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FIELD TRIP STRATEGY IN ENHANCING WRITING

DESCRIPTIVE TEXT

Rugaiyah
Islamic University of Riau, Pekanbaru, Indonesia
email: ruqaiyah@edu.uir.ac.id

Abstract
Field-based learning has long been used by teachers to enhance students
learning. Futher, Field trips are recognized as important moments in learning; a
shared social experience that provides the opportunity for students to encounter
and explore novel things in an authentic setting. The need to develop an effective
environmental education program ranks as one of the major challenges facing
education in the next decade. This paper is focused on analyzing the effectiveness
of field trips strategy on students’ writing descriptive text for a group of 30
students of second semester of FKIP UIR Pekanbaru in academic year 2016/2017
who were selected by using random sampling. The data were collected by giving
test (pre-test and post-test) This study used experimental reseacrch, used by the
Mann-Whitney U t-test. The normality of the test was analysed through
Kolmogorov-Smirnova..The instruments used in this study were lesson plans and
writing descriptive text tests. Regarding the data analysis, mean, percentage and
Mann-Whitney U test scores for the dependent sample were employed. The result
of statistc indicated that the asymptotic significance of less than 0.05 (p = 0.00 <
0.05). it means the students’ ability in writing descriptive text increased
significantly after learning with fild trip strategy.

Keywords: fild trip, writing, descripive text

STRATEGI FIELD TRIP DALAM MENINGKATKAN TEKNIK


MENULIS DESKRIPTIF

Abstrak
Field-based learning telah lama digunakan oleh guru untuk meningkatkan
pembelajaran para siswa. Selanjutnya, strategi field trip diakui sebagai momen
penting dalam pembelajaran; Pengalaman bersosialisasi bersama yang
memberikan kesempatan bagi siswa untuk menemukan dan mengeksplorasi hal-
hal baru dalam suasana otentik. Kebutuhan untuk mengembangkan program
pendidikan lingkungan yang efektif merupakan salah satu tantangan utama yang
dihadapi pendidikan pada dekade berikutnya. Makalah ini difokuskan untuk
menganalisis keefektifan strategi field trip pada penulisan teks deskriptif terhadap
30 mahasiswa semester dua FKIP UIR Pekanbaru pada tahun akademik
2016/2017 yang dipilih dengan menggunakan random sampling. Data diperoleh
melalui tes (pre-test dan post-test) Penelitian ini menggunakan penelitian
eksperimental, yang menggunakan uji Mann-Whitney U. Normalitas tes dianalisis
melalui Kolmogorov-Smirnova. Instrumen yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini
adalah rencana pelajaran dan penulisan teks deskriptif. Analisis data, mean,

76
77

persentase dan nilai uji Mann-Whitney U untuk sampel dependen digunakan.


Hasil statistik penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa the asymptotic significance
lebih kecil dari pada 0.05 (p = 0.00 < 0.05). Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa
kemampuan siswa dalam menulis teks deskriptif meningkat secara signifikan
setelah belajar dengan menggunakan strategi fild trip.

Kata kunci: field trip, menulis, teks deskriptif

1. INTRODUCTION
Teaching English as a second purpose of teaching descriptive text is
or foreign language has been a to give information, the context of
constant challenge due to the this text is description of particular
interference of the first language. thing, person, animal, place, and
Efforts to motivate learners must first other.
look into the teaching methods among Morever, The importance of
others, as implementing the teaching how to write descriptive
conventional way of teaching English paragraphs can be analyzed from to
was found to be unmotivating. viewpoints: inside the classroom and
Especially when they are restricted to outside the classroom. The freshmen
classroom learning which would are faced with the need of descriing
expose them to a limited scope of events, experiences, areas, and objects
knowledge, the situation does not inside the language classroom. No
reflect a positive trend in teaching and matter what the level is, students
learning English. always ask about what they did
One of the core subjects during vacation, last night, in the
taught at schools up to universities is morning or about their plans. They
English Language. The Curriculum are also requested to provide a
Specifications prescribed by the physical description of themselves
Ministry of Education specify the four and others. Outside the c1assroom,
skills which need to be mastered by most freshmen supposed to put into
the learners, namely listening, practice all the knowledge that they
speaking, reading and writing. have acquired in the English lessons.
Writing is one of the skills which Nowadays, knowing how to write in
need to be mastered by the learners. English has become a transcendental
Students learn different genres of feature of a 21 - century citizen.
writing like descriptive, expository, Students have to express themselves
recount narrative, and others based on in English in writing to establish
the prescribed syllabus of the relationships with foreigners and
Ministry of Education. There are people outside the country. Most of
many methods adopted by the the time, students have to to describe
teachers in teaching writing in the events, experiences and so forth in
classrooms. One of the methods or their writing. Therefore, In writing
strategies recommended in teaching that text, students need to observe
writing descriptip text is field strip. things, place, and animals in their
As stated in the syllabus that the natural habitats.

