Students' perception on the implementation of teacher written feedback in critical reading and writing 1 class - USD Repository

  

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION

OF TEACHER WRITTEN FEEDBACK IN CRITICAL READING AND WRITING 1 CLASS

  

A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS

  Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree in English Language Education

  By Claudia Yessie Dewi Sekartaji

  Student Number: 091214056

  

ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION

FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION

SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY

YOGYAKARTA

2013

  A Sarjana Pendidikan Thesis on

  STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TEACHER WRITTEN FEEDBACK IN CRITICAL READING AND WRITING 1 CLASS

  By CLAUDIA YESSIE DEWI SEKARTAJI

  Student Number: 091214056 Defended before the Board of Examiners on November 7, 2013 and Declared Acceptable

  Board of Examiners

  Chairperson : C. Tutyandari, S.Pd., M.Pd. _______ Secretary : Drs. Barli Bram, M.Ed., Ph.D. _______ Member : V. Triprihatmini, S.Pd., M.Hum., M.A. _______ Member : Drs. F.X. Mukarto, M.S., Ph.D. _______ Member : Dr. Ant. Herujiyanto, M.A. _______

  

ABSTRACT

  Sekartaji, Claudia Yessie Dewi. 2013. Students’ Perception on the

  

Implementation of Teacher Written Feedback in Critical Reading and Writing 1

Class. Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma University.

  Writing is one of the ways of communication which conveys meanings. It also helps people in establishing new information over time throughout the world. In the educational field, writing is very important as one of the English productive skills. Second language writing students should have a good writing ability. They are also assigned to write their own writings. Teacher, as the facilitator, take a part in responding to students’ writing by giving useful feedback. Teacher written feedback is the most common feedback technique used in second language writing classrooms. Yet, it still has many weaknesses.

  This study was conducted to see the English Language Education Study Program (ELESP) students’ perception on the implementation of teacher written feedback and its implication. The research problems were formulated as follows: 1) What is ELESP students’ of Sanata Dharma University perception on the implementation of teacher written feedback in Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) 1 class? 2) What is the implication of the findings?

  This research was a qualitative research specifically on survey method. In gathering the data, the researcher distributed the questionnaire to 140 students of ELESP Sanata Dharma University in the academic year 2011 who had taken CRW 1 class. After having the questionnaire result, the researcher conducted several interviews to six students to clarify and strengthen the data of the questionnaire. The data analysis was in the form of percentage. The researcher analyzed the data by seeing the most frequent degree of agreement chosen.

  The result shows that the students had positive perception on the implementation of teacher written feedback especially on the writing process. They preferred to have teacher written feedback because it was very helpful and useful for the students. It also led to the students’ improvements in their writing performance. It is implied that the teacher written feedback implementation in CRW 1 class had been good. However, the lecturers should be more careful in reading and responding to the students writing. Besides, using variations in the written feedback such as compliments and simple drawings might encourage the students to start writing. Therefore, the researcher addresses several recommendations to 1) lecturers to keep using teacher written feedback by providing clear and encouraging feedback, 2) students to reflect and evaluate their process of writing, and 3) future researchers to explore the implementation of teacher written feedback in other writing classrooms.

  Keywords: perception, teacher written feedback, Critical Reading and Writing 1

  

ABSTRAK

  Sekartaji, Claudia Yessie Dewi. 2013. Students’ Perception on the

  

Implementation of Teacher Written Feedback in Critical Reading and Writing 1

Class. Yogyakarta: Sanata Dharma University.

  Menulis merupakan salah satu cara berkomunikasi dan menyampaikan

informasi baru tanpa terbatas ruang dan waktu. Dalam bidang pendidikan,

menulis merupakan salah satu keterampilan yang sangat penting. Para siswa

diberi tugas untuk menciptakan sebuah karya tulis. Para guru berperan sebagai

fasilitator dengan memberikan umpan balik yang bermanfaat. Teacher written

feedback merupakan salah satu teknik yang sering digunakan di kelas menulis

bahasa asing. Namun, teknik tersebut masih memiliki banyak kelemahan.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melihat persepsi mahasiswa terhadap penerapan

teacher written feedback dan implikasinya.

