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STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS TOWARD THE USE OF CONCEPT MAP IN
LEARNING ENGLISH VOCABULARY
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirement of the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Adrian Christandhi
112013114
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS
UNIVERSITAS KRISTEN SATYA WACANA
SALATIGA
2017
STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS TOWARD THE USE OF CONCEPT MAP IN
LEARNING ENGLISH VOCABULARY
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirement of the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Adrian Christandhi
112013114
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS
UNIVERSITAS KRISTEN SATYA WACANA
SALATIGA
2017
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COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
This thesis contains no such material as has been submitted for examination in any course
or accepted for the fulfillment of any degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my
knowledge and belief, this contains no material previously published or written by any other
person except where due reference is made in the text.
Copyright @2017: Adrian Christandhi and Dra. Martha Nandari, M.A
All rights reserved. No part of this thesis may be reproduced by any means without the
prior written permission of at least one of the copyright owners or the English Language
Education Program of Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana, Salatiga.
Adrian Christandhi
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Table of Contents
COVER PAGE............................................................................................................................................... i
PERNYATAAN TIDAK PLAGIAT ........................................................................................................... iii
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN AKSES ................................................................................................ iv
APPROVAL SHEET .................................................................................................................................... v
PUBLICATION AGREEMENT DECLARATION .................................................................................... vi
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ..................................................................................................................... vii
TABLE OF CONTENT ............................................................................................................................. viii
STUDENTS‟ PERCEPTIONS TOWARD THE USE OF CONCEPT MAP IN LEARNING ENGLISH
VOCABULARY ........................................................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 1
LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................................................... 2
Language Learning .............................................................................................................................. 2
Definition of Perception ........................................................................................................................ 3
Concept Map ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Vocabulary ............................................................................................................................................ 8
PREVIOUS STUDY ................................................................................................................................. 9
THE STUDY .......................................................................................................................................... 10
Research Question .............................................................................................................................. 10
Context ................................................................................................................................................ 10
Participants.......................................................................................................................................... 11
Data Collection Instrument ................................................................................................................. 11
Data Collection Procedure .................................................................................................................. 12
Data Analysis ...................................................................................................................................... 13
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS.......................................................................................................... 13
CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................................... 20
ACKNOWLEGEMENT ......................................................................................................................... 22
REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................... 23
Appendix I .............................................................................................................................................. 25
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Students’ Perceptions Toward the Use of Concept Map in Learning
English Vocabulary
Adrian Christandhi
11203114
Abstract
The concept map is a visual technique which can be used to help the students learn English vocabulary.
This study aims to find out students‟ perceptions toward the use of the concept map in learning English
vocabulary. The quantitative methodology with a questionnaire was used in this study. The experiment
was conducted in SMK Negeri 1 Salatiga and the questionnaire was distributed to 25 students of X Boga
1 class. The result shows positive responses in which students that learning using the concept map was
easier, clearer and more interesting. It also shows that the use of concept map improves brainstorming
skill and does not take a lot of notes. On the other hand, the use of concept map requires a lot of time both
in using and creating one. Another weakness of using the concept map is that it lacks of team work.
Keywords: Students’ perception, the concept map, English vocabulary
Introduction
In this era, English is an important language because it is used for international
communication. The English language has been taught in secondary schools as a compulsory
subject. Unfortunately, some people find it hard to learn English. In order to solve this problem,
some linguists have developed some techniques which make it easier to learn English. Using
concept map is one of them. Concept map is a visual technique which divides a significant topic
or information into several parts of diagram which are related to each other. According to
Sutrisno and Kartono (2007) as cited in Prayogung (2014, p. 13), “concept map is a visual
technique to show the information structure in how the concepts in certain domain are
connected.” Prayogung (2014) in her study found how the use of concept map affected on
students‟ achievement on English exercises. She compared the result of students‟ minimum
requirement for graduation before and after the concept map was applied. The result showed that
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most of the students were able to pass the minimum requirement for graduation after she applied
the concept map in the lesson.
It seems that the students were helped a lot when concept map techniques were applied.
As an English teacher to be, the author wondered if the same technique could be useful for
learning English vocabulary. The author did his teaching practicum in Sekolah Menengah
Kejuruan Negeri 1 Salatiga (State Vocational School 1, Salatiga), the writer observed that the
students had difficulties in learning vocabulary in the English class. So the writer was interested
in finding the perceptions of students of SMK Negeri 1 Salatiga towards the use of concept map
techniques in learning English vocabulary. The research question of this study is; what are the
SMKN 1 Salatiga students‟ perceptions toward concept map in learning English vocabulary?
The finding of this research hopefully will give more insights to teachers of English about
what aspects of vocabulary learning the students find most useful, or less useful when the
concept map techniques are used. Such knowledge may become a useful consideration for
teachers to be able to apply concept map techniques in the appropriate situation.
Literature Review
Language Learning
Language is the most important tool in communication. Moeller and Catalano (2015, p.
327) say that “language is the vehicle required for effective human to human interactions and
yields a better understanding of one‟s own language and culture.” However, language can be
mastered through „learning‟. Learning is the acquisition of knowledge or skills through
experience, study, or by being taught. Yule (2006) as cited in Fu (2009, p. 7) said that “the term
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learning is related to the conscious process of accumulating knowledge of the vocabulary and
grammar of language.”
In language learning, there are four skills which need to be focused on: speaking, writing,
reading, and listening. These four skills are important to master languages, especially in learning
a foreign language. Besides these four skills, there are language components that are important as
the four skills: vocabulary and grammar. Some people say that these language components can
be a bridge to master a language rather than focusing on the four skills. However, some people
also argue that the four skills is the main things to master a language. In this time, people who
are learning languages especially foreign languages, have to find an easy way to master a foreign
language. The concept maps are said to be an alternative tool in learning language in an easy
way.
Definition of Perception
Perception is about how we see on things or our opinion on things. Angell (1906, p. 122)
defines the perception as “the consciousness of particular material things present to sense.”
Relating to Angell‟s definition before, the “things” can refer to the concept map itself which the
learners will sense as a visual sense with the help from their teacher.
Concept Map
A concept map is a visual technique which displays relationship between one concept to
others to organize and structure a topic or specific information. Concept map has many
definitions which come from some researchers. According to Sutrisno and Kartono (2007) as
cited in Prayogung (2014, p. 13), the researchers from Indonesia said that “concept map is a
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visual technique to show the information structure in how the concepts in certain domain are
connected.” In other words, a concept map is a tool which spells out the structure of an
information or a topic into several parts which are related. Another definition of a concept map
comes from Buzzetto-More (2007) as cited in Nada (2008, p. 59) who said that “Concepts are
usually depicted by circles or boxes, forming the nods of the new work by labeled links.” Novak
and Canas (2006, p. 1) see that “concept maps are graphical tools for organizing and representing
knowledge.” Concept maps are usually used for brain-storming ideas, and concept maps can also
be used to stimulate the generation of ideas.
The technique of the concept map was first developed by Joseph D. Novak in 1970s to
represent the emerging science knowledge of students. Novak‟s work was based on the theories
of David Ausubel, who stressed that the meaningful learning takes place when new knowledge is
consciously incorporated into the concepts and ideas previously acquired by the learner (Clark
and James, 2004, p. 224). Novak started by teaching his six-year-old students to make concept
maps based on the focus questions such as “What is water?” “What causes the seasons?”
In teaching English, the concept maps have been used in different ways to build an
effective learning and teaching. Affana and Al Khozendar (2007) as cited in Nada (2008
suggested some steps in using concept maps for the teachers in order to have an effective
learning and teaching:
1. A teacher tells their learners about the item or the subject that he is going to teach with
identification for the main concepts in the lesson.
2. A teacher identifies the sub concepts which are in relation to the main one. Teachers can
write them on the board to give the learners a chance to know them.
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3. A teacher finds key words or link-words between the sub-concepts in order to make a
meaningful relation between these concepts.
4. A teacher organizes the concepts in a pyramid form and put the link-words on the arrow.
5. A teacher explains the sub-concepts by giving examples, so that teacher can transfer his
students from main concepts at the top of the map to subordinate at the bottom.
6. A teacher asks learners to make concept maps in the subject matter either individually or
groups.
