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THE EFFECT OF GAME SIMULATION AND LEARNING ANXIETY TOWARD STUDENTS LEARNING MOTIVATION Sonya Olyvia1*, Mujiyono Wiryotinoyo2, Rachmawati2
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State Senior High School No. 8 Jambi, 2University of Jambi

ABSTRACT The present study observed the effect of game simulation and learning anxiety level on students English learning motivation. The independent variable is Game Simulation method by using compact disc and computer as the media. The moderator one is the level of learning anxiety which was measured by the test adapted from Horwitzs Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale. This experiment uses 2x2 factorial design with pretest and posttest. The respondents are the students of grade XI, academic year 2009/2010, State Senior High School No. 8 Jambi. The study was done by dividing the students into two groups: the game simulation and the conventional with 30 students for each. Data analysis used two way ANOVA and Tukey test. The study discovered that there was a significant difference of students motivation between both groups . Similarly, it found on students with low anxiety learning level. There was also an interaction between instructional method and anxiety learning toward students motivation. Keywords: simulation, learning anxiety, English, motivation

PREFACE As an international language, English becomes compulsory to be learned in most of school curriculum all over the world especially the third nations including Indonesia. The purpose is obviously to enable these countries participating in this globalization era, specifically for

*Correspondence by email: kye_sophi@yahoo.co.id

2 international communication. Since long time ago, Indonesia realized the importance of English acquisition that reflected on some government policies. The steps taken surely based on important reasons. Globalization has given birth to the concept of borderless which means human all over the world could interact anytime and anywhere by using technology and language as mediums. Without the acquiring of English, it is hard to communicate across border that could become obstacles in doing global activities. Therefore, English is very important to be learned as one of foreign language in Indonesia.

As a foreign language, it is not amazed that many Indonesian students found difficulties when learning English. Most of them find difficulties and are afraid of learning it because it is not their mother tongue therefore they are not familiar with it. It obviously could be obstacle in acquiring the language. Many students also feel anxious anytime they follow English class. These conditions started by some causes. One is they are afraid of making mistakes in learning especially when catechizing session with teacher. Another is the English teacher factor also effects the level of their anxiety learning. In other words, many Indonesian students are not confident when following English class.

Slavin (2000) stated that anxiety is a constant companion of education. Therefore, it will always accompany a learning process. Indirectly, anxiety could also effects students performances. Ormrod (2003) explained about two kinds of anxiety in learning: facilitating anxiety which encourage person to act and could improve his performances and debilitating anxiety that is over anxious which could disorder feelings and disturb attention. Besides anxiety, low motivation also becomes problem in English class. Most students feel bored because of the monotonous instructional method. In this situation, teacher needs to be plan

Sonya Olyvia, Mujiyono Wiryotinoyo, Rachmawati

good learning strategies. According to Sudirdjo and Siregar (2007) learning strategy is a situation created by the instructor intentionally (such as method, facilities, media, material, etc) in order students are facilitated to reach the lesson goal.

One instructional method that deserves to be considered is game simulation method. According to Smaldino et. al (2002) the method is to add together the attribute of simulation (role playing) with the attribute of game (working hard to reach a goal, certain rules). In the implementation, most of game simulation method use modern technology like computer. Integrating technology in learning is one of trending topic of education nowadays. UNESCO (2002) stated that the integration of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) into learning process has three main aims: 1) to build knowledge-based society habits such as problem solving, communication ability, searching ability, managing information, change information into new knowledge and communicate it to others; 2) to expand skill in using ICT (ICT literacy); and 3) to improve the effectivity and efficiency of learning process.

A research about this integration was done by Dondlinger et. al (2007) from the University of Texas stated that computer game affected learning process. The effect was about improving students motivation. In the other side, the findings support Slavin (2000) who said that game simulation enabled student to learn about a problem from the inside. Prior to the research, Huyen and Nga (2003) had studied the use of game in learning English in Vietnam. The goal was to know the effectivity of learning English vocabularies by using game for some students in Vietnam. The research resulted three main points that were: (1) Game brought out relax and please situation to the students that helped them to learn and
The Effect of Game Simulation and Learning Anxiety toward Students Learning Motivation

4 acquire new words easier, (2) usually, in gaming, there is friendly competition that make students are interested to keep playing. This helped creating students motivation to join and participate actively in learning activities, and (3) Game helped to bring the context of real world to the classroom and triggered the use of English among students with flexible and communivative ways. In other words, the study stated that using game to learn English vocabularies was an effective and interesting way that could be applied in the classroom.