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78

In order to create an efficient three of their studies they


learning ambience, language teachers discovered that exposure to the
need to focus on the core principles of natural world enhanced the positive
learning community which include emotions of the participant as well
integration of curriculum, active as increasing their attention,
learning, student engage field-based motivation and the way the
learning has been used to generate meditate and problem-solve.
student interest, enhance student Alawad examined natural sound
learning, and help them acquire and whether this could be of
hands-on experience. Though mostly benefit to the art classroom
used in education, field-based environment. She considered
learning, primarily field trips, can be whether natural sound could foster
useful in undergraduate and graduate creativity. This study found that
education where students connect natural sound in the art classroom
textbook and classroom learning with enhanced students’ creativity and
the real world. raised students’ marks in their art
The need to develop an tasks (Alawad, 2012). Therefore,
effective environmental education looking to the natural locations for
program ranks as one of the major field trips, such as a desert and
challenges facing education in the outside space could stimulate a
next decade. Learning can take place student’s creativity and thirst for
anywhere. Not only in the classroom knowledge. This study will explore
or in school environment It could the role of field trips within the
happen on the street, in the market English curriculum. In particular, it
place, in the place of worship, in the will consider if field trips
waters, in the space etc. This is not positively affect students’ creative
just talking about a particular type of thinking and practices in writing
education, it could be any type, descriptive text. As the aim of
formal, informal or non-formal this research is to observe the subject
education, it is all about learning in its natural state and possibly collect
generally. Field trips are recognized samples.
as important moments in learning; a Field trips offer opportunities
shared social experience that provides to students that they may not have
the opportunity for students to known existed, and expose them to
encounter and explore novel things in learning experiences that can not be
an authentic setting. It is important to duplicated inside the classroom.
recognize that learning outcomes These “out-of-school” experiences
from field trips can range from have been a tradition since the earliest
cognitive to affective outcomes schools were founded.The outdoor
Heath, D,. (2012). field experience has traditionally been
Previous research has an important component in curricula.
highlighted the link between Students do seem to benefit from
creativity and the natural world. For the learning experiences that occur
example, Mayer et al., (2009) outside the classroom and another
considered the reason why nature can key researcher into the area of
be beneficial to creation. In all field trips. Patrick, 2010, proposed