  Beberapa rumusan masalah dalam penelitian ini adalah 1) bagaimana

persepsi mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris di Universitas Sanata Dharma

terhadap penerapan teacher written feedback di kelas Critical Reading and

Writing 1? 2) Apakah implikasi dari hasil penelitian tersebut?

  Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kualitatif dengan metode survei.

Peneliti menyebarkan kuesioner ke 140 mahasiswa Pendidikan Bahasa Inggris

Universitas Sanata Dharma angkatan tahun 2011 yang sudah mengambil mata

kuliah CRW 1. Peneliti juga mewawancarai enam mahasiswa dengan tujuan

untuk mengklarifikasi dan memperkuat data dari kuesioner. Hasil dari analisis

data berupa persentase yang digunakan untuk melihat tingkat kesepakatan yang

paling sering dipilih oleh responden.

  Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa, mahasiswa memiliki persepsi

positif terhadap penerapan teacher written feedback. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa

penerapan teacher written feedback di kelas CRW 1 sudah baik. Akan tetapi para

dosen harus lebih berhati-hati dalam menanggapi tulisan mahasiswa. Selain itu,

variasi dalam penulisan teacher written feedback seperti pemberian pujian dan

gambar sederhana dapat mendorong mahasiswa untuk terus menulis. Peneliti

mengusulkan beberapa rekomendasi kepada: 1) para dosen untuk tetap

menggunakan teacher written feedback yang jelas dan dapat mendorong

mahasiswa untuk menciptakan karya tulis yang lebih baik 2) para mahasiswa

untuk merefleksikan dan mengevaluasi proses menulis mereka, dan 3) para calon

peneliti untuk lebih menggali penerapan teacher written feedback di kelas

menulis lainnya.

  

Kata kunci: perception, teacher written feedback, Critical Reading and Writing 1

  Fall seven times, stand up eight.

  Japanese Proverb ------

•  

     I dedicate this thesis to: . My Almighty God, Jesus Christ My Grandpa, W.J. Hendrowarsito . My Parents, Willy T.H. and Russuharini Sekartaji . My Brother, Yohanes Rendy S.P . My friends, and all thesis fighters.

  

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  First of all, I would like to thank my Lord, Jesus Christ, who is always willing to raise me up when I am down, to guide me when I am stuck, and to listen to all my prayers. I thank Him for creating a hardworking person like me. For His blessings have assisted me to give my best and my very best in writing this thesis. I believe that without His greatest love I would not have been able to finish this thesis.

  I dedicate my greatest gratitude to my major sponsor Veronica

  

Triprihatmini, S.Pd., M.Hum., M.A. who has patiently guided and encouraged

  me during the process of completing this thesis. Her attention, suggestion, correction, comments, advice, and criticism were so beneficial for me. I also would like to thank Drs. Barli Bram M. Ed., Ph.D. for his useful and helpful advice for my thesis, for his jokes which made me a little bit relieve. I would to thank C. Sih Prabandari S.Pd., M.Hum. For being the best academic advisor for ELESP of class B (2009). I thank all lecturers, staff, and students of ELESP

  

Sanata Dharma University for giving me valuable experiences which helped me

to bring out the best in me during my study. I also address my thanks to Sr.

  

Margaret O’Donohue FCJ and Adesti Komalasari S.Pd., M.A. for

proofreading my thesis and being the nicest thesis consultants.

  I deeply thank my lovely grandfather and grandmother, the late WJ

  

Hendrowarsito and Sri Mahjarati, as my role models of life, for their living

  inspiration which always makes me keep fighting to grasp my future. My father physically and mentally support me. They are the heroes of my life whose love, patience, and guidance are sincerely given in finishing my thesis. I also thank my brother, Yohanes Rendy Saksono Putro, who becomes my best mood booster, thanks for keeping the tabs on me for years.

