshe was a passive student. The interviewee thought that it was better to work individually rather than with
the group. It also would be better for the interviewee to share hisher opinions in front of the class.
Another interviewee stated “I am not used to speaking in English in front of public. I suddenly feel nervous and lose my confidence if I should speak in
English in front of the group members in group discussion. So, it’s better for me
to write down my friends’ opinions because I cannot tell my ideas correctly”. This reason indicated that the interviewee was nervous and not confident to talk in
English in front of hisher friends. Heshe would be better to write h isher friends’
opinions. From the data analyis, most students agreed that they had purpose of their
engagement. Graham et al also state that the centrality of improving student learning through engagement is not a new-fangled idea introduced with the
concept of student engagement, but one with a long history Graham et al, 2007: 233-234. A various body of educational research has shown that academic
achievement is positively influenced by the amount of active participation in the learning process.
52
c. Students’ Perceptions on Their Feelings after Engaging Themselves in
