Library-based Paper

Maximizing the Use of Internet in Mastering English

for UNP English Department Student

Paper Thesis Writing

Written by:

Fauziatul Husna

83598/2007

English Education

Department of Language, Literature and Art

State University of Padang

2010

Introduction

English today is a very important subject needed for every kinds of workplaces. That is one of many reasons of why the number of students in English Department of Padang State University keeps increase year by year. On one side, it is a good thing that more Indonesian will be able to master English and some of them will teach it later. Yet on the other side, the quality of graduators can not be guarantied to be great by the department itself. The problem is often caused by quantity of the lecturers that is not match with the amount of the students; there are only 39 lecturers to deal with thousand of students. However, students are not innocent either because most of the time they even do not care enough to their own study, whereas students are actually the center of teaching learning process itself.

Fact shows that the great amount of students only study for examination and use only the text books required by the lecturers. Still, worse thing that happen is that they just borrow the books from seniors with no intention to buy them. Those are the attitudes that will do them no good at all in order to be successful English learners. Though, actually the main trouble is that the students are not aware that studying can be fun as along as they can make it amusing and not boring.

English is very dynamic language that keeps change time by time. We have to know not only the grammar but also the daily use and it needs more than just old text books published very long time ago. The media and technique in learning should be various and up to date too. Unfortunately, lecturers are not always able to provide that kind of thing. In fact, it is not always teacher’s task to provide every kind of text book needed by students. For that reason, students need to be more active in finding their own attractive ways in learning.

One of the ways is using internet to make studying become an enjoyable thing and more effective at the same time. It has already known that internet today can not be separated from teenagers including university students. But they do not maximize its use in their learning process yet. Most of them divide internet from studying because they think that studying is something tiring and internet is the way to get rid of it and get relaxed. They realize that internet is unlimited source of any kind of information, but forget that that information includes also the material for their study. They do know that there are a lot of interesting thing can be found in internet, but leave the fact that English course can also be fun behind. They can use it to find every kind of things that will help them to master each of English skills; reading, listening, writing, speaking and grammar.

In this paper later, the maximizing of internet using in mastering English process will be explained in details. Besides, since the skills of English are various, there will also the description of how to use internet as maximally s possible to improve English in each single skill.

However, to make it clear and not too broad, the paper will only focus on English department students as the subject.

Internet

The Internet is a global network of interconnected computers, enabling users to share information along multiple channels. Typically, a computer that connects to the Internet can access information from a vast array of available servers and other computers by moving information from them to the computer's local memory (www.wikipedia.com).

1. History of Internet

The computer networking revolution began in the early 1960s and has led us to today’s technology. The Internet was first invented for military purposes, and then expanded to the purpose of communication among scientists. The invention also came about in part by the increasing need for computers in the 1960s. During the Cold War, it was essential to have communications links between military and university computers that would not be disrupted by bombs or enemy spies. In order to solve the problem, in 1968 DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) made contracts with BBN (Bolt, Beranek and Newman) to create ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network).(www.cs.ucsb.edu/~almeroth/classes/F04.176A/homework1_good_papers/Alaa-Gharbawi.html - 36k )

Graph of internet users per 100 inhabitants between 1997 and 2007 by International Telecommunication Union. Although the basic applications and guidelines that make the Internet possible had existed for almost two decades, the network did not gain a public face until the 1990s. On 6 August 1991, CERN, a pan European organization for particle research, publicized the new World Wide Web project. The Web was invented by English scientist Tim Berners-Lee in 1989.An early popular web browser was Viola WWW, patterned after HyperCard and built using the X Window System. It was eventually replaced in popularity by the Mosaic web browser.

In 1993, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois released version 1.0 of Mosaic, and by late 1994 there was growing public interest in the previously academic, technical Internet. By 1996 usage of the word Internet had become commonplace, and consequently, so had its use as a synecdoche in reference to the World Wide Web. Mean while, over the course of the decade, the Internet successfully accommodated the majority of previously existing public computer networks (although some networks, such as Fido Net, have remained separate). During the 1990s, it was estimated that the Internet grew by 100% per year, with a brief period of explosive growth in 1996 and 1997.

This growth is often attributed to the lack of central administration, which allows organic growth of the network, as well as the non-proprietary open nature of the Internet protocols, which encourages vendor interoperability and prevents any one company from exerting too much control over the network. (www.wikipedia.com).

