CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

The rapid development of computer technology has altered the way education is being

delivered. This can be seen in our everyday English Language classroom where the

combination of various media attributes of the computer such as educational courseware,

online web page learning, interactive language games, animated flash videos and etc. are

being widely employed for the language learning purposes. Several studies (Ng & Gunstone,

2002, Nugent, Soh, & Samal, 2006; Shyu, 2000) explored the influence of technology and

concluded that technology could motivate students to learning. Furthermore, computers have

become the most sought- after electronic devices in both homes and schools.

Another recognition that marks the importance of technology in education is the introduction

of “Smart School” in 2003. “Smart School” is a learning institution that has been

systemically reinvented in terms of teaching and learning as well as the improvement of the

school management processes in order to help students cope and leverage on the Information

Age (The Smart School Road Map 2005-2020). The Smart School applications bring the

benefit of technology to the educators and administrators. These also allow the young to get

familiar with the ICT world – using tools such as personal computers, scanners, printers,

multimedia products, TV/videos, etc. – at a much earlier stage in life. They get to appreciate

the power of the Internet and multimedia applications, which can make learning more

interesting and enriching. This will in turn result in them becoming more technology savvy.
2.2 Research theory

Theory is a formal of set ideas that is intended to explain why something happens or exists.

According to the Smith,M.K. (www.infed.org/biblio/b.learn.htm) learning as a process that

associated with the learning theory. The focus on process leads into the realm of learning

theories or ideas about how or why change occurs.

Part of the reason why there are so many theoretical positions is that learning process means

so many different things too so many different people: a child memorizing a poem, a rat

finding its way through a maze, a baby trying to initiate an adult saying, and so on. Almost

our thoughts and behavior were learned. Learning can be adaptive or maladaptive, conscious

or unconscious, over or convent. Learning means so many different things that result

controversy merely because different theorists are studying different aspects of learning.

Generally there are four different orientations of learning theory:

1. Orientations of the cognitive

2. Orientations of the behaviorism

3. Orientations of the constructivism

4. Orientations of the social or situational to learning

According to Caine, Caine, McClintic,Klimek (2005:2-3) Learning is memorization and the

brain is designed for that purpose. Learning also an intellectual understanding and making

intellectual a practical sense of experience. For Caine et al, all learning is psychological. The

brain or mind is social and the search of meaning is innate and occurs through patterning,,

emotions are critical to patterning.

2.2.1 Cognitive

This research uses the learning theory from cognitive domain. This theory regard learners as

an active individual who constantly seeking knowledge are cannot be considered as an empty

vessel. It also views learning as an active process between learners and learning environment.

Cognitive development depends on interaction between the learners and the learning

environment.

Cognitive theorist viewed learning as an internal mental process which is including insight,

information processing, memory and perception. According to Sprinthall,Sprinthall, Oja

(1994;213) cognitive theorist follower viewed learning as a reorganization allows the learners

to perceive new relationship solve new problem and gain basic understanding of a subject

area.

According to Eggen and Kauchak (1997; 238) from a cognitive perspective, learning is a

change in a person’s mental structure that provide the capacity to demonstrate change in

behaviorism. These ‘mental structure’ include knowledge, belief, skills expectations, and

other mechanism in learners need. There are four main concepts in cognitive theory. They are

memory, storage, encoding, and retrieval. Memory refers to the learner’s ability to ‘save’

things (mentally) that they have previously learn. This term also used to refer to the actual

process of saving the processes learned knowledge or skill over a period of time. Storage

refers to the acquisition of new knowledge where the process of putting what is learned into

memory in the first place. For example each time the learners go to the class they

undoubtedly store some of the ideas presented in the lecture or class discussion.

By looking at cognitive theory of multimedia learning (Mayer, 1997), as outlined in A

cognitive model of multimedia learning the theory draws on Paivio's (1986; Clark &Paivio,

1991) dual coding theory,Multimedia learning 2 Baddeley's (1992) model of working

memory, Sweller's (Chandler & Sweller, 1991; Sweller, Chandler, Tierney & Cooper, 1990)

cognitive load theory, Wittrock's (1989) generative theory, and Mayer's (1996) SOI model of

meaningful learning. According to the theory, the learner possesses visual information

processing system and a verbal information processing, such that auditory narration goes into

the verbal system whereas animation goes into the visual system. In multimedia learning the

learner engages in three important cognitive processes. The first cognitive progress, selecting,

is applied to incoming verbal information to yield a text base and is applied to incoming

visual information to yield an image base. The second cognitive process, organizing, is

applied to the word base to create a verbally-based model of the to-beexplained system and is

applied to the image base to create a visually-based model of the tobe-explained system.

