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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Paris (2007:1) states that researchers have shown how the complex
interaction of many factors can influence the assessment of comprehension across
texts, instruction, and response formats !lon" with Paris, #uttal in $orni et al
(201%:&) also states that slow readers do not read much, and if they do not read
much, they do not understand 'f they do not understand, then they cannot en(oy
readin"
!ssessment of readin" comprehension has )een controversial )ecause (a)
summative measures of readin" have )een used in hi"h*sta+es tests to ma+e
comparisons a)out proficiency levels of students and ()) researchers have shown how
the complex interaction of many factors can influence the assessment of
comprehension across texts, instruction, and response formats (Paris, 2007:1)
,ometimes, teachers face some difficulties in desi"nin" a readin"
comprehension test )y usin" conventional way -eachers need much time to compose
and type the test items $oreover, the teacher has to use lots of paper to copy the test
.esides that, the students incline fed up of readin" the whole text in a readin"
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comprehension test ,tudents are "ettin" )ored with the monotonous activity in
readin" comprehension
-here is a way out for the pro)lems a)ove -he solution is )y usin"
computeri/ed test01ui/ which is more interactive and attractive than paper)ased tests
! computeri/ed test which provide interactive and attractive elements, such as,
)eautiful test presentation, new method of answerin", automatic scorin" system, and
fresh features which are not provided in the conventional tests
-he current development of 'nformation and 2ommunication -echnolo"y
('2-) has opened us the path in developin" computeri/ed tests 't provided us many
media which can )e used to desi"n computeri/ed tests, such as, $acromedia 3lash,
ProProf 4e)site, 5otPotatoes 1ui/ ma+er application, $oodle, .lo"s, etc 6ach of
them has their own features which can )e utili/ed to desi"n an interactive and
attractive tests
!lthou"h the development of '2- has provided us with various choices of
media to use, creatin" a computeri/ed tests is not as easy as it seems 2reatin" a
computeri/ed test01ui/ can )e somewhat frustratin", especially for those who are not
familiar with computer technolo"y 3urthermore, sometimes several 1ui/ ma+er
softwares re1uire the user to master a computer pro"rammin" lan"ua"e7 which
needs relatively lon" time to )e learned
8urin" my study in colle"e, ' have used several computer software for
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creatin" a computer assisted lan"ua"e learnin" (2!99) media7 -hey are ProProfs
we), 5otPotatoes, :unal 4e)1uest $a+er etc ;sin" them is easy enou"h for me
since ' have the computer literacy needed ' +now the )asic +nowled"e in usin"
computer and software -his +ind of s+ill helpes me to overcome any difficulties '
encountered with them
8urin" the )e"innin" of this study ' tried to use PowerPoint to create a
2omputeri/ed test for readin" comprehension ' choose it )ecause PowerPoint is easy
to use and widely +nown for most teachers 't also provide features which are capa)le
for desi"nin" a 2omputeri/ed test
PowerPoint have a feature called $acro7 which ena)les us to use visual
)asic sripts, a +ind of computer pro"rammin" lan"ua"e, so that we can ma+e it wor+
li+e a computeri/ed test -he script allows us to create a PowerPoint media which
have the same features li+e in an advanced computeri/ed test made )y macromedia
flash, an advance pro"rammin" software .y usin" the $acro7 feature, we can
create a computeri/ed test )ased on PowerPoint which have )etter visuali/ation and
animation, can do automatic scorin", can record students '8 and result, etc
5owever, after some trials and errors, ' found that usin" the macro7 feature
in power point is not as easy and simple as ' thou"ht ' could not master the <isual
.asic script for it is very difficult for me to learn 't would need lon"er time for me to
master it #ormally, we need two or three months to master the visual )asic script
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throu" a private computer learnin" course -herefore, ' chose to leave PowerPoint
and loo+ed for other alternative pro"rams for creatin" a computeri/ed test
!fter some search in the internet, ' finally found a computer application which
is more capa)le to satisfy my needs in desi"inin" computeri/ed tests -he application
is =uestion 4riter =ui/ $a+er >27 -his application is very user friendly and
powerful 't provides many types of test items, and )eautiful visuali/ation 't also
provides an easy way in collectin" the test results -his pro"ram is very useful for
teachers
'n this study, ' would li+e to find out how =uestion 4riter =ui/ $a+er >2
application is used in desi"nin" a computeri/ed test for readin" comprehension, and
how teachers and students respond to it .y ta+in" their respond toward the
application of this 1ui/ ma+er application, ' would li+e to find out the advanta"es and
disadvanta"es of this application in desi"nin" and runnin" a computeri/ed test of