From Affana and Al Khozendar suggestions before, English teachers may as well
understand how to apply concept maps to create an effective learning and teaching. During the
learning process using concept maps, there are three ways which can be used. Al Hwidi (2005)
as cited in Nada (2008, p. 64) has suggested:
1. Pre-teaching: The teacher can survey the concept maps in front of the students as an
advanced organizer, either by drawing the map on the board or by using the overhead
projector.
2. During-teaching: Learners may use concept maps during-learning, when teacher copies
the map and gives everyone a copy to benefit from.
3. Post-teaching: Teacher can ask individuals or groups of learners to build up concept maps
for the lesson or for the unit, and then teacher checks it to know the places of weakness
and the places of strength to help them to overcome the weakness later.
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Moreover, there were some researchers who mentioned some reasons in using concept
maps in English learning. Pill and et. Al (2005) as cited in Nada (2008, p. 66) mentioned some
reasons:
1. Facilitate the development of self-directed learning within which conceptual and
prepositional relationships can be reflectively and critically explored.
2. Enhance problem-solving practically in the context of acquisition and sequencing of the
new information.
3. Aid the development of deep meaningful teaching moving towards critical thinking rather
than more surface approaches.
4. Have potential value in assessment during students‟ learning journey.
Fitzgeraled (1999) as cited in Nada also added some reasons for using concept maps:
5. Generate ideas.
6. Design complex structure.
7. Communicate complex ideas.
8. Aid learning by explicitly integrating new and old knowledge.
9. Assess understanding or diagnose misunderstanding.
The use of concept maps in English learning has encouraged some researchers to
investigate how concept maps help in English learning. It causes different opinion whether using
concept map can be helpful or not for both learners and teachers in English learning process. The
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concept map itself can help students in the way they receive and understand the material, and as
for the teachers it can help them in how they deliver the material. In order to know whether
concept maps are helpful or not, some researchers in their study mentioned the advantages and
disadvantages of concept maps. Researcher Ellis (2001) as cited in Burdiana (2015, p. 31) stated
that “the traditional concept maps make the learning process easier and help students separate the
most important information from what is not essential.” Fitzgeraled (1999) as cited in Nada
(2008, p. 67) mentioned some certain advantages in using concept maps:
1. Visual symbols are quickly and easily recognized.
2. Minimum use of text makes it easy to scan for a word, phrase or general idea.
3. Visual representation allows for development of holistic understanding that words alone
can‟t convey.
Other advantages of concept maps came from Ruiz-Primo (2005, p. 28) who sees concept
maps may give students an opportunity to:
1. Think about the connection between the terms being learned.
2. Organize their thoughts and visualize the relationship between the key concepts in
semantic way.
3. Reflect on their understanding. In sum concept maps allow to think deeply about the
content by helping them to better understand and organize what they learned.
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Despite of the advantages of the use of concept maps in English learning, there are some
disadvantages which came along. Prayogung (2014, p. 15) in her research found some
disadvantages of concept maps during the learning process. She found that:
1. Using concept maps lack of cooperation between the learners.
2. It takes lot of times to make and arrange the concept maps.
3. It is difficult to find words which relate one concept with another concept.
Davies (2010, p. 4) also added the disadvantages of the concept map in the study which
he conducted:
1. The types of links being made are limited to simple associations.
2. It is also limited in dealing with more complex relationship.
3. Concept map requires some expertise to learn.
Vocabulary
In learning second language or foreign language, vocabulary is one of essential parts
which need to be learned, especially in English. Vocabulary plays a role in the language learning
process, as Cameron (2001) as cited in Alqahtani (2015, p. 22) stated that “vocabulary, as one of
the knowledge areas in language, plays a great role for learners in acquiring a language.” Vocabulary is very essential when it comes in second language learning, because vocabulary is a
basic skill to learn second language and without establishing a strong vocabulary base first,
comprehension and the use of a language could not be achieved. Then, when a person is able to
recognize and use words in different contexts, speak, write, and also pronounce them, the person
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has the knowledge and meaning of those words. Vocabulary is commonly described as all the
words known and used by a particular person. There are definitions of vocabulary which come
from some researchers. Nation (2001) as cited in Alqahtani (2015, p. 22) defined that
“vocabulary knowledge implies knowing a word in the spoken form of the word and the spoken
form can be recognized and understood in and out of the context rather than guessed at.” Other
definition comes from Henriksen (1996) as cited in Waring (2002, p. 3) who stated that
“vocabulary knowledge is often defined as precise comprehension which is operationalized as
the ability to translate the lexical items into L1, the ability to find the right definition in a
multiple-choice task, or the ability to give a target language paraphrase.” From Nation and
Henriksen, it can be assumed that vocabulary requires the learners in second language learning to
react to words without taking so much time to think about the words and they just need to use the
words naturally and appropriately.
Previous Studies
The previous study which conducted by Prayogung (2014) found a significant
improvement among students when using a concept map. In her study which was conducted in
SD Negeri Tegalrejo 04, she observed 38 students as the participants. Her study‟s purpose was to
analyze the students‟ understanding on material given using the concept map and compare the
students‟ result on the minimum requirement for graduation. Before the concept map was used,
26 of 38 students were able to pass the minimum requirement for graduation, however 12
students were not. After the concept map was applied in the learning process, it showed
significant improvement from students. Thirty eight students that became the participants were
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able to pass the minimum requirement for graduation after they learned using the concept map
technique.
Another previous study came from Nada (2008) who researched on the effects of the
concept map in English grammar. Nada‟s study was to find out how the concept map affected on
achieving the English grammar. The study was conducted in UNRWA schools in Gaza
governorate. The participants in Nada‟s study were all of ninth grader students, which were 226
students. In his research, Nada found that using concept map in English grammar helped students
a lot. He found that the concept map provided the students with a better learning environment
that reflects on their learning to English grammar. The concept map also stimulated the students
toward an independent practice of English language.
The Study
Research Question
“What are the SMKN 1 Salatiga students‟ perceptions toward the use of concept map in learning
English vocabulary?”
Context
The study was conducted in SMK Negeri 1 Salatiga. It is one of the teaching practicum
sites for teaching practicum course in the Faculty of Language and Arts. SMK Negeri 1 Salatiga
has 3 English teachers there. Each 3 English teachers already have their own job, 1 teacher
should teach the first grader students, and the others is teaching 2nd and 3rd grader. The students
of SMK Negeri 1 had different achievements and capabilities in learning English. Some of them
were able to learn English fast and some of them are not.
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Participants
The participants in this study were the first grader students of SMK Negeri 1 Salatiga.
Their age was around 14 and 15 years old. The participants were 25 students from one of the
course programs in SMK Negeri 1, which is X Boga 1. The first grader was chosen to make them
feel new experience in learning English using concept map. It is also to make them know how to
learn English in different style and an easy way.
Data Collection Instrument
The data in this study were collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaire used was a
close-ended question, with 16 questions and five options on each question. The options were:
Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Hesitant (H), Disagree (D), and Strongly Disagree (SD). The
questions in the questionnaire were adapted based from the theories and opinions of the experts.
The experts were Nada (2008), Prayogung (2014), Davies (2017), and other researchers. The
questionnaire was:
Table 1. Questionnaire sheet
Answer
No
Statement
SA
1.
Learning English language is easier using the concept map
2.
Learning English vocabulary is easier using the concept map
3.
It is easier to remember English vocabulary using the concept map
4.
Learning vocabulary English is clearer using the concept map
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A
H
D
SD
5.
The use of concept map can enrich the English vocabulary
6.
The use of concept map makes the English vocabulary learning
interesting
7.
The use of concept map takes a lot of time
8.
The use of concept map finds vocabulary more specific
9.
The concept map is difficult to understand
10.
The concept map making process is complicated
11.
The concept map making process improves brainstorming skill/deep
thinking
12.
The concept map making process improves creativity
13.
The concept map making process takes a lot of time
14.
The use of concept map does not take a lot of note
15.
The use of concept map lacks of team work (individual)
16.