Finally, the third process, integrating, occurs when the learner builds connections between

corresponding events (or states or parts) in the verbally-based model and the visually-based

model.

Therefore, this research is looking forward how the brains work when all this particular

elements are combined together. The visual, images, sounds, verbal and nonverbal action that

students can see through the animation. The brain will work as to memorize what they see,

and then keep in mind with their background knowledge, and then students will come

forward to utilize the information and encoding the information. Lastly, students can learning

better and understand better than just look at plain paper with text.
2.2.2 Constructivism

Constructivism is a philosophy of learning, which grew from the core idea that humans

construct their own understanding of the world they live in (Gil-Perez et al., 2002; Graff am,

2003; Jones & Brader-Araje, 2002). According to McBrien &Brandt, 1997.’Constructivism is

an approach to teaching based on research about how people learn. Many researchers say that

each individual constructs knowledge rather than receiving it from other’. From an

educational perspective, learners construct their own knowledge individually and/or through

social interactions with teachers and peers in the classroom. Therefore, ‘constructivism’ in

this sense can be understood as a mental process to understand new knowledge, where the

teacher needs to design and organize instructional activities and material in order to prompt

the learner to restructure their existing knowledge. In broader terms, constructivism has

become one of the dominant alternative approaches to teaching and learning currently

promoted in science education. As agreed by cognitive and constructivist psychologist ( such

as Chi, 2001;Duit,Roth, Komorek, & Wilbers, 2001; Treagust, Harrison & Venville,1996),

the core assumptions regarding the learning process from the constructivist perspective rest

on the following premise:

1. Learning is searching for meaning or meaning construction through

conceptual change

2. Students individually construct their own knowledge as an active process, not

merely passively receiving from others.

3. The understanding of new information depends on the students existing ideas.

4. Some of the existing ideas are strongly held by students

Based on similar premise, Duit (1995) noted that one of the objectives in creating

constructivist instruction is to uncover students existing knowledge. This can be done, for

example, by encouraging the students to give their opinion or continuing to ask simple and

direct questions such as “ What do you mean by…?” or “how do you know that…” such

questions can create an environment where students answers can be discussed as a basis to

understand new ideas. According to constructivism theory the knowledge are constructed by

the learners itself by mix up old knowledge and new knowledge that they have. In learning

process, students are active, by make difference to the information based on their experience

or knowledge. This is to make sure if there any problem, it can be resolved and achieve

understanding on the new information. Under constructivist instruction, a teacher must take

into account the students existing ideas, ask students to justify and explain their current

understanding, and then guide them to the new concepts. At the same time, the teacher

encourages students to explain their ideas in fronts of other students in order to reach better

understanding of the information presented to them.

Haney et al.(2003) mentioned that the constructivist approach to teaching and learning has

formed one of the complete models for explaining the progression of a student’s concept

development and conceptual change. Researchers claim that that in comparison to

conventional methods of teaching, computer-mediated instruction can enhance student’s

conceptual change in understanding scientific conceptions (Reid et al, 2003; Ronen & Eliahu,

2000). The theoretical framework underpinning the implementations of this constructivist

animated instruction is based on the conceptual change model.

2.3 Previous research

Dr Zarina Samusidin ( Universiti Sains Malaysia) in her proposal, “ Media Penyiaran

sebagai Bahan Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran”, stated that in educational technology

practitioners points of view, media is the most common used teaching aid in the classroom.

Media, which is consists of movies, videos and multimedia clips, have been proved in various

researches to be effective in enhancing students comprehensions towards certain subjects.

Apart from that, media also are considered as a helpful tool in the classroom for it smoothes

the teaching process, and aid students knowledge mastery. As media is a combination of

movements, colors, and sound, it actually dramatized the whole conducted activities,

compared to the materials by bringing the “real world” to the classrooms. The cognitive and

affective learning theory, as well as the psycho motor abilty is achievable because media also

foster students critical thinking skills, which will enable them to accept language input in the

teaching and learning process.

Kirti Tannu in his research “Empirical Estimation of computer Animation as A Self-Study

material for science learning” stated that the computer animation integrated science learning

was more likely to help students to understand science. While the responses to questionnaire

to his students reflected the positive attitudes of the students regarding the use of computer

animation in science teaching and also this is the agreeable method in learning science.