Based on the researcher experiences and observation, the implementation of instructional method in State Senior High School No. 8 of Jambi were monotonous and students tended to get bored. The teachers used conventional method such as catechizing with simple media. Especially in English class, students felt anxious and worried of communicating with the teachers or classmates. They had low motivation in learning English and some of them did not get good marks.

The game software of the present study was an educational interactive game made in US. The story was about American Revolutionary war. Actually, the game was purposed to teach history for American children, but it was also potentially used to teach English for Indonesian students of senior high school for its texts content. The implementation of game simulation on the experiment class were simplified in 4 major steps as follows: 1) played as journalist who has to collect information as many as possible, 2) fulfil requests of some characters to find things they wanted, 3) set up needed informations became a text at the journalists office, 4) print out the result as a newspaper. The form of questionnaires was based on the concept of 5Ws (who, what, where, when, why).

Sonya Olyvia, Mujiyono Wiryotinoyo, Rachmawati

METHOD This study was designed to examine the effects of game simulation and anxiety learning level have toward English learning motivation. It was carried out to the students of grade XI State Senior High School No. 8 Jambi in the first semester of the academic year 2009/2010.

The design of the research used the 2x2 factorial one with pretest and posttest. Both groups: experiment and control, followed the English class with the same purpose, sources, lesson materials, and teacher. The difference was about the instructional method used. First group as the experiment one carried out the class with game simulation method, while the second or the control one carried out the conventional method. Every group carried out the class with the similar surroundings at State Senior High School No. 8 Jambi.

Along with some hypothesis that were going to be examined, that were the effect of using game simulation method variable with the effect of anxiety learning level variable, and the interaction effect between both variables toward the dependent one, therefore this experiment design of 2x2 factorial was as presented on the table follows:

Table 1. 2x2 Factorial Design Method Anxiety Learning Level B1 High B2 Low A1 Game Simulation A1B1 A1B2 A2 Conventional A2B1 A2B2

The Effect of Game Simulation and Learning Anxiety toward Students Learning Motivation

6 The experiment consists of totally 9 meetings as long as four and a half weeks. The length of time of each meeting was 45 minutes. The meetings in order were about: a meeting of pre course (preparation and pretest), 7 meetings of treatment with the difference method, and last meeting of post course (posttest).

RESULTS After carrying out the test for equality of pretest mean score used the One way ANOVA with F
calculated

<F

critical

(0.333 < 2.68), therefore H0 was accepted. In other words, Mean of 4

examined classes were equal. To continue to the two way ANOVA test, Kleinbaum et.al (1998) required that the data were normally distributed at each class and homogeneous in variances. Therefore, the assumption tests were held before on each classes (high and low levels of experiment class and control one) included: 1) Liliefors Normality test; and 2) Bartletts Homogeneity test. Both were counted manually using Microsoft Excel.

a) Draw calculated table of mean of motivation score derived from pretest-posttest result of 4 examined classes. The recapitulation was as follows: Table 2. Mean of Motivation Score

Mean Learning Anxiety Level High Low Total of Column

Method Game Simulation 125.93 135.13 130.53 Conventional 127.71 126.67 126.89

Mean Total of Row 126.52 130.90 Total of Row-Column 128.71

Sonya Olyvia, Mujiyono Wiryotinoyo, Rachmawati

b) Calculate F Value using Two way ANOVA to examine the hypothesis number 1, 2, and 5. Table 3. Calculated result with Two way ANOVA Hypothesis number 1 Hypothesis F Critical F Calculated Conclusion

H0: A1= A2 H1: A1> A2

2.68

6.393

H0 rejected

H0: B1= B2 H1: B1< B2

2.68

4.417

H0 rejected

H0 : A X B= 0 H1 : A X B 0

2.68

6.582

H0 rejected

c) Calculate Tukey HSD value to examine the hypothesis number 3 and 4. Therefore, the different values of Tukey were as follows: 1) Hypothesis 3: 1.17 6.391; the interval is between -5.221 to 7.561 2) Hypothesis 4: 8.46 6.391; the interval is between 2.069 to 14.851

According to Kleinbaum (1998), the result must be interpreted that when there is no 0 value, at the significant level 0.05, therefore
i j.