It is difficult to find words related to each other in the concept map
making process
Data Collection Procedure
The data collection began with the teaching section for X Boga 1 students about
„describing people‟. The students of Boga 1 had not been encountered the English lesson using
the concept map since they were new students of SMKN 1 Salatiga and they never had it in their
junior high school. The class session took about 45 minutes and began with the explanation of
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the grammar context was explained by showing the students the structures of the sentence, for
example: S + have/has + O. After that, the students moved to vocabulary section using a concept
map technique. A picture of simple a concept map which was related to the material was shown
to the students. The students were also given exercises to make a simple concept map which
described a person. After the teaching section was nearly over, the questionnaire was distributed
to the whole X BO 1 class, and the students were asked to fill in the questionnaire.
Data Analysis
The data were analyzed using percentages. The data were of the students‟ answers who
chose the options „strongly agree, agree, hesitant, disagree, strongly disagree‟ in the 16
statements were counted and put in percentages. Then, each statement was analyzed to see which
one has the biggest percentage. The percentages were used to answer the research question “what
are the students‟ perceptions toward concept map in learning English vocabulary?”
Finding and Discussion
The aim of this study is to find out the students‟ perception toward the use of concept
map in English vocabulary learning. The questionnaire consists of 16 statements. Based on the
students‟ answers on the questionnaire, the percentage of each answer category was put in
percentage for each statement. The result of the percentage is explained in the table as the
following.
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Table 2. The percentages of the questionnaire result
Answer
No
Statements
SA
A
SS
D
SD
1.
Learning English language is easier using the concept map
28% 60% 12%
-
-
2.
Learning English vocabulary is easier using the concept map
28% 64%
8%
-
-
3.
It is easier to remember English vocabulary using the concept
76% 16%
-
-
-
-
map
8%
4.
Learning vocabulary English is clearer using the concept map
20% 80%
5.
The use of concept map can enrich the English vocabulary
12% 48% 40%
-
-
6.
The use of concept map makes the English vocabulary learning
8%
64% 28%
-
-
interesting
-
7.
The use of concept map takes a lot of time
24% 64% 28%
-
-
8.
The use of concept map finds vocabulary more specific
40% 48% 12%
-
-
9.
The concept map is difficult to understand
8%
24% 36% 32%
-
10.
The concept map making process is complicated
4%
24% 40% 32%
-
11.
The concept map making process improves brainstorming
skill/deep thinking
12% 88%
-
56% 40% 32%
-
12.
The concept map making process improves creativity
13.
The concept map making process takes a lot of time
12% 76%
4%
8%
-
14.
The use of concept map does not take a lot of note
44% 44%
8%
4%
-
15.
The use of concept map lacks of team work (individual)
36% 56%
4%
4%
-
14
-
-
-
16.
It is difficult to find words related to each other in the concept
map making process
12% 36% 36% 16%
Generally, the results show positive responses towards the use of concept maps in the
English vocabulary learning matter. The students gave positive responses that the concept map
can make English vocabulary learning easier. The students also agreed to some statements in
questionnaire, such as concept map enriched vocabularies, made the learning process interesting,
improved brainstorming and creativity. The students also agreed to the negative statements of the
concept map that it took a lot of time and also it lacked on the team work.
The table above shows the percentages of the students‟ perception on the 16 statements in
the questionnaire. On item 1, the students showed positive opinions on „learning English using
concept map is easier‟ statement. There were 28% of the students that strongly agreed and 60%
of them agreed while 12% of them were unsure of their opinions and chose the option „hesitant‟.
The purpose of the item 1 was to know whether the students find it easy or not when learning
English using the concept map. According to the result, it showed that the concept map could be
an alternative teaching method to make the students be able to learn English easier. It was also in
line with Ellis‟ (2001) statement that “the concept maps make the learning process easier and
help students separate the most important information.”
On the item 2, there were 28% of the students that strongly agreed and 64% agreed on
„learning English vocabulary is easier using the concept map‟ statement while 8% of them were
unsure and chose the option „hesitant‟. Based on the result, it showed that the majority of the
students agreed that using concept map made learning vocabulary easier. Learning vocabulary is
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simply learning words in language. By using the concept map, the students were able to scan for
words and learned or remembered vocabulary easily, because in general the concept map is a set
of diagram which connects with each other. The result matched with Fitzgeraled‟s (1999)
opinion that “minimum use of text makes it easy to scan for word, phrases, or general idea.”
From the result of item 3, the students gave positive response on „it is easier to remember
English vocabulary using the concept map‟ statement. There were 8% of the students that
strongly agreed, 76% agreed and the rest 16% of them chose “hesitant”. The concept map can be
seen as a diagram because it contains circles or boxes which link to each other as Buzzetto-More
said. According to Davies (2017, p. 3), “it is easier to remember a diagram than to remember a
description.” It meant that the use of concept map helped the students to remember words or
vocabulary easier.
Meanwhile on item 4, there were 20% of the students that strongly agreed and 80%
agreed on „learning English vocabulary is clear using the concept map‟ statement. From the
result, it showed that all students agreed on how the concept map made the learning English
vocabulary process become easier. Fitzgeraled (1999) said that “visual symbols are quickly and
easily recognized.” Based from Fitzgeraled‟s opinion, the concept map which categorized as a
visual technique makes the students recognize and remember vocabulary easily. So, it also
affected on the learning process that made the concept map became clearer.
On item 5 (the use of concept map can enrich the English vocabulary); there were 12% of
the students that strongly agreed, 48% agreed, and 40% of them were not unsure and chose
“hesitant” as their response. From the result, most of the students agreed that using concept map
helped them in enriching their vocabulary. Item 5 was aiming to know the students‟ perceptions
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on how the concept map worked in enriching their vocabulary. Fortunately, the students showed
positive responses that the concept map could aid them to enrich their vocabulary.
On the item 6, the students gave positive opinion on „the use of concept map makes the
English vocabulary learning interesting‟ statement. There were 8% of the students that strongly
agreed, 64% agreed, and the rest 28% of them were unsure. According to Ur (1984, p. 30),
“visual have an important function as aids to learning simply because they attract student‟s
attention and help encourage them to focus on the subject.” This showed that the concept map
which is categorized as a visual technique made the learning process interesting for the students,
as Ur said that visual intrigued the students to focus on it.
On item 7 (the use of concept map takes a lot of time), 24% of the students chose the
option strongly agreed while 64% agreed and 12% were unsure. Item 7 is quite similar with item
13 (the concept map making process takes a lot of time). On item 13, there were 12% of the
students that strongly agreed, 76% agreed, 4% were unsure and chose the option “hesitant”, and
8% of them disagreed. On both item 7 and item 13, most of the students agreed with those
statements that the use of concept map in learning took a lot of time in using concept map as a
visual tool technique and the making process. This is one of the disadvantages from the concept
map, and it matched with Prayogung‟s study (2014) “it takes lot of times to make and arrange the
concept maps.”
On item 8 (the use of concept map finds vocabulary more detail), the result was 40% of
the students strongly agreed and 48% agreed while 12% chose “hesitant”. Learning vocabulary
using concept map affects on how the material that is being delivered. The concept map is a
complex structures which contain ideas or topics that connect to each other. Fitzgeraled (1999)
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mentioned that concept map “designs complex structures” in his research. By using the concept
map, teachers should be able to make a complex structure of concept map so that the students
could understand it in detail.
The purpose of item 9 (the concept map is difficult to understand) to make sure whether
the students find the use of concept map in vocabulary learning easy or not. Item 9 was a contrast
statement with item 1. However, the result between item 1 and item 9 is different. On item 9,
there were 8% strongly agreed, 24% agreed, and 36% chose hesitant while 32% of them
disagreed. The results between both options agree and disagree were same, they are 32%. This
showed that some students thought the concept map was difficult to understand and some
thought that it was not difficult. Though, 36% of the students seemed to confuse and ended up to
be neutral and chose the option hesitant.
On item 10 (the concept map making process is complicated); the result was 4% of the
students strongly agreed, 24% agreed, and 40% hesitant, while 32% of them disagreed. The aim
of the item 10 was to know the students‟ opinions whether the use of concept map was
complicated or not. Based from the result, most of the students were neutral while less than 30%
agreed. This showed that some students thought the concept map was complicated and some
found it was not complicated.