readin" comprehension, so that we can conclude how =uestion 4riter =ui/ $a+er
>2 should )e used in desi"nin" and runnin" a readin" comprehension test
-he text used in this research is narrative #arrative text is one popular and
common form of writin" #arrative texts? structure mostly has interestin" topic which
can stimulate students curiosity -his helps them en(oy and can "ive them motivation
in readin" !s a result, teacher can use narrative texts to improve students readin"
a)ility
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4ith its valua)le features, =estion 4riter =ui/ $a+er would )e capa)le to
satisfy teachers? need in providin" a more practical, atractive, and interactive readin"
comprehension test .y usin" =uestion 4riter =ui/ $a+er >2, teachers and students
will "et a chance to experience a new method in lan"ua"e test -hat is why ' chose
=uestion 4riter =ui/ $a+er >2 to test students readin" comprehension of ,enior
5i"h ,chool ,tudents !t last, ' hope this application can facilitate teacher in carryin"
a readin" comprehension test
1. Rea!on! for Choo!"ng the To#"c
-he reasons why ' choose this topic -he !pplication of =uestion 4riter =ui/
$a+er >2 for -estin" ,tudents? @eadin" 2omprehension7 are as follows:
1 @eadin" is an important lan"ua"e s+ill which helps students to comprehend any
material provided in the text )oo+ 4ithout sufficient readin" comprehension
s+ill, students will find difficulties in understandin" the material throu"h the text
)oo+
2 ' want to "ive information and help 6n"lish teachers who are interested in
applyin" desi"nin" and runnin" a computeri/ed test for testin" student?s readin"
comprehension
% .y usin" =uestion 4riter =ui/ $a+er >2 application, teacher are a)le to desi"n
their own computeri/ed test which are more attractive and more interacive from
the paper )ased one, so that students can en(oy and "et motivation in readin"
1.$ State%ent of the Pro&'e%
,pecifically the research 1uestion posed in this study is as follow:
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1 4hat are the difficulties and pro)lems encountered durin" the development of
the computeri/ed test for readin" comprehension usin" =uestion 4riter =ui/
$a+er >2A
2 5ow are the teachers? and students? perception toward the use of =uestion
4riter =ui/ $a+er >2 in testin" readin" comprehensionA
% 4hat are the advanta"es and disadvanta"es of =uestion 4riter =ui/ $a+er
>2 in the development in testin" readin" comprehensionA
1.( O&)ect"*e of the Study
-he purpose of the study is as the followin":
1 -o identify the difficulties and pro)lems encountered durin" the development
of the computeri/ed test for readin" comprehension usin" =uestion 4riter
=ui/ $a+er >2
2 -o find out the teacher?s and students? perception toward the use of =uestion
4riter =ui/ $a+er >2 in testin" readin" comprehension
% -o identify the advanta"es and disadvanta"es of =uestion 4riter =ui/ $a+er
>2 application in testin" readin" comprehension
1.+ S"gn"f"cance of the Study
-he si"nificances of this study are as follows:
1 3or the students
,tudents can "et new experience in doin" a readin" comprehension test
-hey are not feelin" )ored anymore in developin" their readin" a)ility, )ecause
)esides they can catch the materials easily, they can also en(oy the test from
=uestion 4riter =ui/ $a+er >2 application
2 3or the teacher
=uestion 4riter =ui/ $a+er >2 application helps the teacher to provide
the new way to test the students? readin" comprehension 't also provide an easy
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and 1uic+ way of collectin" test results .y usin" =uestion 4riter =ui/ $a+er
>2 application, desi"nin" of readin" comprehension test is more effective and
efficient .y usin" this application, the teacher can also support paperless
pro"ram and "ive a new experience for their students in doin" a test usin"
=uestion 4riter =ui/ $a+er >2 application
1., Out'"ne of the Study
-his study is divided into five chapters 6ach chapter discusses certain related
issues -he chapters are or"ani/ed as follows: 2hapter one is introduction which
introduces the study 't descri)es )ac+"round of the study, reasons for choosin" topic,
statement of the pro)lem, o)(ective of the study, si"nificance of the study and
or"ani/ation of the report 2hapter two presents review of related literature which
descri)es the literature related to the topic of discussion 't explains a)out "eneral
concepts of readin", the concept of lan"ua"e testin", types of lan"ua"e testin",
=uestion 4riter =ui/ $a+er >2 application as an alternative test on readin"
comprehension, the visuali/ation and characteristic of =uestion 4riter =ui/ $a+er
>2, and the concept of 1ualitative descriptive research 2hapter three is concerned
with the method of investi"ation 't deals with research methodolo"y, focus of the
study, role of the researcher, source of the data, procedures of collectin" data, and the
steps of desi"nin" computeri/ed test for readin" comprehension )y usin" =uestion
4riter =ui/ $a+er >2 2hapter four is a)out data analysis and discussion of the
findin"s !nd the last chapter deals with conclusions of the study and su""estions