  My sincerest thanks also go to my beloved Gajah Gajah Semut Jerapah,

  

Elisabeth Rosalia, Rieska Dwi, Maria Wulandari, Ruth Septi and Yoga

Marutadewa, for the love, care, and support which go along this true friendship. I

  also would like to thank Diana Wibawaningtyas, Asiska Bunga, and Jenny

  

Keita for the joy and sorrow shared being a thesis fighter. I wish us a good luck. I

  thank all class B (2009) members as my second family, for sharing the tears and laughter, for making my life colorful and meaningful. I also address my thanks to

  

Adria Cemara S.Pd., for kindly helped me being my proofreader. Sandy

Ferianda S.Pd., for being my motivator. For his words made a huge sense of

  relief. The last but not least, I thank my friend of life, Gregorius Pambudi

  

Laksono, for enormously loving, motivating and caring me and for teaching me

not to sweat the small stuff in my life especially on completing this thesis.

  Finally, I thank all of the people whose names I cannot mention one by one for their supports and prayers.

  Claudia Yessie Dewi Sekartaji

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  Page TITLE PAGE

  ……………………………………………………………….. i APPROVAL PAGES

  ……………………………………………………….. ii STATEMENT OF WORK

  ’S ORIGINALITY ……………………………... iv

  PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ………………………………….. v

  ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………….... vi

  ABSTRAK ……………………………………………………………………………. vii

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……………………………………………….... ix

  TABLE OF CONTENTS …………………………………………………… xi

  LIST OF TABLES ………………………………………………………….. xiv

  LIST OF FIGURES …………………………………………………………. xv

  LIST OF APPENDICES ……………………………………………………. xvi

  CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION A. Research Background ……………………………………………… 1

  B. Problem Formulation ……………………………………………..... 4

  C. Problem Limitation ……………………………………………........ 4

  D. Research Objectives ……………………………………………….. 5

  E. Research Benefits ………………………………………………….. 5

  F. Definition of Terms ………………………………………………... 7

  CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Theoretical Description ……………………………………………. 10

  1. Perception ……………………………………………………... 10

  a. Definition of Perception …………………………………... 10

  b. Perception, Learning & Thinking ………………………..... 11

  2. Feedback ………………………………………………………. 13

  a. Kinds of Feedback ……………………………………….... 15

  1) Teacher Written Feedback …………………………….. 16

  a) Forms of Teacher Written Feedback ……………… 17

  b) Types of Teacher Written Feedback ……………… 18

  c) Focus of Teacher Written Feedback ……………… 18

  d) Review of Existing Studies of Teacher Written Feedback

  ………………………………… 20

  3. Critical Reading and Writing ………………………………… 22

  a. Nature of Reading ………………………………………… 22

  b. Nature of Writing ………………………………………… 25

  c. Critical Reading and Writing 1 in ELESP

  Sanata Dharma University

  …………….…………………. 28

  B. Theoretical Framework …………………………………………... 31

  CHAPTER III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY A. Research Method …………………………………………………. 33

  B. Research Setting ………………………………………………….. 34

  C. Research Participants …………………………………………….. 35

  D. Instruments and Data Gathering Technique ………………………. 35

  1. Questionnaire ……………………………………………….... 35

  2. Interview Framework …………………………..…………..... 37

  E. Data Analysis Technique ………………………………………... 41

  F. Research Procedure ……………………………………………… 43

  CHAPTER IV. RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS A. ELESP Students ’ Perception on the Implementation

  of Teacher Written Feedback in CRW 1 ……………………………….. 46

  1. Students ’ Perception on the Process of Teaching and Learning Activities in CRW 1

  …………………………... 47

  2. Students ’ Perception on the Process of Teacher Written

  Feedback Implementation in CRW 1 ……………………….. 52

  3. Students ’ Perception on the Implementation of Teacher

  Written Feedback in CRW 1 ………………………………........... 62

  B. The Implications of ELESP Students ’ Perception on the

  Implementation of Teacher Written Feedback in CRW 1 …………. 76

  CHAPTER V. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A. Conclusions ……………………………………………………….... 86