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that field trips should be weaved into trip is the act of taking pupils out of
the teaching schedule as this will the classroom into the community for
provide an opportunity for students the purpose of learning. Nabors,
to view information for themselves Edwards and Murray (2009) share the
and use their own senses to touch, same view with the aforementioned
or feel materials that they had authors that field trip is a type of
previously only heard about (Patrick, experiential learning that gets
2010). This immediacy and children away from the traditional
accessibility is a key feature of field classroom setting and into a new
trips and one of its redeeming mode of learning. Tal and Morag
features. Leaving the school premises (2009) opinion is not differ from that
is a social experience and one, which of other scholars, they describe field
provides a change of tempo and trips as student experiences outside of
scenery for students. learn through the classroom at interactive locations
their experiences and reflections. The designed for educational purposes. In
fact that everything and every event view of this, the general perception of
of life provide information for people as regard field trip is any
education, justify teacher’s effort to teaching and learning process carried
take student outside the four wall of out by a group of people outside of
the classroom for effective learning. the classroom environment.
This could be better explained in the The purpose of the trip is
values that educators attached to the usually observation for education,
relevant of field trip instructional experimental research or to provide
strategy in the teaching and learning students with experiences outside
process. The traditional practice of their everyday activities, such as
field trip as an instructional strategy going camping with teachers and their
takes the students outside of the classmates.. Field trips are also used
school environment. Thus field trip to produce civilized young men and
becomes a form of community women who appreciate culture and
contact instructional strategy adopted the arts. It is seen that more-
in the formal school system for the advantaged children may have
purpose of education. already experienced cultural
Field trips are recognized as institutions outside of school, and
important moments in learning; a field trips provide a common ground
shared social experience that provides with more-advantaged and less-
the opportunity for students to advantaged children to have some of
encounter and explore novel things in the same cultural experiences in
an authentic setting. Krepel and writing descriptive text.
Durrall (1981) describe field trip as a Field trips cannot replace
school or class trip with an school-based education but they
educational intent, in which students should not have to compete to
interact with the setting, displays, and demonstrate their pedagogical worth.
exhibits to gain an experiential In formal education, learning
connection to the ideas, concepts, and outcomes are customarily pre-decided
subject matter. According to Oloyede, independently of the learner, for
Ajibade and Bamidele (2006) field example through curricula and

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defined standards. In field trips, classroom instructional


learners are invited to drive their own program and they tend to be
learning outcomes. Notwithstanding, special and enjoyable learning
the learning outcomes a field trip can experiences. As a result,
impart are conditioned by the students will develop positive
structure of the field trip, the personal attitudes in students toward
context of children, the social context related classroom activities.
of the visit, the novelty of the 3. Increases student-student and
physical context, teacher agendas and student-teacher social
actions during the field trip, and the interaction.Field trips provide
quality of preparations and follow-up an opportunity to involve
experiences. students, parents, and the
During the field trip it is teachers in the instructional
possible that teachers divide learners program. Students can select
into groups and assign them team the place to be visited,
tasks. When groups work together developing questions to ask,
throughout a field trip, it improves writing reports or thank you
learner communication with peers. letters after the trip, or
Educational trips offer interaction and evaluating the experiences.
cooperation among students, teachers, 4. Develops social awareness.
other administrative staff and Field trips make students
representatives at the field trip aware of learning activities in
destination who offer guided tours everyday life.
and conduct question-and-answer
sessions. In view of this learners Purpose of Field Trip
expand their educational networks 1. It enhance the curriculum.
through interacting with others during Field trips are rich in
field trips (Arduini, 2012). This social educational possibilities as
training also provide for the learners students learn from actual
who came from different social- hands-on experiences, rather
cultural background an opportunity of than by simply reading or
how to behave and control emotion in hearing about something.
different situations (Shakil, Faizi & Involvement in a real world
Hafeez, 2011). experience makes learning
more meaningful and
Features of field trip memorable comparing to
1. Facilitate the learning of regular classroom instructional
abstract concepts. Taking programs.
students on a field trip makes 2. Give students experiential
learning more effective as learning experiences.
they will be able to gain vast Involvement in a real world
ideas on the topic. experience makes learning
2. Motivate students through more meaningful and
increased interest and memorable. As a result the
curiosity. Field trips can add students will have more
variety to the regular concept of the topic as they