The students‟ perceptions on item 11 were really positive. All of them agreed that the
concept map making process improves brainstorming skill/deep thinking. The result in detail was
12% of the students strongly agreed and 88% agreed. The result was similar with Ruiz-Primo‟s
(2005) claimed that “in sum concept maps allow to think deeply about the content by helping
them to better understand and organize what they learned.”
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On the item 12 (the concept map making process improves creativity), more than 50% of
the students agreed. There were 56% of the students agreed and 40% of the students unsure
while 4% of them disagreed. The result on item 12 went along with the experts‟ opinion that
“when mind mapping is used in the classroom, it offers an opportunity to have an extremely
interactive and dynamic classroom. This technique allows for creativity to flow from the students
(Dell, B., Garrick, R., Romanowski, C., Slifka, M., 2017).” This showed that the concept map
did not only focus in aiding the language learning process, but also could improve the students‟
creativity.
On item 14 (the use of concept map does not take a lot of note), almost all of the students
agreed. 44% agreed while 8% were unsure and chose the option “hesitant”, and 4% of them
disagreed. Because of the concept map that contains of circle or boxes which link each other, the
concept map does not need too much note taking. Fitzgeraled (1999) mentioned that “minimum
use of text makes it easy to scan for a word, phrase or general idea.”
On item 15 (the use of concept map lacks of team work), 36% of the students strongly
agreed, 56% agreed, 4% hesitant, and 4% disagreed. Most of the students agreed that the use of
concept map applied individual work in the learning process. This in line with Prayogung‟s
(2014) research that found that in the use concept maps lack of cooperation between the learners.
On item 16 (it is difficult to find words related to each other in the concept map making
process), the percentage results among 5 options were similar. There were 12% of the students
strongly agreed and 16% disagreed. However, both agreed and hesitant options had the same
result, which is 36%. If the option between strongly agree and agree are summed up, the result
was less than 50%. So it could be said that the students‟ perception on item 16 was neutral. Some
19
of them thought that it was difficult to find related words, just as Prayogung (2014) said that “it
is difficult to find words which relate one concept with another concept.” Although, some of the
students also thought that it was not difficult to find words which linked to another.
Conclusion
The purpose of this study is to find out the students‟ perceptions toward the use of
concept map in learning English vocabulary. The result shows that the students agreed on matter
how the concept map aids in the learning process that concept map makes the learning process
easier, clearer, and more interesting. The students also showed positive response on matter that
the concept maps improve students‟ side skills, such as in brainstorming and creativity. It also
shows that the use of concept map enriches the students‟ vocabularies, improves brainstorming
skill, and does not take a lot of note. On matter of the disadvantages of the concept map, most of
the students agreed on that, such as the concept map takes a lot of time both in the using and
creating one. It also shows that the use of concept map in English learning lacks of teamwork
among the students. Based from the result above, the students showed positive responses to the
use of concept map even though it is their first time to learn vocabulary using concept map. From
the finding, the author hopes that the readers will get to know about the use of concept map and
its effectiveness on learning. This suggestion is best delivered to English teachers who want to
apply the concept map techniques. This study limits only in the vocabulary knowledge and in the
SMKN 1 Salatiga range, and it will have different result when this study conducted on different
context other than vocabulary and different schools or level. For further research, the author
invites any researcher who wants to conduct a research in the same topic but in different contexts
20
in different levels of school. It may also be useful to do a research to find out the teachers‟
perceptions instead of students‟ on this topic area.
21
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, I am grateful to the God Almighty for giving me a good health and
opportunity that were necessary to complete this thesis. I wish to express my sincere thanks to
my thesis supervisor, Mrs. Nandari, for providing me with all the continuous support and useful
suggestions for the research. I also wish to give my sincere thanks to my thesis examiner, Mrs.
Murtisari, for the constructive critics for my research. I am also grateful to my parents, my sister
and also my partner, Devy Helenova Christy, who supported me through this journey of the
research. I also wish to express my gratitude to my friends Reza Azka Fachrusy, Febri Dhany,
Kristian Nugraha Arditanoyo, Timothy Ananda Gusti, Alif Septian, and Hieronimus Adi, who
have been a great help in suppoting me along in this journey.
22
References
Alqahtani, M. (2015). The importance of vocabulary in language learning and how to be taught.
International Journal of Teaching and Education, 3(3), 21-34.
Angell, J. R. (1906). Psychology: An Introductory Study of The Structure and Function of
Human Conscious. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 122-140.
Burdiana, M. (2016). Rethinking the use of concept maps in introductory economics courses.
Journal of Economics and Economics Education Research, 16(1), 31-41.
Clark, I. F. & James, P. R. (2004). Using concept maps to plan an introductory structural geology
course. Journal of Geoscience Education, 52(3), 224-230.
Davies, W. M. (2017). Concept mapping, mind mapping,and argument mapping: what are the
differences and do they matter?. The University of Melbourne, Australia, 1-18.
Dell, B., Garrick, R., Romanowski, C., Slifka, M. (2017). Using mind mapping to influence
creativity and innovation. Rochester Institute of Technology,1-9.
Fu, Jie. (2009). A study of learning styles, teaching styles, and vocabulary teaching strategies in
Chinese primary school. Kristianstad University College The School of Teacher
Education English IV, 1-50.
Lee, Y. (2013). Collaborative concept map as a pre-writing strategy for L2 learning: A Korean
application. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 3(2), 254258.
Moeller, A. J., & Catalano, T. (2015). Foreign language teaching and learning. International
Encyclopedia for Social and Behavioral Sciences 2 nd Edition (9), 327-332.
Nada, M. K. A. (2008). The effect of using concept maps on achieving English grammar among
ninth graders in Gaza Governorate. The Islamic University – Gaza, 1-130.
Novak, J. D, & Canas, A. J. (2006). The theory underlying concept maps and how to contruct
them. Institute for Human and Machine Cognition.
Prayogung, W. R. (2014). Peningkatan keaktifan dan hasil belajar IPA melalui strategi
pembelajaran peta konsep pajangan (concept map display) bagi siswa kelas III SDN
Tegalrejo 04 Salatiga semester II tahun 2013/2014. Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana.
23
Ruiz-Primo, M. A. (2000). On the use of concept maps as an assessment tool in science: what we
have learned so far. Revista Electŕnica De Investigacίn Educativa, 12(1), 29-48.
Ur, Penny. (1948). Teaching listening comprehension . Cambridge:Cambridge University Press.
Waring, R. (2002). Scales of vocabulary knowledge in second language vocabulary assessment.
The Occasional Papers of Notre Dame Seishin,1-17.
Zacharias, N. T. (2013). Research made simple: A course book for beginning researchers in
second language education. Indonesia.
24
Appendix 1
Questionnaire Sheet
Mohon kesediaan saudara untuk mengisi angket yang telah kami sediakan sebagai istrumen
penelitian. Angket ini ditujukan untuk melakukan penelitian tentang bagaimana persepsi murid
terhadap pembelajaran vocabulary inggris menggunakan peta konsep. Pengisian instrument
penelitian ini tidak akan berpengaruh pada nilai anda. Data yang kami peroleh digunakan
sepenuhnya untuk penelitian ilmiah. Mohon kepada adik-adik untuk mengisi sesuai dengan
keadaan yang sebenarnya dan sesuai dengan petunjuk. Terimakasih.
Kelas
:
Umur
:
Jenis Kelamin : Laki-laki / perempuan
Berilah tanda centang pada jawaban sesuai dengan pendapat anda.
Keterangan:
SS: Sangat Setuju
S: Setuju
RG: Ragu-ragu
TS: Tidak Setuju
STS: Sangat Tidak Setuju
Jawaban
No
Pertanyaan
SS
1.
Pembelajaran bahasa Inggris menggunakan peta konsep memudahkan
dalam proses belajar.
2.
Pembelajaran vocabulary Inggris menggunakan peta konsep menjadi
lebih mudah.
25
S
RG TS STS
3.
Penggunanan peta konsep memudahkan dalam mengingat vocabulary
dalam bahasa Inggris.
4.
Penggunaan peta konsep membuat pembelajaran vocabulary menjadi
lebih jelas.
5.
Pengunaan peta konsep dapat memperkaya vocabulary Inggris.
6.