  B. Recommendations ………………………………………………….. 90

  1. Recommendations for Lecturers of CRW 1 …………………… 91

  2. Recommendations for Students of CRW 1 ……………………. 91

  3. Recommendations for Future Researchers ……………………. 92

  REFERENCES ………………………………………………………..…... 93

  APPENDICES ……………………………………………………………... 96

  LIST OF TABLES

  Page

Table 3.1 Questionnaire Blueprint of Students

  ’ Perception ………………. 36

Table 3.2 Interview Framework Blueprint of Students

  ’ Perception ………. 38

Table 3.3 Data Analysis of Questionnaire …………………………………

  42 Table 4.1 The Result of Students

  ’ Perception on the Process of Teaching and Learning Activities .................

  ……………………………... 48

Table 4.2 The Result of Students

  ’ Perception on the Forms, Types, and Media ……………………………...………………………. 53

Table 4.3 The Result of Students

  ’ Perception on the Content Focus .…...... 59

Table 4.4 The Result of Students

  ’ Perception on the Clarity …………….. 63

Table 4.5 The Result of Students

  ’ Perception on the Use of Teacher Written Feedback ………………………………….. 69

Table 4.6 The Result of Students

  ’ Perception on the Possible Follow-up Action

  ………………………………………….…… 72

  LIST OF FIGURES

  Page

Figure 2.1 Relationship between Perception and Learning & Thinking

  …. 12

Figure 2.2 The Graphic of Interactive Models

  ……………………………. 24

Figure 2.3 White and Arndt

  ’s Process Writing Model ……………………. 26

Figure 3.1 The Flow Chart of Research Procedures

  ………………………. 45

LIST OF APPENDICES

  Appendix Page

  A. Sample of Surat Permohonan Ijin Penelitian ……………………… 98

  B. Blueprint of Questionnaire ………………………………………… 100

  C. Questionnaire ……………………………………………………… 105

  D. Sample of Students ’ Questionnaire ………………………….......... 108

  E. Percentage Result of Questionnaire ………………………………. 121

  F. Blueprint of Interview Framework ……………………………….. 124

  G. Interview Question List …………………………………………… 128

  H. Transcripts of Interview ………………………………………….. 130

  I. Syllabus of Critical Reading and Writing 1 ……………………… 138

  J. Sample of Buku Panduan Akademik Universitas Sanata Dharma (CRW 1)

  ………….......................................................................... 141

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This study discusses the English Language Education Study Program

  (ELESP) students’ perception of Sanata Dharma University on the implementation of teacher written feedback in Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) 1 class. Chapter one is divided into six main parts, namely research background, problem formulation, problem limitation, research objectives, research benefits and definition of terms.

A. Research Background

  Focusing on the educational field in this modern era, writing is one productive skill that is no less important than the others. Writing helps people in carrying new information over time throughout the world. “One of the best ways to try out people’s writing ability is to make them write and create their own writing” (Hughes, 1989:75, in Weigle, 2002, p. 1). In writing classrooms, the students are trained to write their own writings in order to practice their writing skills. At the same time, it indicates that the student also practice and try out their writing ability.

  In writing classrooms, the students are assigned to create their own writings. Teachers, as the facilitators in writing activities, really take a main role to respond to the students’ writings by giving useful feedback. “Feedback is widely seen in education as crucial for both encouraging and consolidating learning and this significance has also been recognized by those working in the field of second language writing” (Anderson, 1982; Brophy, 1981; Vygotsky, 1978, as cited in Hyland, 2002). Feedback nowadays is popularly used in language classrooms in both first language (L1) and second language (L2) classrooms in assisting the students in the process of writing.

