Evaluating Indonesian Language Training Course at Inculs,

>>>IntroductionContent: 3.29
Indonesian Language and Culture Learning ServiceInstruction: 3.46
(INCULS) is a department in the faculty of culturalOverall: 3.5
science, Gadjah Mada University. The overall goal ofThe results suggested that the students were fairly
INCULS is to prepare foreign students withsatisfied with the program. However, according to
Indonesian language and culture through a trainingthe interview, some students revealed that the
course period. Foreign students from developingprogram was little of important for their future study
countries that get scholarship from Indonesianwhen they do master degree since they were told
government to pursue master degree in Indonesiathey could use English. They perceived that the
have to be trained in INCULS so that they canprogram was very important for everyday life but
survive in term of communication in their everydaynot academic. Some students complained that the
lives as well as their academic environment. Thebook was not very attractive and there were no
program was conducted during an eight-month periodclear objectives in each lesson. Answering to the
from September to May 2007. An evaluation wasquestion if a variety of media was used to help
intended to make judgments about the merit, value,teaching learning process, most students said no and
or worth of the training program conducted atsome teachers come to teach without preparation.
INCULS. This evaluation study was to find out the2. Learning
reaction of the students participating in the courseThere was absolutely learning occurred in the
and to find out if the program was effective andprogram. It was known that students had zero
efficient in delivering knowledge to students. It wasknowledge of Indonesian before they came to study.
envisaged that this evaluation study would increaseThis means that they did not know anything about
efficiency, effectiveness and good performance inIndonesian; however, after studying they can
delivery good quality of learning program at INCULS.communicate Indonesian effectively, they can read
Evaluating reaction is the same thing as measuringsome paper and even do some writing for their class.
customer satisfaction (Kirckpatrick, 1998:25). HeTo be sure, mean scores of two tests which were
continued that if training is going to be effective, it isdone in the middle and at the end of the course
important that trainees react favorably to the trainingwere taken to comparison. The report of the test
or they will not be motivated to learn. Motivation haswas obtained from INCULS and the results revealed:
been considered a major impact on human behaviorVocabulary Writing Reading Grammar Conversation
(Sprinhall, N.A &Sprinhall R.C, 1987: 463). According toTotal Mean
Brophy (1987), motivation to learn is a competenceTest 1 77.58 83.83 85 72.33 77.75 79.29
acquired "through general experience but stimulatedTest 2 80.25 84 76.91 72.58 80.83 79.91
most directly through modeling, communication ofTotal Gain 2.67 0.17 -8.09 0.25 3.08 0.62
expectations, and direct instruction or socialization byThe scores show that there was tremendous
significant others (especially teachers)." The beliefsimprovement of students from 0% (zero knowledge
teachers themselves have about teaching andof Indonesian) to 79.29% in the first test and 79.91 in
learning and the nature of the expectations they holdthe second test. There was an overall gain of 0.62%
for students also exert a powerful influence (Raffini,at the end of the course; however, if we look at
1993:286). As Stipek (1988) notes, "To a very largeeach subject in the first and second test, reading
degree, students expect to learn if their teachersscore decreases to 8.09%. This means students'
expect them to learn." School wide goals, policies, andreading ability is very limited. Conversational score
procedures also interact with classroom climate andincreases 3.08% which is the highest gain among the
practices to affirm or alter students' increasinglyfive subjects and the vocabulary gain score is 2.67%
complex learning-related attitudes and beliefs.which is the second highest. The observation was
Classroom climate is important. If studentsmade in school campus and public place including
experience the classroom as a caring, supportivemarket, football pitch…etc, and it amazingly
place where there is a sense of belonging andrevealed that most of the time students used
everyone is valued and respected, they will tend toIndonesian language to communicate among friends.
participate more fully in the process of learning.Indonesian students who communicated with the
Effective learning in the classroom depends on thepopulation reported that they understood the
teacher's ability to maintain the interest that broughtcommunication 90% from various topics in
students to the course in the first place" (Ericksen,Indonesian. The foreign students further stated that
1978:3). Courses should be instrumentally motivatingthey preferred communicating in Indonesian to
by being obviously related to preparation for futurereading or writing.