Penggunaan peta konsep menjadikan pembelajaran vocabulary Inggris
menjadi menarik.
7.
Penggunaan peta konsep memakan waktu dalam proses belajar.
8.
Mencari vocabulary menggunakan peta konsep menjadi lebih detail /
lebih terperinci.
9.
Peta konsep sulit untuk dipahami.
10.
Proses pembuatan peta konsep rumit.
11.
Proses pembuatan peta konsep membuat berpikir secara dalam
(mencari ide/brainstorm).
12.
Proses pembuatan peta konsep membuat lebih kreatif.
13.
Proses pembuatan peta konsep memakan banyak waktu.
14.
Penggunaan peta konsep tidak perlu banyak mencatat.
15.
Penggunaan peta konsep kurang menerapkan kerja di dalam kelompok
(individu).
16.
Sulit untuk menemukan kata - kata yang berhubungan satu sama lain
dalam pembuatan peta konsep.
26
LEARNING ENGLISH VOCABULARY
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirement of the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Adrian Christandhi
112013114
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS
UNIVERSITAS KRISTEN SATYA WACANA
SALATIGA
2017
STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS TOWARD THE USE OF CONCEPT MAP IN
LEARNING ENGLISH VOCABULARY
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirement of the Degree of
Sarjana Pendidikan
Adrian Christandhi
112013114
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION PROGRAM
FACULTY OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS
UNIVERSITAS KRISTEN SATYA WACANA
SALATIGA
2017
ii
iii
iv
v
vi
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT
This thesis contains no such material as has been submitted for examination in any course
or accepted for the fulfillment of any degree or diploma in any university. To the best of my
knowledge and belief, this contains no material previously published or written by any other
person except where due reference is made in the text.
Copyright @2017: Adrian Christandhi and Dra. Martha Nandari, M.A
All rights reserved. No part of this thesis may be reproduced by any means without the
prior written permission of at least one of the copyright owners or the English Language
Education Program of Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana, Salatiga.
Adrian Christandhi
vii
Table of Contents
COVER PAGE............................................................................................................................................... i
PERNYATAAN TIDAK PLAGIAT ........................................................................................................... iii
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN AKSES ................................................................................................ iv
APPROVAL SHEET .................................................................................................................................... v
PUBLICATION AGREEMENT DECLARATION .................................................................................... vi
COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ..................................................................................................................... vii
TABLE OF CONTENT ............................................................................................................................. viii
STUDENTS‟ PERCEPTIONS TOWARD THE USE OF CONCEPT MAP IN LEARNING ENGLISH
VOCABULARY ........................................................................................................................................... 1
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 1
LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................................................... 2
Language Learning .............................................................................................................................. 2
Definition of Perception ........................................................................................................................ 3
Concept Map ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Vocabulary ............................................................................................................................................ 8
PREVIOUS STUDY ................................................................................................................................. 9
THE STUDY .......................................................................................................................................... 10
Research Question .............................................................................................................................. 10
Context ................................................................................................................................................ 10
Participants.......................................................................................................................................... 11
Data Collection Instrument ................................................................................................................. 11
Data Collection Procedure .................................................................................................................. 12
Data Analysis ...................................................................................................................................... 13
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS.......................................................................................................... 13
CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................................... 20
ACKNOWLEGEMENT ......................................................................................................................... 22
REFERENCES ....................................................................................................................................... 23
Appendix I .............................................................................................................................................. 25
viii
Students’ Perceptions Toward the Use of Concept Map in Learning
English Vocabulary
Adrian Christandhi
11203114
Abstract
The concept map is a visual technique which can be used to help the students learn English vocabulary.
This study aims to find out students‟ perceptions toward the use of the concept map in learning English
vocabulary. The quantitative methodology with a questionnaire was used in this study. The experiment
was conducted in SMK Negeri 1 Salatiga and the questionnaire was distributed to 25 students of X Boga
1 class. The result shows positive responses in which students that learning using the concept map was
easier, clearer and more interesting. It also shows that the use of concept map improves brainstorming
skill and does not take a lot of notes. On the other hand, the use of concept map requires a lot of time both
in using and creating one. Another weakness of using the concept map is that it lacks of team work.
Keywords: Students’ perception, the concept map, English vocabulary
Introduction
In this era, English is an important language because it is used for international
communication. The English language has been taught in secondary schools as a compulsory
subject. Unfortunately, some people find it hard to learn English. In order to solve this problem,
some linguists have developed some techniques which make it easier to learn English. Using
concept map is one of them. Concept map is a visual technique which divides a significant topic
or information into several parts of diagram which are related to each other. According to
Sutrisno and Kartono (2007) as cited in Prayogung (2014, p. 13), “concept map is a visual
technique to show the information structure in how the concepts in certain domain are
connected.” Prayogung (2014) in her study found how the use of concept map affected on
students‟ achievement on English exercises. She compared the result of students‟ minimum
requirement for graduation before and after the concept map was applied. The result showed that
1
most of the students were able to pass the minimum requirement for graduation after she applied
the concept map in the lesson.
It seems that the students were helped a lot when concept map techniques were applied.
As an English teacher to be, the author wondered if the same technique could be useful for
learning English vocabulary. The author did his teaching practicum in Sekolah Menengah
Kejuruan Negeri 1 Salatiga (State Vocational School 1, Salatiga), the writer observed that the
students had difficulties in learning vocabulary in the English class. So the writer was interested
in finding the perceptions of students of SMK Negeri 1 Salatiga towards the use of concept map
techniques in learning English vocabulary. The research question of this study is; what are the
SMKN 1 Salatiga students‟ perceptions toward concept map in learning English vocabulary?
The finding of this research hopefully will give more insights to teachers of English about
what aspects of vocabulary learning the students find most useful, or less useful when the
concept map techniques are used. Such knowledge may become a useful consideration for
teachers to be able to apply concept map techniques in the appropriate situation.
Literature Review
Language Learning
Language is the most important tool in communication. Moeller and Catalano (2015, p.
327) say that “language is the vehicle required for effective human to human interactions and
yields a better understanding of one‟s own language and culture.” However, language can be
mastered through „learning‟. Learning is the acquisition of knowledge or skills through
experience, study, or by being taught. Yule (2006) as cited in Fu (2009, p. 7) said that “the term
2
learning is related to the conscious process of accumulating knowledge of the vocabulary and
grammar of language.”
In language learning, there are four skills which need to be focused on: speaking, writing,
reading, and listening. These four skills are important to master languages, especially in learning
a foreign language. Besides these four skills, there are language components that are important as
the four skills: vocabulary and grammar. Some people say that these language components can
be a bridge to master a language rather than focusing on the four skills. However, some people
also argue that the four skills is the main things to master a language. In this time, people who
are learning languages especially foreign languages, have to find an easy way to master a foreign
language. The concept maps are said to be an alternative tool in learning language in an easy
way.
Definition of Perception
Perception is about how we see on things or our opinion on things. Angell (1906, p. 122)
defines the perception as “the consciousness of particular material things present to sense.”
Relating to Angell‟s definition before, the “things” can refer to the concept map itself which the
learners will sense as a visual sense with the help from their teacher.
Concept Map
A concept map is a visual technique which displays relationship between one concept to
others to organize and structure a topic or specific information. Concept map has many
definitions which come from some researchers. According to Sutrisno and Kartono (2007) as
cited in Prayogung (2014, p. 13), the researchers from Indonesia said that “concept map is a
3
visual technique to show the information structure in how the concepts in certain domain are
connected.” In other words, a concept map is a tool which spells out the structure of an
information or a topic into several parts which are related. Another definition of a concept map
comes from Buzzetto-More (2007) as cited in Nada (2008, p. 59) who said that “Concepts are
usually depicted by circles or boxes, forming the nods of the new work by labeled links.” Novak
and Canas (2006, p. 1) see that “concept maps are graphical tools for organizing and representing
knowledge.” Concept maps are usually used for brain-storming ideas, and concept maps can also
be used to stimulate the generation of ideas.