  Concerning about the L2 writing classrooms, feedback is one useful tool to measure and improve students’ writing. Hyland (2003) addresses several kinds of feedback such as teacher written feedback, peer feedback and teacher-student conferencing. Each feedback has its own strengths and weaknesses. Focusing on teacher written feedback, this technique of feedback has several weaknesses as it has described:

  “Much written feedback has poor quality and frequently misunderstood by the students. The teachers are sometimes overwhelmed, they tend to misread students’ text and they are inconsistent in their reactions by giving arbitrary corrections, contradictory comments, provide vague prescriptions, impose abstract rules, respond to texts as fixed of final products and rarely make content-specific comments for revising the texts (Sommers, 1982, as cited in Hyland, 2003, p. 178). Despite these weaknesses, it is found that students highly value the implementation of teacher written feedback rather than other alternative forms such as peer feedback and oral feedback. In addition, it is stated that feedback on early drafts of a paper can lead to students’ improvements in following drafts (Knoblauch and Brannon, 1981, as cited in Hyland, 2003). However, Ferris (1997, as cited in Hyland, 2003) finds out that although three quarters of substantives teachers’ comments on drafts were used by the students, only half of the revisions

  Since this issue related to teacher written feedback has been discussed in L2 writing classrooms, it is interesting to discuss by directly involving L2 writing students who have experienced teacher written feedback to come up with their perception. Recently, based on some students’ experiences, some L2 writing lecturers had not given complete or useful feedback as detailed as what students expected. However, feedback is very important in order to improve students’ writing skills and increase their quality of writing. Besides, it can be a way to monitor the writing progress of the students.

  This research mainly discusses three variables; perception, teacher written feedback and CRW 1 class. In order to find out the truth of teacher written feedback implementation in certain L2 writing classroom, this research employs perception which was gained through the students. This research chooses teacher written feedback because this kind of feedback is considered as an effective way of giving feedback yet it still has many weaknesses. Later, it will be proven in this research by directly involving L2 writing students. One of the L2 writing classrooms chosen is CRW 1 class. Focusing on the writing skill, CRW 1 no longer discusses the technical terms such as minimum requirements, etc. but also the development of ideas and its organization in students’ writing. That is why it needs more concern from L2 writing lecturers to pay attention to its process.

  Thus, this research is very significant to conduct in order to see how teacher written feedback can help the students in the process of writing. Besides, it is to give meaningful information to the L2 writing lecturers by finding out particular L2 classroom. Yet, the result of the data found later can be used for the L2 writing lecturers to see how far their teaching practice especially in providing feedback works well. Thus, there will be some suggestions provided for L2 writing lecturers as the implication of this study.

B. Problem Formulation

  This research tries to answer two research problems which are formulated as follows:

  1. What is ELESP students’ perception on the implementation of teacher written feedback in Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) 1 class of Sanata Dharma University?

2. What are the implications of the findings?

C. Problem Limitation

  This research about ELESP students’ perception on the implementation of teacher written feedback of Sanata Dharma University in Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) 1 class has some limitations. First, it focuses only on CRW 1 students’ perception and its implications in the teacher written feedback given by CRW 1 lecturers. Besides it only focuses on the teacher written feedback of the writing skill since this class is divided into two different skills, reading and University as the research population, who have taken CRW 1 course and obtained teacher written feedback as one of the feedback techniques.