In conclusion, the hypothesis

examination were interpreted as follows:

1. Hypothesis 1 (A1 = game simulation method; A2 = conventional method) H0: A1 = A2 H1: A1 > A2
The Effect of Game Simulation and Learning Anxiety toward Students Learning Motivation

8 H0 was rejected, the statistical examination showed difference of mean, therefore it was stated that there was an effect of the instructional method which the motivation score of students with game simulation one (A1= 130.53) was higher than the conventional one (A2= 126.89). 2. Hypothesis 2 (B1 = high level of learning anxiety; B2 = low level of learning anxiety) H0: B1 = B2 H1: B1 < B2 H0 was rejected, the statistical examination showed difference of mean, therefore it was stated that there was an effect of the instructional method which the motivation score of students with high level of learning anxiety (B1= 126.52) was lower than the low level of learning anxiety (B2= 130.90). 3. Hypothesis 3, by using Tukey test, there was 0 value, therefore
i j

that meant

A1B1 = A2B1. In other words, mean of motivation score of students with high level of anxiety learned by game simulation was similar to students at the same level learned by conventional way. 4. Hypothesis 4, by using Tukey test, there was no 0 value, therefore A1B2 > A2B2. In other words, mean of motivation score of students with low level of anxiety learned by game simulation was higher than students at the same level learned by conventional way. 5. Hypothesis 5, to see the interaction between instructional method variable and learning anxiety level: H0: A X B = 0 H1: A X B 0

Sonya Olyvia, Mujiyono Wiryotinoyo, Rachmawati

H0 was rejected; there was an interaction between instructional method and learning anxiety level. The interaction graphic was shown as follows:
136 135.13 134 132 130 128 126 124 122 120 high level of anxiety low level of anxiety 127.1 125.93 126.67 game simulation conventional

DISCUSSIONS

The outcome of the present study, thus, has validated the research hypothesis that there were significant differences between the two groups. Suitable with the result of hypothesis 3 examined, there was no significant effect of both different instructional methods toward students motivation score with high level of learning anxiety. While, from the graphic itself, the score of the high level students with conventional method are higher (0.43 point) than the game simulation one. Eventhough there was a little difference, but it was not significant enough to reflect the fact that the high level students are more suitable with conventional way than game simulation. The result was different on the low level students. They had quite motivation score when learned by game simulation than by conventional. Both different results of learning explained that on students with high level of learning anxiety, the use of instructional method had no meaningful effect, although the motivation score
The Effect of Game Simulation and Learning Anxiety toward Students Learning Motivation

10 with game simulation was a little higher than with conventional. In other words, the implementation of different instructional method affected significantly only toward the learning motivation of students with low level of anxiety.

These findings could not be separated from the important role of learning anxiety to the learning motivation. Anxiety as a constant companion of education (Slavin, 2000) is divided into facilitating (low level) and debilitating (high level) anxiety as explained by Ormrod (2003). These explained why students with high level of anxiety performed, in this case, motivation, unexpectedly. The findings could be explained as follows: 1) Debilitating anxiety level was proved may bother and disturb attention of task or assignment. Learning motivation is one of psychological elements (feelings) which contains interest and attention toward the learning itself as said by Bandura (Yamin, 2007). When finally, these interest and attention of high level of anxiety students started to screw up, it was not a question if their motivation tends to decrease or stagnan. 2) English is learned in Indonesia, especially in the local regions, as a foreign language or known as EFL (English as a Foreign Language) after their second language, Bahasa Indonesia. Therefore, it is understoodable that English is unfamiliar and causes anxiety when learning. One point is about people like teacher and classmates appraisals of a student. Unfamiliar with English often trigger student to do mistakes when learning. Even he does not want to look bad or do something incorrectly therefore he feels ashame because he thought people would consider him as dumby or get bad mark from teacher that said by Ormrod (2003) as stimulant factor of anxiety.
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It was possible if then student with high level of anxiety who used to be learned by conventional method was still unmotivated when learned by other methods, in this case, game simulation. In other words, instead of challenging, student tends to be afraid and then act passively. Game simulation is quite new for most of Indonesian students. Lack of facility like teaching media is one of Indonesian teachers reasons to not use this method besides their own incapability in practicing the method itself at classroom. This situation may trigger students to be more anxious than in their conventional class as Ormrod (2005) stated that new situation is an anxiety for teenager students.

The fact that game simulation affected learning motivation has several reasons. The reflection of the method through colorful displays, alive, and soundly at the computer monitor obviously attracted students attention and then improve their motivation (Slavin, 2000). Interesting display presented new nuance in learning English. Students were presented moving characters and being their own representation as if they were on the situation they played and felt what the characters of the game experienced. In other words, the method enable students to explore their ability in the real world into the virtual world. This method was suitable with students who like challenges but also care about their own safety. These were superior things about game simulation (Smaldino et. al, 2005).