The technique of the concept map was first developed by Joseph D. Novak in 1970s to
represent the emerging science knowledge of students. Novak‟s work was based on the theories
of David Ausubel, who stressed that the meaningful learning takes place when new knowledge is
consciously incorporated into the concepts and ideas previously acquired by the learner (Clark
and James, 2004, p. 224). Novak started by teaching his six-year-old students to make concept
maps based on the focus questions such as “What is water?” “What causes the seasons?”
In teaching English, the concept maps have been used in different ways to build an
effective learning and teaching. Affana and Al Khozendar (2007) as cited in Nada (2008
suggested some steps in using concept maps for the teachers in order to have an effective
learning and teaching:
1. A teacher tells their learners about the item or the subject that he is going to teach with
identification for the main concepts in the lesson.
2. A teacher identifies the sub concepts which are in relation to the main one. Teachers can
write them on the board to give the learners a chance to know them.
4
3. A teacher finds key words or link-words between the sub-concepts in order to make a
meaningful relation between these concepts.
4. A teacher organizes the concepts in a pyramid form and put the link-words on the arrow.
5. A teacher explains the sub-concepts by giving examples, so that teacher can transfer his
students from main concepts at the top of the map to subordinate at the bottom.
6. A teacher asks learners to make concept maps in the subject matter either individually or
groups.
From Affana and Al Khozendar suggestions before, English teachers may as well
understand how to apply concept maps to create an effective learning and teaching. During the
learning process using concept maps, there are three ways which can be used. Al Hwidi (2005)
as cited in Nada (2008, p. 64) has suggested:
1. Pre-teaching: The teacher can survey the concept maps in front of the students as an
advanced organizer, either by drawing the map on the board or by using the overhead
projector.
2. During-teaching: Learners may use concept maps during-learning, when teacher copies
the map and gives everyone a copy to benefit from.
3. Post-teaching: Teacher can ask individuals or groups of learners to build up concept maps
for the lesson or for the unit, and then teacher checks it to know the places of weakness
and the places of strength to help them to overcome the weakness later.
5
Moreover, there were some researchers who mentioned some reasons in using concept
maps in English learning. Pill and et. Al (2005) as cited in Nada (2008, p. 66) mentioned some
reasons:
1. Facilitate the development of self-directed learning within which conceptual and
prepositional relationships can be reflectively and critically explored.
2. Enhance problem-solving practically in the context of acquisition and sequencing of the
new information.
3. Aid the development of deep meaningful teaching moving towards critical thinking rather
than more surface approaches.
4. Have potential value in assessment during students‟ learning journey.
Fitzgeraled (1999) as cited in Nada also added some reasons for using concept maps:
5. Generate ideas.
6. Design complex structure.
7. Communicate complex ideas.
8. Aid learning by explicitly integrating new and old knowledge.
9. Assess understanding or diagnose misunderstanding.
The use of concept maps in English learning has encouraged some researchers to
investigate how concept maps help in English learning. It causes different opinion whether using
concept map can be helpful or not for both learners and teachers in English learning process. The
6
concept map itself can help students in the way they receive and understand the material, and as
for the teachers it can help them in how they deliver the material. In order to know whether
concept maps are helpful or not, some researchers in their study mentioned the advantages and
disadvantages of concept maps. Researcher Ellis (2001) as cited in Burdiana (2015, p. 31) stated
that “the traditional concept maps make the learning process easier and help students separate the
most important information from what is not essential.” Fitzgeraled (1999) as cited in Nada
(2008, p. 67) mentioned some certain advantages in using concept maps:
1. Visual symbols are quickly and easily recognized.
2. Minimum use of text makes it easy to scan for a word, phrase or general idea.
3. Visual representation allows for development of holistic understanding that words alone
can‟t convey.
Other advantages of concept maps came from Ruiz-Primo (2005, p. 28) who sees concept
maps may give students an opportunity to:
1. Think about the connection between the terms being learned.
2. Organize their thoughts and visualize the relationship between the key concepts in
semantic way.
3. Reflect on their understanding. In sum concept maps allow to think deeply about the
content by helping them to better understand and organize what they learned.
7
Despite of the advantages of the use of concept maps in English learning, there are some
disadvantages which came along. Prayogung (2014, p. 15) in her research found some
disadvantages of concept maps during the learning process. She found that:
1. Using concept maps lack of cooperation between the learners.
2. It takes lot of times to make and arrange the concept maps.
3. It is difficult to find words which relate one concept with another concept.
Davies (2010, p. 4) also added the disadvantages of the concept map in the study which
he conducted:
1. The types of links being made are limited to simple associations.
2. It is also limited in dealing with more complex relationship.
3. Concept map requires some expertise to learn.
Vocabulary
In learning second language or foreign language, vocabulary is one of essential parts
which need to be learned, especially in English. Vocabulary plays a role in the language learning
process, as Cameron (2001) as cited in Alqahtani (2015, p. 22) stated that “vocabulary, as one of
the knowledge areas in language, plays a great role for learners in acquiring a language.” Vocabulary is very essential when it comes in second language learning, because vocabulary is a
basic skill to learn second language and without establishing a strong vocabulary base first,
comprehension and the use of a language could not be achieved. Then, when a person is able to
recognize and use words in different contexts, speak, write, and also pronounce them, the person
8
has the knowledge and meaning of those words. Vocabulary is commonly described as all the
words known and used by a particular person. There are definitions of vocabulary which come
from some researchers. Nation (2001) as cited in Alqahtani (2015, p. 22) defined that
“vocabulary knowledge implies knowing a word in the spoken form of the word and the spoken
form can be recognized and understood in and out of the context rather than guessed at.” Other
definition comes from Henriksen (1996) as cited in Waring (2002, p. 3) who stated that
“vocabulary knowledge is often defined as precise comprehension which is operationalized as
the ability to translate the lexical items into L1, the ability to find the right definition in a
multiple-choice task, or the ability to give a target language paraphrase.” From Nation and
Henriksen, it can be assumed that vocabulary requires the learners in second language learning to
react to words without taking so much time to think about the words and they just need to use the
words naturally and appropriately.
Previous Studies
The previous study which conducted by Prayogung (2014) found a significant
improvement among students when using a concept map. In her study which was conducted in
SD Negeri Tegalrejo 04, she observed 38 students as the participants. Her study‟s purpose was to
analyze the students‟ understanding on material given using the concept map and compare the
students‟ result on the minimum requirement for graduation. Before the concept map was used,
26 of 38 students were able to pass the minimum requirement for graduation, however 12
students were not. After the concept map was applied in the learning process, it showed
significant improvement from students. Thirty eight students that became the participants were
9
able to pass the minimum requirement for graduation after they learned using the concept map
technique.
Another previous study came from Nada (2008) who researched on the effects of the
concept map in English grammar. Nada‟s study was to find out how the concept map affected on
achieving the English grammar. The study was conducted in UNRWA schools in Gaza
governorate. The participants in Nada‟s study were all of ninth grader students, which were 226
students. In his research, Nada found that using concept map in English grammar helped students
a lot. He found that the concept map provided the students with a better learning environment
that reflects on their learning to English grammar. The concept map also stimulated the students
toward an independent practice of English language.
The Study
Research Question
“What are the SMKN 1 Salatiga students‟ perceptions toward the use of concept map in learning
English vocabulary?”
Context
The study was conducted in SMK Negeri 1 Salatiga. It is one of the teaching practicum
sites for teaching practicum course in the Faculty of Language and Arts. SMK Negeri 1 Salatiga
has 3 English teachers there. Each 3 English teachers already have their own job, 1 teacher
should teach the first grader students, and the others is teaching 2nd and 3rd grader. The students
of SMK Negeri 1 had different achievements and capabilities in learning English. Some of them
were able to learn English fast and some of them are not.
10
Participants
The participants in this study were the first grader students of SMK Negeri 1 Salatiga.
Their age was around 14 and 15 years old. The participants were 25 students from one of the
course programs in SMK Negeri 1, which is X Boga 1. The first grader was chosen to make them
feel new experience in learning English using concept map. It is also to make them know how to
learn English in different style and an easy way.
Data Collection Instrument
The data in this study were collected using a questionnaire. The questionnaire used was a
close-ended question, with 16 questions and five options on each question. The options were:
Strongly Agree (SA), Agree (A), Hesitant (H), Disagree (D), and Strongly Disagree (SD). The
questions in the questionnaire were adapted based from the theories and opinions of the experts.
The experts were Nada (2008), Prayogung (2014), Davies (2017), and other researchers. The
questionnaire was:
Table 1. Questionnaire sheet
Answer
No
Statement
SA
1.
Learning English language is easier using the concept map
2.
Learning English vocabulary is easier using the concept map
3.
It is easier to remember English vocabulary using the concept map
4.
Learning vocabulary English is clearer using the concept map
11
A
H
D
SD
5.
The use of concept map can enrich the English vocabulary
6.
The use of concept map makes the English vocabulary learning
interesting
7.
The use of concept map takes a lot of time
8.
The use of concept map finds vocabulary more specific
9.
The concept map is difficult to understand
10.
The concept map making process is complicated
11.
The concept map making process improves brainstorming skill/deep
thinking
12.
The concept map making process improves creativity
13.
The concept map making process takes a lot of time
14.
The use of concept map does not take a lot of note
15.
The use of concept map lacks of team work (individual)
16.
It is difficult to find words related to each other in the concept map
making process
Data Collection Procedure
The data collection began with the teaching section for X Boga 1 students about
„describing people‟. The students of Boga 1 had not been encountered the English lesson using
the concept map since they were new students of SMKN 1 Salatiga and they never had it in their
junior high school. The class session took about 45 minutes and began with the explanation of
12
the grammar context was explained by showing the students the structures of the sentence, for
example: S + have/has + O. After that, the students moved to vocabulary section using a concept
map technique. A picture of simple a concept map which was related to the material was shown
to the students. The students were also given exercises to make a simple concept map which
described a person. After the teaching section was nearly over, the questionnaire was distributed
to the whole X BO 1 class, and the students were asked to fill in the questionnaire.
Data Analysis
The data were analyzed using percentages. The data were of the students‟ answers who
chose the options „strongly agree, agree, hesitant, disagree, strongly disagree‟ in the 16
statements were counted and put in percentages. Then, each statement was analyzed to see which
one has the biggest percentage. The percentages were used to answer the research question “what
are the students‟ perceptions toward concept map in learning English vocabulary?”
Finding and Discussion
The aim of this study is to find out the students‟ perception toward the use of concept
map in English vocabulary learning. The questionnaire consists of 16 statements. Based on the
students‟ answers on the questionnaire, the percentage of each answer category was put in
percentage for each statement. The result of the percentage is explained in the table as the
following.
13
Table 2. The percentages of the questionnaire result
Answer
No
Statements
SA
A
SS
D
SD
1.
Learning English language is easier using the concept map
28% 60% 12%
-
-
2.
Learning English vocabulary is easier using the concept map
28% 64%
8%
-
-
3.
It is easier to remember English vocabulary using the concept
76% 16%
-
-
-
-
map
8%
4.
Learning vocabulary English is clearer using the concept map
20% 80%
5.
The use of concept map can enrich the English vocabulary
12% 48% 40%
-
-
6.
The use of concept map makes the English vocabulary learning
8%
64% 28%
-
-
interesting
-
7.
The use of concept map takes a lot of time
24% 64% 28%
-
-
8.
The use of concept map finds vocabulary more specific
40% 48% 12%
-
-
9.
The concept map is difficult to understand
8%
24% 36% 32%
-
10.
The concept map making process is complicated
4%
24% 40% 32%
-
11.
The concept map making process improves brainstorming
skill/deep thinking
12% 88%
-
56% 40% 32%
-
12.
The concept map making process improves creativity
13.
The concept map making process takes a lot of time
12% 76%
4%
8%
-
14.
The use of concept map does not take a lot of note
44% 44%
8%
4%
-
15.
The use of concept map lacks of team work (individual)
36% 56%
4%
4%
-
14
-
-
-
16.
It is difficult to find words related to each other in the concept
map making process
12% 36% 36% 16%
Generally, the results show positive responses towards the use of concept maps in the
English vocabulary learning matter. The students gave positive responses that the concept map
can make English vocabulary learning easier. The students also agreed to some statements in
questionnaire, such as concept map enriched vocabularies, made the learning process interesting,
improved brainstorming and creativity. The students also agreed to the negative statements of the
concept map that it took a lot of time and also it lacked on the team work.
The table above shows the percentages of the students‟ perception on the 16 statements in
the questionnaire. On item 1, the students showed positive opinions on „learning English using
concept map is easier‟ statement. There were 28% of the students that strongly agreed and 60%
of them agreed while 12% of them were unsure of their opinions and chose the option „hesitant‟.
The purpose of the item 1 was to know whether the students find it easy or not when learning
English using the concept map. According to the result, it showed that the concept map could be
an alternative teaching method to make the students be able to learn English easier. It was also in
line with Ellis‟ (2001) statement that “the concept maps make the learning process easier and
help students separate the most important information.”
On the item 2, there were 28% of the students that strongly agreed and 64% agreed on
„learning English vocabulary is easier using the concept map‟ statement while 8% of them were
unsure and chose the option „hesitant‟. Based on the result, it showed that the majority of the
students agreed that using concept map made learning vocabulary easier. Learning vocabulary is
15
-
simply learning words in language. By using the concept map, the students were able to scan for
words and learned or remembered vocabulary easily, because in general the concept map is a set
of diagram which connects with each other. The result matched with Fitzgeraled‟s (1999)
opinion that “minimum use of text makes it easy to scan for word, phrases, or general idea.”
From the result of item 3, the students gave positive response on „it is easier to remember
English vocabulary using the concept map‟ statement. There were 8% of the students that
strongly agreed, 76% agreed and the rest 16% of them chose “hesitant”. The concept map can be
seen as a diagram because it contains circles or boxes which link to each other as Buzzetto-More
said. According to Davies (2017, p. 3), “it is easier to remember a diagram than to remember a
description.” It meant that the use of concept map helped the students to remember words or
vocabulary easier.
Meanwhile on item 4, there were 20% of the students that strongly agreed and 80%
agreed on „learning English vocabulary is clear using the concept map‟ statement. From the
result, it showed that all students agreed on how the concept map made the learning English
vocabulary process become easier. Fitzgeraled (1999) said that “visual symbols are quickly and
easily recognized.” Based from Fitzgeraled‟s opinion, the concept map which categorized as a
visual technique makes the students recognize and remember vocabulary easily. So, it also
affected on the learning process that made the concept map became clearer.
On item 5 (the use of concept map can enrich the English vocabulary); there were 12% of
the students that strongly agreed, 48% agreed, and 40% of them were not unsure and chose
“hesitant” as their response. From the result, most of the students agreed that using concept map
helped them in enriching their vocabulary. Item 5 was aiming to know the students‟ perceptions
16
on how the concept map worked in enriching their vocabulary. Fortunately, the students showed
positive responses that the concept map could aid them to enrich their vocabulary.
On the item 6, the students gave positive opinion on „the use of concept map makes the
English vocabulary learning interesting‟ statement. There were 8% of the students that strongly
agreed, 64% agreed, and the rest 28% of them were unsure. According to Ur (1984, p. 30),
“visual have an important function as aids to learning simply because they attract student‟s
attention and help encourage them to focus on the subject.” This showed that the concept map
which is categorized as a visual technique made the learning process interesting for the students,
as Ur said that visual intrigued the students to focus on it.
On item 7 (the use of concept map takes a lot of time), 24% of the students chose the
option strongly agreed while 64% agreed and 12% were unsure. Item 7 is quite similar with item
13 (the concept map making process takes a lot of time). On item 13, there were 12% of the
students that strongly agreed, 76% agreed, 4% were unsure and chose the option “hesitant”, and
8% of them disagreed. On both item 7 and item 13, most of the students agreed with those
statements that the use of concept map in learning took a lot of time in using concept map as a
visual tool technique and the making process. This is one of the disadvantages from the concept
map, and it matched with Prayogung‟s study (2014) “it takes lot of times to make and arrange the
concept maps.”
On item 8 (the use of concept map finds vocabulary more detail), the result was 40% of
the students strongly agreed and 48% agreed while 12% chose “hesitant”. Learning vocabulary
using concept map affects on how the material that is being delivered. The concept map is a
complex structures which contain ideas or topics that connect to each other. Fitzgeraled (1999)
17
mentioned that concept map “designs complex structures” in his research. By using the concept
map, teachers should be able to make a complex structure of concept map so that the students
could understand it in detail.