D. Research Objectives

  Based on the problem formulation above this research has several objectives, they are:

  1. To figure out the students’ perception on the implementation of teacher written feedback

  2. To find out why students have a positive or negative perception

  3. To present the implications of the students’ perception

E. Research Benefits

  The research findings are expected to make some positive contributions to:

1. Lecturers of Critical Reading and Writing 1

  This study does not only provide descriptions of students’ perception on the teacher written feedback given, what and how the students perceive and understand the feedback given but also presenting its implications. The study also finds out the implication on the students’ perception on the implementation of teacher written feedback. It provides the deeper meaning of what students perceive after having teacher written feedback in the writing activities. The implied findings are expected to give some useful suggestions and recommendations for the lecturers of CRW 1 class in providing teacher written feedback to accommodate the students’ needs in writing activities. The benefits are not only limited to lecturers of CRW 1 class but also for other English writing teachers who may try to implement or even have implemented teacher written feedback so that they can provide this technique of feedback effectively.

2. Students of Critical Reading and Writing 1

  Through this study, the students may reflect and evaluate the teaching and learning activities in CRW 1 class especially in the implementation of teacher written feedback. This research investigates the students’ perception on the implementation of teacher written feedback. Its purpose is to find out whether the students have positive perception toward the implementation of teacher written feedback. After having the results of research findings, it is expected for the students to be really aware of how the implementation of teacher written feedback helps them in the process of writing. Besides it is also expected that teacher written feedback technique can really meet students’ needs in writing activities so that the students may optimize their writing skill. The benefits are not only limited to the students of CRW 1 but also other second language writing students, which also experience this technique of feedback in their writing activities.

3. Future Researchers

  The researcher hopes that this study can inspire other researchers, who have a concern in this field and interested in this topic, to explore more about the use of teacher written feedback not only in CRW 1 class but also in other second language writing classrooms. The researcher expects that this study can stimulate other researchers to conduct a further research and find other essential findings of teacher written feedback through the result of the students’ perception and also its implication through the implementation of teacher written feedback itself.

F. Definition of Terms

  This research contains several terms in the scope of writing that are going to be discussed, they are:

1. Perception

  According to Altman, Valenzi & Hodgetts (1985) perception is defined as “The way stimuli are selected and grouped by a person so that they can be meaningfully interpreted. The process of perception enables us to understand and cope with the environment in which we live.” In this research, this term will discuss generally on the way the students think about or interpret the implementation of teacher written feedback.

  2. Teacher Written Feedback According to Sherman (2004), feedback is a response from someone to a person does in order to assess and improve his or her performance. Focusing on the written form, Kaweera (2008) notes that teacher written feedback refers to

  

written responses provided by the teacher to the students writing. The teacher

  written feedback means feedback in form of written that consists of any markings, comments, revision, suggestions, responses or reactions provided by a teacher to students’ writing.

  3. Critical Reading and Writing (CRW) 1 Class According to CRW 1 syllabus, CRW 1 class is offered for ELESP students who are in the third semester. It is designed to give students practice to write responses critically based on the given texts or passages, or even write passages to develop new ideas within the same topic. The texts are related to argumentative, persuasive and expository genres. The students are trained to apply logical principles, careful standard of evidence and reasoning to the analysis and discussion of claims, beliefs and issues. So, on completing this course, the students are able to comprehend the texts given and write their responses critically.

4. English Language Education Study Program (ELESP) Students

  ELESP students are the university students who are taking English Education as the major. They learn four English skills; speaking, reading, listening, and writing. They are prepared and trained to be a certified English teacher. They do not only take English course works related to the four skills but also other courses which support them to be a good English teacher. In order to practice the students’ teaching skills, the students also get micro teaching class. Besides they get opportunities to teach English in public or private school for some months.

   

CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE This chapter is divided into two main parts namely theoretical description

  and theoretical framework. Theoretical description focuses on reviews of related literature underlying this study, while theoretical framework discusses the implementation of the theories which are used to answer the research problems.

A. Theoretical Description

  This part consists of the review of related literature namely perception, feedback and critical reading and writing.