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have learnt through their hand- under the teacher’s supervision. When
on experiences. planning and organizing a successful
3. Concrete skills such as note field trip, three important stages
taking. Students have to should be included i.e. the pre-trip
develop questions to be asked, stage of a field trip involves two
write reports or thank you major components: administration
letters after the trip, or evaluate and instruction. The second stage of a
their experiences. By doing successful field trip is the trip itself. It
such activities, students will has also two components: the role of
develop various skills such as the student and the role of the teacher.
note taking skills, speaking The third and final stage of a
skills, writing skills will successful field trip is the post-trip
enhance. stage which also consists of two
4. Involvement in a real world components: debriefing and
experience makes learning culminating activity.
more meaningful and
memorable 2. METHOD
5. Field trips can add variety to The population of this study
the regular instructional was 180 second-year English mayor
program; they tend to be students in the fourth semester of
special and enjoyable learning academic year 2016/2017 at Islamic
experiences, ones which University of Riau Pekanbaru. The
develop positive attitudes in study sample consisted of two
students toward related classes each consisting of 30
classroom activities. Field students selected by simple random
trips are rich in educational sampling from seven classes.
possibilities because students Therefore, The researcher took the
learn from actual firsthand experimental group on two separate
experiences, rather than by field trips to the zoo and a museum.
simply reading or hearing The field trips were each a day in
about something length. The students in this group
6. Field trips help the students were also given writing materials
appreciate the relevance and and supplementary material prior to
importance of what each trip. While, the control group
they learn in the classroom. of students (30 students) was not
taken on these trips. This reseach
The procedure of field trip consists of two variables, those are
Myers and Jones (2009) independent variable: field trips
describe that educational field trips strategy and the dependent variable:
should be designed around specific the students’ writing descriptive text.
educational objectives. If a field trip Data were collected from the
not planned well in advance will end students’ scores of the pre-test and
in confusion and will be a waste of post-test of writing descriptive text.
time and money. So field trip should The data obtained from this method
be planned as a cooperative activity of teaching in the study was analyzed
involving full pupil participation and interpreted through quantitative

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analysis. Quantitative data includes were asked to write a desciptive text


the data obtained from the pre-test about animal based on their
and the post-test. The t-test was to experience during the trip. Therefore,
compare the students’ writing It was expected that they could thus
descriptive text. When planning and obtain integrated knowledge about the
organizing a successful field trip, characteristics and the identification
three important stages should be of animal. A special emphasis was put
included: pre-test, trip, and post-trip on the participants’ sensory and
propossed by Myers (2015). The emotional experience in contact with
procedure of field trips followed in the environment.
the teaching plan used in the study After a two-day period of
encompassed the following three contact with the natural of animals,
stages: participants were taken to another
place, that was in a museum, Taking
Procedure a field trip to the Museum offers
This study involved two students and teachers an opportunity
groups those are experimental and to interact with real objects. Field
control group. The main objective of trips engage the senses, bring
such trips was to draw participants´ curriculum concepts to life, and
attention to relevant aspects of the inspire new questions. During the
natural and social environment trip, they did the same activities when
through determined activities. they were visiting the zoo. The
Morever, there were two destinations Museum offers students a unique
were recomended for the students to experience that cannot be replicated
visit during this reseaarch; those were in the classroom. students engaged in
trips to the zoo and museum. The first the process of inquiry: asking
week of the zoo trip, in a pre-trip the questions, collecting evidence, and
teachers talked about the zoo with her constructing explanations.
class, and she showed the students Meanswhile, in the post-trip the
pictures of the animals they would be students gathered into groups of three
seeing. Activities for the pre-trip to four and made short oral reports
students focused on the different zoo and led discussions in the classroom
animals. However, during the trip and results from field obdervation. In
students exposed themselves to addition, students were encouraged to
detected and described the animals discuss the field trip activities during
found. All activities were performed the one hour bus rides between stops.
in a cooperative in a their own group The oral reports and discussions were
and playful way. All the participants intended to share information and
were free to choose the animal they reflections among the students before
were interested in and wrote about writing descriptive text. At the second
the characteristics and the session of the class, students were
identification of the animals on their asked to generate their idea into a
note. For the last trip (post-trip), they desriptive text based on their
backed to the classroom and experience during the trips. They
discussing about their finding during wrote three to four paragraph based
the trip. At the end of the class, they on the generic structure of the

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descriptive text.in addition, the 3. FINDING AND DISCUSSION


following day, the teacher corrected This research project was
students’ works by disdussing and aimed at establishing whether field
solving problem. Consequently, field trip srategy could improve
trip can foster students’ critical- descriptive writing skills in a group of
thinking skills: analyzing, reasoning, 30 students. Based on the analysis of
problem-solving, and creative the data and the findings the
thinking. Therefore, in a post trip researcher states that students showed
students were asked to report they an improvement in their writing
finding and write a descriptive text. descripive text. as a result of the
implementation of Process writing
can be shown in the following table.

Table 1 The Normality of The Test


Tests of Normality
Kolmogorov-Smirnova Shapiro-Wilk
Statistic df Sig. Statistic df Sig.
Experimental Class .144 30 .117 .945 30 .126
Control Class .173 30 .022 .935 30 .065
Exsperimental Class .174 30 .022 .921 30 .028
Contrrl Control .219 30 .001 .888 30 .004
a. Lilliefors Significance Correction

Table 1 shows that only the hypothesis (H0) is rejected if the value
data of experimental class is normally of sig. (2-sided) is less that 0.05. the
distributed 0.117 > 0.05. Therefore, to assence of the hypothesis is to
determine whether the hypothesis determine the effectiveness of field
shoud be rejected or not. This was trip strategy on tudents’ writing
tested at 0.05 level of significance. descriptive text.
The decision role is such that null

Table 2. Statistical Description of Field Trips and Conventional Strategies on Students’


Writing Descriptive Text
Descriptive Statistics
Minimu Maximu
N m m Mean Std. Deviation
Pre-Tes of Eksperimen 30 40.00 70.00 55.5000 8.64531
class
Pre Control Class 30 40.00 70.00 52.3333 8.48257
Post Eksperimental Class 30 60.00 90.00 76.1667 8.87493
Post Control Class 30 55.00 75.00 64.1667 4.56435
Valid N (listwise) 30

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Table 1 shows the statistical Mean 64.1667, field trips strategy


description of the pre and post test post-test Mean 76.1667. to determine
results of the two types instructional if the observed effectiveness is
strategies on the students’ writing significant at 0.05 level Mann-
descriptive text with conventional Whitney T test was used and the
strategy pre-test Mean 52.333, field summary of the analysis is presented
trip strategy pre-test Mean 55.5000, in table 3.
and conventional strategy post-test
Table 3.Mann-Whitney U Test for the Descriptive Writing Text Test
Test Statisticsa
nilai
Mann-Whitney U 170.500
Wilcoxon W 635.500
Z -4.208
Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) .000
a. Grouping Variable: class

Table 3 shows results from the field trip strategy on students’ writing
pre- and post-trip students, descriptive text with 0.00 < 0.05.
respectively. The asymptotic, two- Futhermore, field trip enhance
tailed significance (also known as the learners mental development through
―p‖ value) generated from the Mann- observation and offer opportunities to
Whitney U test. The asymptotic, two- students to explore their ideas based
tailed significance is an indication of on their own experience. In other
probability that the ―null hypothesis‖ research Mhgoub M Yassir (2014)
cannot be rejected. The null agreed that field trips to natural and
hypothesis here is that the data from industrial locations were a beneficial
the independent samples come from learning aid and a means of fostering
the same population; in other words, students’ creativity and practices in
the samples are not different from art education. Obadiro (2016) virtual
each other. Thus, a low value of the field trip and real field trip are
significance indicates that the null effective strategies in enhancing
hypothesis can be rejected and the students’ knowledge in Social
two samples are different from each Studies. Haw-Jan “John” Wu (2009)
other. The statements with the Field trips do increase student interest
asymptotic significance of less than in OM among other positive feelings
0.05 (p = 0.00 < 0.05). of the students.When students have an
From table 3 the result shows interest, they tend to learn the subject
that there is a significant effect of materials better.

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85

The graphic 1 illustrates social-science-based learning


experimental group’s post-test activities such as short-term visits
evidanced that the higheast (hours to a day) to natural areas and
components score of writing were for more structured settings such as
vocabulary and organization (93), museums and zoos, aquaria, or
while the lowest was for content (86). gardens. Here, researcher reviews the
informal science education literature
4. CONCLUSION with a focus on the effectiveness of
In conclusion, field trips informal science learning experiences
strategy applied to Process approach on the students’ writing descriptive
was a suitable strategy for EFL text.
students from the first grade at
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