The purpose of item 9 (the concept map is difficult to understand) to make sure whether
the students find the use of concept map in vocabulary learning easy or not. Item 9 was a contrast
statement with item 1. However, the result between item 1 and item 9 is different. On item 9,
there were 8% strongly agreed, 24% agreed, and 36% chose hesitant while 32% of them
disagreed. The results between both options agree and disagree were same, they are 32%. This
showed that some students thought the concept map was difficult to understand and some
thought that it was not difficult. Though, 36% of the students seemed to confuse and ended up to
be neutral and chose the option hesitant.
On item 10 (the concept map making process is complicated); the result was 4% of the
students strongly agreed, 24% agreed, and 40% hesitant, while 32% of them disagreed. The aim
of the item 10 was to know the students‟ opinions whether the use of concept map was
complicated or not. Based from the result, most of the students were neutral while less than 30%
agreed. This showed that some students thought the concept map was complicated and some
found it was not complicated.
The students‟ perceptions on item 11 were really positive. All of them agreed that the
concept map making process improves brainstorming skill/deep thinking. The result in detail was
12% of the students strongly agreed and 88% agreed. The result was similar with Ruiz-Primo‟s
(2005) claimed that “in sum concept maps allow to think deeply about the content by helping
them to better understand and organize what they learned.”
18
On the item 12 (the concept map making process improves creativity), more than 50% of
the students agreed. There were 56% of the students agreed and 40% of the students unsure
while 4% of them disagreed. The result on item 12 went along with the experts‟ opinion that
“when mind mapping is used in the classroom, it offers an opportunity to have an extremely
interactive and dynamic classroom. This technique allows for creativity to flow from the students
(Dell, B., Garrick, R., Romanowski, C., Slifka, M., 2017).” This showed that the concept map
did not only focus in aiding the language learning process, but also could improve the students‟
creativity.
On item 14 (the use of concept map does not take a lot of note), almost all of the students
agreed. 44% agreed while 8% were unsure and chose the option “hesitant”, and 4% of them
disagreed. Because of the concept map that contains of circle or boxes which link each other, the
concept map does not need too much note taking. Fitzgeraled (1999) mentioned that “minimum
use of text makes it easy to scan for a word, phrase or general idea.”
On item 15 (the use of concept map lacks of team work), 36% of the students strongly
agreed, 56% agreed, 4% hesitant, and 4% disagreed. Most of the students agreed that the use of
concept map applied individual work in the learning process. This in line with Prayogung‟s
(2014) research that found that in the use concept maps lack of cooperation between the learners.
On item 16 (it is difficult to find words related to each other in the concept map making
process), the percentage results among 5 options were similar. There were 12% of the students
strongly agreed and 16% disagreed. However, both agreed and hesitant options had the same
result, which is 36%. If the option between strongly agree and agree are summed up, the result
was less than 50%. So it could be said that the students‟ perception on item 16 was neutral. Some
19
of them thought that it was difficult to find related words, just as Prayogung (2014) said that “it
is difficult to find words which relate one concept with another concept.” Although, some of the
students also thought that it was not difficult to find words which linked to another.
Conclusion
The purpose of this study is to find out the students‟ perceptions toward the use of
concept map in learning English vocabulary. The result shows that the students agreed on matter
how the concept map aids in the learning process that concept map makes the learning process
easier, clearer, and more interesting. The students also showed positive response on matter that
the concept maps improve students‟ side skills, such as in brainstorming and creativity. It also
shows that the use of concept map enriches the students‟ vocabularies, improves brainstorming
skill, and does not take a lot of note. On matter of the disadvantages of the concept map, most of
the students agreed on that, such as the concept map takes a lot of time both in the using and
creating one. It also shows that the use of concept map in English learning lacks of teamwork
among the students. Based from the result above, the students showed positive responses to the
use of concept map even though it is their first time to learn vocabulary using concept map. From
the finding, the author hopes that the readers will get to know about the use of concept map and
its effectiveness on learning. This suggestion is best delivered to English teachers who want to
apply the concept map techniques. This study limits only in the vocabulary knowledge and in the
SMKN 1 Salatiga range, and it will have different result when this study conducted on different
context other than vocabulary and different schools or level. For further research, the author
invites any researcher who wants to conduct a research in the same topic but in different contexts
20
in different levels of school. It may also be useful to do a research to find out the teachers‟
perceptions instead of students‟ on this topic area.
21
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
First of all, I am grateful to the God Almighty for giving me a good health and
opportunity that were necessary to complete this thesis. I wish to express my sincere thanks to
my thesis supervisor, Mrs. Nandari, for providing me with all the continuous support and useful
suggestions for the research. I also wish to give my sincere thanks to my thesis examiner, Mrs.
Murtisari, for the constructive critics for my research. I am also grateful to my parents, my sister
and also my partner, Devy Helenova Christy, who supported me through this journey of the
research. I also wish to express my gratitude to my friends Reza Azka Fachrusy, Febri Dhany,
Kristian Nugraha Arditanoyo, Timothy Ananda Gusti, Alif Septian, and Hieronimus Adi, who
have been a great help in suppoting me along in this journey.
22
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Clark, I. F. & James, P. R. (2004). Using concept maps to plan an introductory structural geology
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Davies, W. M. (2017). Concept mapping, mind mapping,and argument mapping: what are the
differences and do they matter?. The University of Melbourne, Australia, 1-18.
Dell, B., Garrick, R., Romanowski, C., Slifka, M. (2017). Using mind mapping to influence
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Ruiz-Primo, M. A. (2000). On the use of concept maps as an assessment tool in science: what we
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Appendix 1
Questionnaire Sheet
Mohon kesediaan saudara untuk mengisi angket yang telah kami sediakan sebagai istrumen
penelitian. Angket ini ditujukan untuk melakukan penelitian tentang bagaimana persepsi murid
terhadap pembelajaran vocabulary inggris menggunakan peta konsep. Pengisian instrument
penelitian ini tidak akan berpengaruh pada nilai anda. Data yang kami peroleh digunakan
sepenuhnya untuk penelitian ilmiah. Mohon kepada adik-adik untuk mengisi sesuai dengan
keadaan yang sebenarnya dan sesuai dengan petunjuk. Terimakasih.
Kelas
:
Umur
:
Jenis Kelamin : Laki-laki / perempuan
Berilah tanda centang pada jawaban sesuai dengan pendapat anda.
Keterangan:
SS: Sangat Setuju
S: Setuju
RG: Ragu-ragu
TS: Tidak Setuju
STS: Sangat Tidak Setuju
Jawaban
No
Pertanyaan
SS
1.
Pembelajaran bahasa Inggris menggunakan peta konsep memudahkan
dalam proses belajar.
2.
Pembelajaran vocabulary Inggris menggunakan peta konsep menjadi
lebih mudah.
25
S
RG TS STS
3.
Penggunanan peta konsep memudahkan dalam mengingat vocabulary
dalam bahasa Inggris.
4.
Penggunaan peta konsep membuat pembelajaran vocabulary menjadi
lebih jelas.
5.
Pengunaan peta konsep dapat memperkaya vocabulary Inggris.
6.
Penggunaan peta konsep menjadikan pembelajaran vocabulary Inggris
menjadi menarik.
7.
Penggunaan peta konsep memakan waktu dalam proses belajar.
8.
Mencari vocabulary menggunakan peta konsep menjadi lebih detail /
lebih terperinci.
9.
Peta konsep sulit untuk dipahami.
10.
Proses pembuatan peta konsep rumit.
11.
Proses pembuatan peta konsep membuat berpikir secara dalam
(mencari ide/brainstorm).
12.
Proses pembuatan peta konsep membuat lebih kreatif.
13.
Proses pembuatan peta konsep memakan banyak waktu.
14.
Penggunaan peta konsep tidak perlu banyak mencatat.
15.
Penggunaan peta konsep kurang menerapkan kerja di dalam kelompok
(individu).
16.
Sulit untuk menemukan kata - kata yang berhubungan satu sama lain
dalam pembuatan peta konsep.
26