Therefore, the researcher also believe in adapting this method in this research utilize

computer animation in teaching short story to the students to enhance their comprehension

and interest.
2.5 Model ASSURE

The ASSURE model is an ISD (Instructional System Design) process that was modified to be

used by teacher in the regular classroom. The ISD process is one in which teachers and

trainers can use to design and develop the most appropriate learning environment for their

students. The ASSURE model incorporates with Robert Gagne’s events of instruction.

2.5.1 Analyze learners

In order to do this research, the researcher needs to know about his target audience (the

students). The researcher needs to write down the following information about the students.

1. General characteristic: grade, age, ethnic group, sex, mental, emotional,

physical, or social problem, socioeconomic level and so on.

2. Specific entry competencies: prior knowledge, skills, and attitudes

3. Learning styles: verbal, logical, visual, musical, structured and so on

2.5.2 State objectives

Once researcher knows his students, researcher will begin writing the objectives of the

lesson. Objectives are the learning outcomes, that is, what will the students get out of the

lesson.

In this research, the researchers will utilize the use of the animation in teaching literature,

anime “Wall E” to form 4 students. The researcher will look back at the objective of this

research as stated at chapter 1 (1.3).

 2.5.3 Select instructional method, media, and material

Once the researcher knows his students and clear idea of what they should get out of the

lesson, then he is ready to select the instructional methods, media and material for the

research.

In this research, researcher will use computer, LCD projector in order to use animation in

teaching the short story. The media will use all particular sounds, images, video, and text as

subtitle.

2.5.4 Utilize media and material

Now it’s time to do your lesson and use the media and materials that have been selected.

Before use all the material, the researcher will preview first the material and use the

equipment in advance to be sure it works and know how to use it.

This thing must been done before the test, so as a result there will be no problem afterwards.

Utilize the material is important because technology is what human been produced and not all

them perfect as the human being. There will be sometimes it will not work out. The

researcher will come out with plan B which is by using a picture as the material replaces the

animation.

2.5.5 Required learners participants

Since this research is experimental research, the researcher will get the students actively

involving in this research. There will be task where need the learners to answer and get

involve like discussion, group work and hands-on activity.

The researcher will use the students affectively in order to have their intention and their

interest in learning literature, the short story. There will be less lecturing in classroom to
avoid boring classes, but more to edutainment classes and allowing the learners, to seek for

their understanding matter.

2.5.6 Evaluate and revise

After all the material have been utilize and used properly in lesson, getting student interaction

and give test an quiz, the last stage the researcher will evaluate and revise the lesson. A good

teacher must reflect upon the lesson, the stated objectives, the instructional strategy and

material, the assessment and determine if these elements of the lesson were effective or not or

need improvement and changes for next lesson.

The researcher, in this stage will try to figure out is there any hole in this research or not. The

researcher will evaluate this in next chapter in chapter 4. Does animation help learners to

understand better the short story or not, and are enhance their interest in learning literature.

Overall, ASSURE model is applicable for this research. First, students information will be

analyzed and the collected. This information is crucial to balance the teaching and learning

process with their learning style and also their needs. Then the objective will be stated, where

a animated short story will be implemented in this research is aligned with the objectives and

also the subject to be taught. Next, the material specifications and the advantages it brings to

the students are been recognized. Here, the animated short story is specified for form 4

students only, and only from one specific secondary school in Sabah. In the next phase, the

teacher will explain and brief regarding the animation which the students are about to view. A

synopsis will be given to them, as to familiarize them with the anime. Part by part, students

will watch the anime in every lesson. At the end of it, their comprehension will be assessed to

verify and look through the effectiveness of watching the animation. These assessments also
to find out whether it’s help to enhance students’ comprehension and interests in learning

literature.

2.6 Research conceptual framework

In this research, there are two variables which will be used: a dependent and independent

variables. The dependent variable is the enhancement of ESL student’s comprehension;

meanwhile the independent variable is the animated short story which will be used as the

teaching aid in the teaching and learning process.

Students’ background Students’ new acquired

knowledge in second knowledge in second
language language

Animated story
“Wall E”

Enhancement of English
Literature comprehension
and interest

Figure 1: Enhancing English Literature Comprehension and Interest through

Animated Short Story Conceptual Framework

2.7 Conclusion

This chapter was completely discussed about the research theories, models and conceptual

frameworks which are used by the researcher. In addition, the researcher explained about the

benefits of using multimedia, animated in teaching literature, short story. Furthermore, in this

chapter, the research theories, models and conceptual framework were explained thoroughly.

The literature review was to emphasis that similar researchers had been carried out, thus it

made this research an essential factor to promote teaching literature using animation. Most of

the finding of the research shows that implementation of multimedia, animation or what we

call edutainment help to make students in active in teaching and learning process.