1. Perception

a. Definition of Perception

  Altman, Valenzi and Hodgetts (1985) defines perception as a person’s view of reality which comes from stimuli in our environment: Perception is the way stimuli are selected and grouped by a person so that they can be meaningfully interpreted. It is a person’s view of reality. The process of perception enables us to understand and cope with the environment in which we live (p. 85). It is obviously stated that the input of perception itself is the stimuli that come from environment, which is grouped and processed by human sensory system to produce meaningful interpretation. Another similar definition comes from. Atkinson & Atkinson and Hilgard (1981), they state that perception is the process where people organize and interpret the patterns of stimuli in the environment. Deriving from these two definitions, there are several things that should be highlighted: stimuli, stimuli selection, stimuli organization and then interpretation.

  However, Leontiev (1981) proposes “Perception is the process whereby the external tokens of objects and phenomena are reflected in man’s consciousness” (p. 31). In other words, the intended external tokens of objects and phenomena also occur in the environments that are reflected in man’s consciousness which also deals with human sensory organs.

  From several definitions preceded, it can be concluded that the perceptual process is aroused by stimuli in environment. It can be in form of objects or phenomena as it is proposed by Leontiev, which is then selected by the sensory organs to be organized and arranged in order to make meaningful interpretation or it can be considered as perception itself which resulted in the people’s behavioral response.

b. Perception, Learning and Thinking

   Since this study is dealing with students’ perception in its relation to the

  learning and thinking of second language writing, it is worth to explore how these three things are related to each other. According to Forgus (1966), perception can be generally defined as the process by which an organism receives or extracts certain information about the environment. Learning itself can be seen as the process where this information itself is acquired through experiences. Since learning is growing, it needs more information extraction which brings further into the more complex cognitive processes called thinking. It is a complex cognitive process where organisms are engaged in solving problems, which also involves the use of models or the stored facts in the preceding learning process.

  Having referred to perception, learning and thinking as cognitive processes, the relationship of perception, learning and thinking can be drawn as followed:

  Modifies perception Modifies organism of stimulus

  Stimulus Learning à Organism à à Thinking

  Modifies perception Modifies organism of stimulus through learning

Figure 2.1 Relationship between Perception, and Learning & Thinking (Source: Forgus; 1966:4)

  The figure above indicates that stimulus possesses information, which is extracted by the organism as learning. Next, the more complex process comes to the process of thinking in which it also modifies new learning process that involves organism in modifying the perception of stimuli. In other words, the result of thinking modifies future learning and that learning in turn can influence the way people perceive our stimuli in the environment.

  Related to this study, knowing deeper the precise meaning of perception and relationship between students’ perception and learning & thinking is important. Later, the data of this research will be gained from the students’ perception based on their experience in having teacher written feedback, it is worth to see how the learning and thinking process can form students’ perception. Besides it helps to see the process of the students when they come up with different or even negative opinions which is caused by human’s way of thinking and it has its own interpretation in the same stimuli within an environment.

2. Feedback

  Feedback, which has two different forms; written and spoken, also has several different definitions which come from several experts. Generally, according to Sherman (1994) feedback is a response or reaction from a person to something that another person does, that can be used to assess and improve a person’s performance in the future. In the educational field, F. Hyland & K. Hyland (2006) note that feedback is important in providing students with the rhetorical choices central to new academic or professional literacy skills and as a way of assisting students in negotiating access to new knowledge and practices. Limited to L2 writing classrooms, Hyland (2003) addresses. “Feedback emphasizes a process of writing and rewriting where the text is not seen as self- contained but points forward to other texts the students will write” (p.177).

  Although the definitions above have different meanings in context, these definitions are centered on a person’s development in the process of learning in order to improve his skills and bring him into wider knowledge. As it is proposed by Hyland & Hyland (2006) and Hyland (2003), it can be referred that feedback provides the students meaningful and useful information in the process of learning in order to assist them to develop their skills and broaden their knowledge. As well as in the application of feedback in writing, it is concerned about the process of learning in creating proper writings, which becomes the starting point to create other texts. These synthesized definitions will be the base where feedback is used in this study.