The superiority of using the method was students became more independent and active. The class environment was happy and enthusiastic. From the researcher observation at the experiment class, the method could give fast feedback therefore if there was any mistake, the students could fix it as soon as possible. The method also has improved enthusiasm in learning, improved students responsibility as decision maker, served students with different learning styles, and helped students to pratice communication skill in English.
The Effect of Game Simulation and Learning Anxiety toward Students Learning Motivation

12 Besides, the learning process was not centered to the teacher anymore (teacher-centered) therefore teacher had more time to observe students learning progress. While, statistically, the mean of motivation score was higher than the conventional class.

The weakness of the method was about the demand for students to concentrate much on the game path. Students were also demanded to acquire sufficient vocabularies. If they did not, they had to rely on dictionary. This must be bothered because the method ran dynamic and the use of dictionary may need longer time. The method was categorized more complex in procedures than the conventional one. Students should have well imagination and creativity therefore they could enjoy the learning process. Besides, not all students were used to be with computer. These kind of students and those who was anxious with learning by computer would get harder in learning by this method.

CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS

By investigating the outcome of the present study, it was concluded that:

1) There was a significant difference of learning motivation score between the game simulation group of students and the conventional one. The result shown motivation score of game simulation group of students were higher than the conventional one. Statistically, there was an effect of game simulation method toward learning motivation. 2) There was a significant difference of learning motivation score between the high level of learning anxiety group of students and the low level one. The result shown

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motivation score of the high level of learning anxiety group of students were higher than the low level one. Statistically, there was an effect of learning anxiety level toward learning motivation. 3) There was no significant difference between learning motivation score between the high level of learning anxiety group of students which were learned by game simulation method and those at the same level of anxiety which were learned by the conventional one. Statistically, there was no effect of instructional method toward high level of learning anxiety group of students. 4) There was a significant difference between learning motivation score between the low level of learning anxiety group of students which were learned by game simulation method and those at the same level of anxiety which were learned by the conventional one. Statistically, there was an effect of instructional method toward low level of learning anxiety group of students. 5) There was an interaction effect between the implementation of instructional method and learning anxiety level toward learning motivation. The interaction was that game simulation method was superior to the low level of learning anxiety group of students, while the conventional one was superior to the high level of learning anxiety group of students.

Related to the findings of the present study, some suggestions were given as follows:

1) By proving the quality of game simulation method to improve the learning motivation in English, has made this deserves to be considered implemented in English class. However, considering the lack of software material used, the implementer, whether teacher or school manager should be more active and sharp
The Effect of Game Simulation and Learning Anxiety toward Students Learning Motivation

14 in sorting and using the software that could support the class activities. Better if the teacher, helped by the experts, could create the game simulation software that suitable with the purpose of the lessons or students competence in order variety and compatibility of the material to the lessons goal. Besides, in designing the lesson plan of game simulation class, teacher should consider the balance between the lesson material and the game. Therefore, the lesson could still run effectively and not only emphasize on game and pleasure. 2) Teacher needs to do more psychological approach to the students with high level of learning anxiety. It is important before implementing some instructional method. The chosen method should be able to help reduce students learning anxiety but is suitable with the lesson goal.

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REFERENCE Dondlinger, Mary Jo. 2007. Educational Video Game Design: A Review of the Literature. Applied Educational Technology, Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 180-185.

Huyen, T.T.H. and K.T.T. Nga. 2003. The effectiveness of learning vocabulary through games. http://www.asian-efl-journal.com. Diakses 2 Maret 2008.

Kleinbaum, D.G, et.al. 1998. Applied Regression Analysis and other Multivariable Method. New York: Duxbury Press. Moore, Kenneth. 2005. Effective Instructional Strategies: From Theory to Practice . Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications. Ormrod, Jeanne Ellis. 2003. Educational Psychology: Developing Learners, 4th-ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education. Slavin, Robert E.. 2000. Educational Psychology: Theory and Practice: 6th-ed. Needham Heights: Allyn and Bacon. Smaldino, S. E., J. D. Russell, R. Heinich, and M. Molenda. 2005. Instructional Technology and Media for Learning, 8th-ed. New Jersey: Pearson Education. Sudirdjo, S. and Siregar, E.. 2004. Media pembelajaran sebagai pilihan dalam strategi pembelajaran, in D. S. Prawiradilaga and E. Siregar (eds.), Mozaik Teknologi Pendidikan, pages 4-13, Kencana in corporate with Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Jakarta. UNESCO. 2002. Information and Communication Technology in Education: A Curriculum for Schools and Programme of Teacher Development. France: UNESCO. Yamin, Martinis. 2007. Kiat Membelajarkan Siswa. Jakarta: Gaung Persada Press in corporate with Center for Learning Innovation (CLI).
The Effect of Game Simulation and Learning Anxiety toward Students Learning Motivation