English National Examination Research Articles

An Analysis of the Difficulty of National Examination Test Items

This study aimed to determine: (1) the items categorized into difficult in English National Examination 2016/2017 (2) learning objectives (indicators) that are categorized into difficult of English National Examination 2016/2017. The subjects of the research is the students of the third grade at State Senior High School 5 Pekanbaru. The samples were randomly selected of 43 students. The data obtained through analyzing the answers of English National Examination 2016/2017. The results showed that (1) the items, categorized into difficult are item 2, item 3, item 5, item 8, item 9, item 11, item 13, item 15, item 20, item 25, item 26, item 31, item 41, item 45, item 46, and item 49. The difficult of learning objective (learning-indicators) were indicator 1, indicator 2, indicator 3, indicator 4, indicator 5, indicator 7, indicator 9, indicator 10, indicator 11, indicator 13, and indicator 14.

ANALISIS HASIL UJIAN NASIONAL BAHASA INGGRIS SMA DAN PENGEMBANGAN MODEL PENINGKATAN MUTU PEMBELAJARAN BAHASA INGGRIS DI PROPINSI NUSA TENGGARA BARAT

Abstract. This research aims at (a) mapping of the results of National Examinantion of Senior High Schools in Mataram City, West Lombok Regency and North Lombok Regency, (b) finding out the sources of possible problems, (c) providing recommendation for solutions, and (d) designing solution models. Data are collected in two levels: for English National Examination mapping, all 52 schools are analyzed; while for finding out the sources of problems and recommendation, only 12 schools involved as samples, the selection of which employ purposive quota sampling technique, by considering types of schools (government and private), location (city or country), achievement/rank in national Exam (high or low). The data are collected using triangulation techniques such as documentary, questionnaire for schools and for teachers, observation, probing test, and focus group discussion (FGD). The collected data are then analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. From the analysis, it is concluded that (i) the mastery of English subject tends to increase from 2008 to 2009 and 2010; (ii) There are at least 10 indicators on Listening and 14 indicators on Reading whose achievement is under 60% and regarded as problematic indicators to the students for 3 years; (iii) Factors causing those problems are KTSP and 8 National Standards of Education in most schools have not been implemented and fulfilled optimally, caused by various factors; (iv) From the analysis of factors influencing the improvement of quality at SMAs, one of the major problems is teachers capability in relation to other Standards (Content, Process, Assessment, Facilities and Teachers Development). Solving teachers’ problems are expected to solve other problems; (v) It is, therefore, that in order to improve the quality of education in Senior High Schools in the targeted regions, the solution model offered is the empowerment of English teachers at the targeted regions.Keywords: National Exam, Senior High School, solution recommendation

AN ANALYSIS ON CBT NATIONAL EXAMINATION EFFECT: STUDENTS’ COGNITIVE READINESS AND ANXIETY FACING ENGLISH TESTS

The purpose of this study was to know the influence of CBT and PBT national examination dealing with students’ cognitive readiness and anxiety facing English national examination in Cilacap regency, the influence of major in terms of students’ cognitive readiness and anxiety facing English national examination in Cilacap regency, and the interaction between national examination and major. This research was descriptive explorative and the method was ex-post facto. The population was all of natural and social science high school students in grade XII in Cilacap regency. The number of sample used was 352 students. The results showed that there was significant influence of national examination in terms of students’ cognitive readiness and anxiety facing national examination. However, CBT and PBT national examination did not influence the cognitive readiness facing national examination, CBT and PBT national examination influence in national examinations in terms of students’ anxiety facing national examination. The average score of the students’ anxiety facing CBT national exam was higher than that of the students’ anxiety facing PBT national examination. There was no effect caused by differences in majoring in terms of cognitive readiness and anxiety in facing English national examination; and there was no interaction between the different types of national examinations and majors.

ANALYSIS OF THE INDONESIAN HIGH SCHOOL CURRICULUM FOCUSING UPON THE ENGLISH PROGRAM

The central theme of this paper discusses the current issues in English Language Teaching (ELT) in Indonesian contexts particularly the English curriculum of Indonesian secondary school. It will first explore the historical development of English curriculum in Indonesia including the methods or approaches that have so far been used; this section touches on current directions in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) methodology - Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT) - studies that may not be readily adapted by some English teachers in Indonesia. It will then move to the discussion of the goals of Indonesian English curriculum - integrated with Character Education - which could be considered a reflection of needs analysis and its ideologies. Lastly, this paper shows some challenges that could have hindered English language learning and teaching in Indonesia particularly related to the washback of English National Examination held by the Indonesian Government each year at the end of the school term; these challenges may need to be addressed by postgraduate universities that provide a TESOL Master`s programme. It also examines other high-stake assessments that seem to have influenced the directions of the English teaching and learning processes in Indonesian contexts.

Students’ Perception of Quipper as an Online Practice Tool for the English Computer-based National Examination

This study is a descriptive case study that tries to follow the students’ learning process in using Quipper, an e-learning platform to prepare them for the upcoming Computer-based National Examination. During the length of the research, the students’ perception of Quipper as a practice tool will be gathered and presented, along with the aspects that need to be further developed in the future, and students’ suggestions on how to develop Quipper into an e-learning platform with better functionality. Results of the study revealed that the students have positive perception towards Quipper with several notes about the need to revisit the functionalities and user interface according to what most students would be comfortable with as users. Further, the study also revealed critiques from the students for Quipper’s future developments. Finally, on the basis of the critiques, some suggestions were also given by the students participated in this study. The suggestions consisted of conducting more research on another level of educations besides junior high school to get the overall idea of what the users from all age range need and also the need to conduct research on several other e-learning platforms.

Students’ Perception of Quipper as an Online Practice Tool for the English Computer-based National Examination

This study is a descriptive case study that tries to follow the students’ learning process in using Quipper, an e-learning platform to prepare them for the upcoming Computer-based National Examination. During the length of the research, the students’ perception of Quipper as a practice tool will be gathered and presented, along with the aspects that need to be further developed in the future, and students’ suggestions on how to develop Quipper into an e-learning platform with better functionality. Results of the study revealed that the students have positive perception towards Quipper with several notes about the need to revisit the functionalities and user interface according to what most students would be comfortable with as users. Further, the study also revealed critiques from the students for Quipper’s future developments. Finally, on the basis of the critiques, some suggestions were also given by the students participated in this study. The suggestions consisted of conducting more research on another level of educations besides junior high school to get the overall idea of what the users from all age range need and also the need to conduct research on several other e-learning platforms.

Item Analysis of Preparation Test for English National Examination

<p>This research aims to reveal the quality of English national<strong> </strong>examination preparation test in terms of qualitative and quantitative aspects. Qualitative aspect includes content validity, technical item quality and cognitive domain learning outcome while quantitative aspect include reliability, difficulty level, item discrimination, and distractor effectiveness. Sample was taken from 3 out of 10 schools in Pati district using simple random sampling. This research employs both qualitative and quantitative analysis in which expert judgement is used to analyze content validity and technical item quality while ITEMAN is used for quantitative analysis. The result showed that the test has good content validity, 99.06% items appropriate with competence being measured, good technical item quality and most items (81.13%)are categorized as cognitive domain learning outcome C2 (Understand). Moreover, the test has high reliability index (> 0.8), fair difficulty, and good discrimination. However, 35.85% items have ineffective distractors.</p>

Picture Composition as a Form of Evaluation Leading to Creativity and Innovation Among Candidates and Sustainable Education Development

Picture composition was long used in evaluating candidates in all levels of learning in 7.4.2.3 system of education in Kenya. The problem nowadays picture composition is not used in evaluating candidates in primary and secondary levels where learners are supposed to be taught skills to analyses and interpret concepts. Picture compositions is a way of setting photographs/ pictures in a series depicting unrevealed information of concept of the phenomena understudy, and candidate/ learner analyses and interpret and write an essay or composition from their comprehension or understanding of the phenomena. The problem is the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) does not set the picture composition for candidates in primary and secondary levels and this gives a leeway for candidates to copy from one another similar points. As a consequence when it is detected by KNEC, either the candidate’s results or the school is cancelled. The papers argues if the picture is set it will minimize chances of cheating in English language and the objective of study is to investigate why the setters do not set picture composition in national examination. The paper adopts in-depth interview method to collect data from English language national examination setters from the ten schools in western Kenya, through convenience random sampling. The results are; firstly, candidates are able to give points in essays or composition of two levels of bloom’s taxonomy of knowledge and comprehension that is why candidates/learners cannot retain concepts for long period. Secondly, learners or candidates cannot be able to think and apply, analyze, evaluate, create and innovate from the concepts or tests given. It concluded that learners cannot create and innovate from such learning experiences from the revised bloom’s taxonomy by Lorin Anderson. Therefore it is recommended in 8.4.4 system of education; Kenya national examination setters to change the mode of setting and apply picture composition in English language to enable learners/candidates to be analytical, interpretive and evaluative as a consequence become innovative and creative in their field of study or specialization.

Tests of Writing in the School Examination in Upper Secondary Schools

Although the results of the final examination in Indonesia were the dominant factor in determining high school graduation, the public still did not know how the examination was administered nor how results were used to determine student graduation. Despite its importance, no comprehensive studies about its implementation have been conducted. The present study investigates the implementation of school-based assessment (SBA) in upper secondary schools focusing on the development and administration of the English writing test. This particular test was not covered in the English national examination. Twenty-one schools were surveyed, selected through stratified random sampling. In-depth case studies were conducted in three selected schools representing fully implementing school (FIS), moderately implementing school (MIS), and partially implementing school (PIS). The majority were categorized as PIS. This study suggests that the way in which examinations were implemented needs serious consideration, especially in light of the new regulation that student graduations are based on the result of the school examinations and no longer on the result of the national examination.

A LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT ANALYSIS OF ENGLISH NATIONAL EXAMINATION IN INDONESIA

By virtue of the importance and the gradual development of nationalexamination in Indonesia, this article evaluates its implementation,focusing on English subject through the perspective of languageassessment. The analysis of this qualitative research is placed initially onthe quality of questions of English national examination in the academicyear of 2014-2015 for senior high schools. After the question qualityanalysis, there is a subsequent analysis focusing on assessing the outeraspect in dealing with the English national examination implementation inIndonesia which is the regulation itself. The results show that someweaknesses still emerge regarding the quality of both the text thequestions, also the aspects outside those ones like the impacts of theregulation towards the students and the schools.Keywords: English, national examination, language assessment

An analysis of English national final examination for junior high school in terms of validity and reliability

<p>The purpose of this study is to analyze the English National Final Examination for Junior High School. Validity and reliability are the two kinds of characteristics of a good test which are concerned. Since the five packages of the test are the same in content and only different on the placement of the items, so it is considered to take only one package becomes sample. This study was analyzed by using the descriptive method. Content validity was analyzed by comparing the materials in the syllabus to the items of the test, and construct validity was analyzed by comparing the indicators in the syllabus to the items of the test. While the reliability was analyzed by using Kuder-Richardson Formula (KR20). The result of the study shows that the English National Final Examination for Junior High School was valid and reliable. The content validity shows 100% valid, and the construct validity shows 100% valid. While the reliability shows coefficient 0.89, and it is reliable. So, the English National Final Examination for Junior High School has fulfilled the characteristics of a good test.</p><p><br /><em></em></p>

WASHBACK OF ENGLISH NATIONAL EXAMINATION IN THE INDONESIAN CONTEXT

This study examines how teachers teach English to prepare students for high-stakes English national examination in the Indonesian context. Data were collected from two high-achieving and three low-achieving schools with eleven teachers as the subjects of in-depth interviews and nonparticipatory classroom observations. The findings reveal that bi-directional washback was found in both groups of schools. The schools of low achievers were found to have more intensive negative washback than those of high achievers. The different intensity of negative washback is likely related to the teachers’ perspective about their students’ level of competence for passing the national examination and about the quality of their schools. The consistently unsatisfactory national examination scores of the low-achieving schools, despite their concerted efforts in the examination preparation program, suggest that the government should focus on supporting such schools with more empirically-based empowerment programs, which would become an indispensable follow-up actions regarding the implementation of the highstakes national examination.

Assessment literacy of national examination interviewers and raters – experience with the CEFR

The article investigates the training needs for the English language national examination interviewers and raters in Estonia in light of the new national examination that is set to measure students’ proficiency at level B of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (henceforth CEFR) scale. A questionnaire study was designed to explore CEFR-related assessment literacy – the extent to which the target population employed the CEFR in their daily professional life, how accessible they felt the CEFR was for their professional needs and if they thought they could accurately place students on the CEFR levels. Additionally, the respondents assigned CEFR can do statements to the levels deemed appropriate. The results revealed ambiguity about the CEFR levels among the respondents, which lead the authors to propose a training sequence designed to empower the interviewers and raters to function more efficiently within the new national examination speaking test in Estonia. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5128/ERYa10.01

The Washback Effect of the English National Examination (ENE) on English Teachers’ Classroom Teaching and Students’ Learning

Since 2005, Indonesia has administered the National Examination (NE), from which the result is used as a basis to decide the students’ exit from secondary schools. As a high stake testing, the NE has caused various washback effects, both positive and negative. Consequently, the existence of the NE has been accompanied by heated debates and controversies. The pros believe that the NE may improve secondary education standards, while the cons argue that the NE will create injustice and unnecessary anxiety among the students. However, both the pros and cons base their arguments on common sense not supported by a sound reasoning. The present study tries to explore the washback effects of the English National Examination (ENE) in Indonesian secondary education context, involving three Secondary Schools categorized based on their NE achievement. The results of the study indicate that English teachers and students from the schools involved have different perceptions on the ENE. The English National Examination has an influential impact on teachers’ teaching in the aspect of: activity/time arrangement, teaching materials, teaching contents, teaching methods, teaching strategies, ways of assessing, and on the feelings and attitudes of the students. The ENE also affects the students’ learning in the classroom in which teachers mainly teach to test, practice the test and develop test-taking strategies. The dimensions of the washback effect of the ENE on both English teachers and students are negative and positive, strong, specific and for a short period time.

The Washback Effect of the English National Examination (ENE) on English Teachers’ Classroom Teaching and Students’ Learning

The Washback Effect of the English National Examination (ENE) on English Teachers’ Classroom Teaching and Students’ Learning