goals and aspirations (McPartland & Braddock, 2000).>>>Conclusions and Recommendations
Cognitive theorists view learning as a reorganizationThe students conversationally learned a lot from the
of a number of perceptions; this reorganization allowsprogram. Language training program in INCULS is very
the learner to perceive new relationships, solve newimportant for foreign students since it equips
problems, and gain a basic understanding of a subjectstudents with the ability to use and understand
area (Sprinhall, N.A &Sprinhall R.C, 1987:192). InIndonesian in various contexts and culture. The score
addition, learning can be defined as the extent toof the reaction can always be improved if some
which participants change attitudes, improveaspects are taken into consideration. The content of
knowledge, and/or increase skill as a result ofthe course should be improved. The content should
attending the program (Kirkpatrick, 1998:20).be valid, significant, interested, learnable and
Thus, it can be assumed that positive reactions ofconsistent with social realities, and utility. The course
students toward a training program tend to helpshould be separated into two levels. First level is for
them learn more. Trainees can learn effectively andgeneral language using ability; that is the ability to use
will be able to apply the knowledge learned efficientlyIndonesian in everyday life communication. Finally, the
once they have high motivation to learn. It is in thelanguage should be focused on each subject that
hand of instructors, administrator and school climatestudents will be doing in their master program. The
that can facilitate the learning process and increaseobjectives of each lesson must be stated clearly. The
students' motivation.students will be more motivated to learn if they
>>>Evaluation Methodknow real objectives and the benefit of learning.
The first two levels of Kirkpatrick's (1998) model ofInstructors should plan their lessons well and present
evaluation, namely reaction and learning was applied inthem attractively and effectively to the class. High
evaluating the training program. A combination ofsatisfaction and learning quality will be improved if all
qualitative and quantitative approach was used tothose mentioned factors are considered. In contrast,
study the population in order to obtain valid andif all the negative aspects are not taken into
reliable data. Data collection techniques includedconsideration, the learning situation might be worse
observation inside and outside class activities,for the next program.
interview, documents and questionnaire. Twelve>>>Acknowledgements
foreign students from various countries attending theI would like to express my gratitude to all those who
program were the population of this evaluation study.gave me the possibility to complete this evaluation
1. Reaction: How well did the students like the trainingstudy.
course? Each student completed the reaction sheetI am deeply indebted to Prof. Kumaidi who gave so
which was divided into content, instruction and overallfreely of his time with valuable comments and
course satisfaction. The course content was referredsupport to me during the study in Indonesia. His
to the clarity of the course objective, the agreementstimulating suggestions and encouragement helped
between course objective and lesson assignment,me in all the time of research for and writing of this
and the well planned, organized and used of timeevaluation study. His priceless help and advice
period. The instruction was focused on thecontribute tremendously to my educational
knowledgeability of instructors to the subject matter,achievements.
the teaching methods and techniques employed byI want to thank Dr. Ida Rochani Adi for giving me
instructors, and the understanding and facilitating ofpermission to conduct this study at INCULS.
the instructors toward students needs. Finally, theStudents, friends, and staff at INCULS supported me
overall evaluation of the program was meant toin this evaluation study. I want to thank them for all
evaluate the whole satisfaction of students to thetheir help, support, interest and valuable hints.
training program. A five-point scale was used to scale>>>References
the responses, with 5 being the highest satisfactionBrophy, J. (1987). On Motivating Students. Occasional
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scores were compared to see if there wereMcPartland & Braddock. (2000). A Conceptual
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made to see if the students used the languageUnderserved Populations. Available at (Access: 11 May
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>>>Evaluation ResultsRaffini, J. (1993). Winners Without Losers: Structures
The evaluation was conducted as plannedAnd Strategies For Increasing Student Motivation To
successfully and the results were communicated asLearn. Boston: Allyn and Bacon
follows:Stipek, D. (1988). Motivation To Learn: From Theory
1. ReactionTo Practice. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice
The reaction score to the content, instruction, andHall.
overall evaluation was: