Cartoon Story Maker Software, Project Based Learning Assessment
and Validity
Erik Yuda Pratama
English Education Department
School of Postgraduate
Indonesia University of Education
Pratama_erikk@yahoo.com
Abstract
This qualitative study focuses on investigating the validity of Cartoon Story Maker
Software as an assessment tool in project based learning assessment. Participants were
22 students of six grade elementary school in West Java, Indonesia. The study revealed
the use of Cartoon Story Maker software produced a positive impact on the validity in
assessing students’ project in terms of improving the students’ 21st century skills, the
potential for positive effects on learning, increasing motivation, and reducing the
assessment anxiety. The study also found that this software could reduce the biased
interpretation on scoring the students’ collaborative project, for example, subjectivity,
and poor understanding on information about the assessment.
Keywords: Validity, Cartoon Story Maker Software, Project based assessment.
Abstrak
Fokus dari studi kualitatif ini untuk mengivestigasi validitas perangkat lunak Cartoon
Story Maker sebagai sebuah media penilaian dalam penerapan penilaian berbasis
proyek. 22 siswa kelas 6 SD menjadi partisipan di dalam penelitian ini. Penelitiaan ini
menemukan bahwa perangkat lunak ini memberikan pengaruh positif terhadap validitas
penilaian proyek siswa seperti meningkatkan keterampilan abad 21 siswa, memberikan
efek positif dalam pembelajaran, dan menurangi kebingungan terhadap tugas. Penelitian
ini juga menemukan bahwa penggunaan perangkat lunak ini dapat mengurangi
subjetivitas dalam memberikan penilaian terhadap proyek siswa dan mengurangi
kebingungan terhadap tugas.
Kata Kunci: validitas, perangkat lunak Cartoon Story Maker, penilaian berbasis
proyek.
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I.
Introduction
Teaching English to young learners is important since it is believed that second
language is, to certain extent, better to be introduced in the childhood era (Slattery
and Willis, 2001 cited in Hakim 2011). The earlier a language is introduced to
children, the better input as well as output will be obtained. In relation to this,
Chomskyans (Ellis, 1994) claim that human brain has the-so-called innate capacity
which comprises the prior knowledge and universal grammar of any languages
meaning that there is a system which is able to automatically grasp the pattern of any
novel language being learned or acquired. This innate capacity tends to have better
performance in early stage of human development.
However, children are very unique; the way they learn, including learning
language(s), is not similar to that of adults (Pinter, 2006). For instance, children are
active learners and thinkers (Piaget, 1970). They usually grasp a new knowledge
through active engagement of certain activities. They are also more interested in
concrete and fun things or activities when thinking. In addition, Vygotsky (1962)
states that children learn through social interaction. Vygotsky (1962) also introduces
the concept of ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development) which simply means the zone
in which children need to do or know something they do not know yet by the
assistance of, for example, adults. Children also learn effectively through scaffolding
by adults (Bruner, 1983). This concept is actually closely related to Vygotsky’s ZPD
where children need to be guided step by step.
To cope with those unique characteristics of children, there has to be an
appropriate evaluation tool in the process of teaching and learning English (Pinter,
2006). Teachers of English for Young Learners (hereafter EYL) need to provide an
assessment that is able to accommodate their characteristics. Project-Based Learning
(hereafter PBL) assessment seems to be one of the effective evaluation tools in
teaching English for Young Learners. This type of assessment requires learners to be
actively engaged in the whole process of teaching and learning for learners will be
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doing a certain project which will involve their active participation in doing so.
Project-Based Learning is a model for classroom activity that emphasizes on students
centered learning activities that are long-term, interdisciplinary and making
integration with real world issues and practices (Asan & Haliloglu, 2005).
The PBL may indeed benefit since it allows a teacher to create meaningful
project across curriculum areas, moreover, projects that provides interdisciplinary
learning (Erben, Ban & Castaneda, 2009). Within the framework of PBL, teachers
can have a lot of chances to develop meaningful interaction with the students.
Scaffolding is also taken into consideration since the procedure of the project in this
assessment is procedural and sequential (Paul: 2000).
Further, PBL platforms drafting, editing, and redrafting stages allow teacher’s
to assess students’ learning during the process of the project as well as the product of
the project (Erben, Ban & Castaneda, 2009). It also facilitates collaboration and
students interaction. Within, a Vygotskian perspective, students have enough time to
develop intersubjectivity and dialog space to self-regulate learning.
PBL assessment can also be a powerful tool in making successful teaching and
learning for young learners in the 21st century era. The integration of ICT media is
brought into practical classroom activities. Hence, teachers should be able to use ICT
media for numerous activities throughout the curriculum bearing the teaching and
learning of the subject in order to meet the ideal situation in the 21st century
education. According to UN (cited in Seamolec Online Course Module 2, 2006), the
challenge of the education in the 21st century is developing knowledge-based society
who owns:
1. ICT-media and literacy skill
2. critical thinking skill
3. creative thinking skill
4. effective communication skill
5. collaborative skill
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Consequently, the educators have to organize the powerful vision of the 21 st
framework in teaching and learning activity in order to guarantee every child’s
success as the citizen and worker in the 21st century era (Partnership for 21st Century
Skill, 2008).
To this relation, Cartoon Story Maker, interesting useful software for children,
comes up as a solution to the inappropriateness of evaluation tool for young learners.
This software is child-friendly as well as interesting for children. This software also
promotes the ICT-based learning to young learners; for, they need to operate it in a
computer PC or laptop. Both interactionist (Long, 1996) and sociocultural (Donato,
1989) researchers agree that the use of computer technologies provide more chances
for all students to be equally and actively engaged in learning activities. Considering
the aforementioned issues, this study investigates the validity of Carton Story Maker
in assessing young learners’ writing skill (project) in an elementary school in
Bandung.
II.
Methodology
This research employs qualitative case study design. The findings from the
three instruments— document analysis, observation, and interview—were analyzed
by using triangulation, so that the subjectivity of this study can be reduced. Further,
the participants involved in this study were 22 students of six grade elementary
school and they were divided into 5 groups. The amount of writing assessed was a
single piece of writing; here is the rubric used for assessing students’ writing process
using cartoon story maker software.
CATEGORY
Images
4
Images create a
distinct
atmosphere or
tone that
matches
different parts
3
Images create an
atmosphere or
tone that
matches some
parts of the
story. The
2
An attempt was
made to use
images to create
an
atmosphere/tone
but it needed
1
Little or no
attempt to use
images to create
an appropriate
atmosphere/tone
.
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of the story. The
images may
communicate
symbolism
and/or
metaphors.
No spelling or
grammatical
mistakes on a
storyboard with
lots of text.
images may
communicate
symbolism
and/or
metaphors.
more work.
Image choice is
logical.
No spelling or
grammatical
mistakes on a
storyboard with
little text.
One spelling or
grammatical
error on the
storyboard.
Several spelling
and/or
grammatical
errors on the
storyboard.
Content
All content is in
the students\'
own words and
is accurate.
Almost all
content is in the
students\' own
words and is
accurate.
At least half of
the content is in
the students\'
own words and
is accurate.
Required
Elements
Storyboard
included all
required
elements as well
as a few
additional
elements.
Storyboard
included all
required
elements and
one additional
element.
Storyboard
included all
required
elements.
Less than half of
the content is in
the students\
'own words
and/or is
accurate.
One or more
required
elements were
missing from
the storyboard.
Spelling &
Grammar
The project was used in order to test the performance level of the students after
being scaffolded for four meetings. In this project, the students must create the story
using cartoon story maker about describing job. The rubric was taken from
www.rubistar.4teachers.org with little modification from the teacher. This rubric was
purposively designed in order to assess the students’ project.
Further, PBL platforms drafting, editing, and redrafting stages allowed
teachers’ to assess students’ learning during the project as well as the product of the
project (Erben, Ban & Castaneda, 2009).
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III.
Findings and Discussion
Implementing project based assessment using Cartoon Story Maker software
produced a positive impact on the validity in assessing students’ project. In the
present study, the software gave various benefits on they experienced by
manipulating the use of technology in language learning activity. Students’ project
could be assessed comprehensively since the use of software could help the students
to explore their potential in achieving the goal of the learning. The use of technologysupported formative assessment can inform students self assessment and help guide
their work without relying on the teacher until necessary (Ravitz, 2001). Moreover,
technology also provided the student with ways of presenting peer-feedback or
getting feedback from the interaction with others which could be assessed when the
interactions were focused on teaching and learning activity. This aspect also helped
the ability of the teacher to assess the group work or project work.
The data from the observation showed that the introduction of Cartoon Story
Maker software increased the opportunity for exposure to a target language which
was considered interesting and enjoyable. Further, the data also proved that the use of
the software in assessing students’project has particular strengths and gave positive to
the validity of the assessment in terms of improving the students’ 21st century skills,
the potential for positive effects on learning, increasing motivation, and reducing the
assessment anxiety. Those factors demonstrated that the use of software seemed to
give the positive impact on the validity of the assessment.
This is also supported by the interview data; the student reported that the
software helped them to understand the project assessment, as shown in the following
quotes:
“The use of Cartoon Story of Cartoon Story Maker Software made the
assessment easily”
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Indeed, in the present study, students expressed their interest and explained that
the use of the software enhanced their motivation to explore their potential, as shown
in the following quote:
“It was fun for me to do the project in the class. The software makes it
more enjoyable.”
The document analysis data strenghthen the findings from the two previous
data. From the project document analysis, it proved that the use of Cartoon Story
Maker, in practically, could reduce the biased interpretation on scoring the students’
collaborative project, for example, subjectivity, and poor understanding on
information about the assessment. The software could rightfully fit with the rubric
which was designed in accordance with the project based assessment framework.
The use of software was intended to give a positive impact on the validity in
this respect by providing a number of benefits to the quality of the learning by
promoting 21st century skills, such as: creative thinking, critical thinking skill,
collaborative and communicative thinking skill by manipulating the software when
doing the project.
To this relation, the use of software in doing project based learning offered a
boarder and more relevant a set of skill to be tested and produced an authentic work
of from the students. In addition, the use of software forced the students to explore
their ability, to relate their background knowledge with the project. This factor might
reduce the potential threat to the validity of the assessment.
IV.
Conclusion
The use of Cartoon Story Maker could give a positive impact on the validity of
project based learning assessment. This present study found that the use of the
software in assessing students’ project has particular strengths in terms of improving
the students’ 21st century skills, the potential for positive effects on learning,
increasing motivation, and reducing the assessment anxiety. In practically, this
software could reduce the biased interpretation on scoring the students’ collaborative
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project, for example, subjectivity, and poor understanding on information about the
assessment.
V.
References
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