From the illustration above, it can be concluded that internet was invented in 1960s. However, it comes to public widely in the late 1990s and has gained so much users since that time with a very significant and rapid growth.

2. Today’s Internet

Using various statistics, AMD estimated the population of internet users to be 1.5 billion as of January 2009.

Here is the table that shown the number of internet users n Indonesia today.

YEAR	Users	Population	% Pen.	GDP p.c.*	Usage Source
2000	2,000,000	206,264,595	1.0 %	US$ 570	ITU
2007	20,000,000	224,481,720	8.9 %	US$ 1,280	ITU
2008	25,000,000	237,512,355	10.5 %	US$ 1,925	APJII

source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

“James F. Kurose and Keith W. Ross in their third edition of Computer Networking stated at the beginning of their book: It seems that the computer networks are everywhere! Today computer networks (i.e. the Internet) literally are everywhere. In the year 2002, there were over 200 million end systems. Statistics predict that by the year 2010, about 80 percent of the world will be connected to the Internet. As I have stated in the beginning of my paper: the Internet is largest network of networks worldwide; I think that it is important to comprehend what that really means. The Internet is our future and many of us have forgotten what it would be like if the Internet had never been invented. The Internet has brought nations and peoples closer together through the sharing of knowledge and information. Those of us whom are or have been influenced by the Internet have all become more interdependent with the rest of the world and essentially more knowledgeable than before.”(www.cs.ucsb.edu/~almeroth/classes/F04.176A/homework1_good_papers/Alaa-Gharbawi.html - 36k )

3. Internet and University Students

New findings in the field of communications during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s were quickly adopted by universities across North America. Examples of early university Internet communities are Cleveland Free Net, Blacksburg Electronic Village and NSTN in Nova Scotia. Students took up the opportunity of free communications and saw this new phenomenon as a tool of liberation. Personal computers and the Internet would free them from corporations and governments (Nelson, Jennings, Stallman).

Graduate students played a huge part in the creation of ARPANET.^{[citation needed]} In the 1960s, the network working group, which did most of the design for Arpanet’s protocols, was composed mainly of graduate students. As for today’s students, internet has become a media in which they spend most of their time. Students, as well as all other teenagers their age, become tied up to internet as the result of many virtual communications that appear nowadays.

As the conclusion, internet and students are very closely related each other even since the internet first invented.

Mastering English

According to Oxford pocket dictionary, “master” is a verb means learn or understand something completely. So ,mastering English means understand all of English aspects thoroughly. Since English has five basic skills, mastering English means mastering English is being able to master all of those skills.

1. Reading

In her paper, Memi Lestari (2008) states some definition of reading that are composed by some expert. Nuttal (1982) defines reading as the meaningful interpretation of printed and written verbal symbol. Meanwhile Kustaryo (1988) says that reading is the combination of word recognition, intellect and interrelated with prior knowledge to understand the message communicated. Further more, Nesamelar (2002) states that reading merely involves the ability to sound the word printed on a page. In addition, reading involves thinking . It is the attempt of the reader to understand a nearly as possible the thinking of the writer.

So reading means the activity to understand what is the meaning of a written or printed form of verbal symbol as close as possible to what the writer really want to say.

2. Listening

Dian Komala Sari (2008) writes in her paper some definition of listening; according to Yagang (1993:1) listening is the ability to identify and understanding what others are saying. This includes understanding a speaker accent or pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and gasping the meaning. Marcus (1997) defines listening as a process in which signals are converted to the meaning. Hyslop (2007) says that one spends 45% of his/her time in listening as compared with 30% in speaking, 16% in reading and 9% in writing.

From various definition of listening above, it can be concluded that in short listening is an activity in which people try to understand what are the meaning of someone else speech.

3. Speaking

Lina (2006) in her paper states that Littlewood (1981) defines speaking as the way to use language as communication mean. So someone expresses his attention, ideas, feeling, emotion and information by saying utterance. Finocchino and Bronomo (1973) say that it is a complex skill to be learned by students because the speaker must think the ideas he/she wishes to express. Widdowson (1997) think speaking is a part of language among people to say something orally.

In short, it can be concluded that speaking is the way people use to express their idea or thought orally.

4. Writing

In her paper, Surahmi Dola (2008) writes that Lauer (1981) says the writing is one way to make meaning from experience, it means I can be for the writers and for others. Besides, Byrne (1982) believes that writing involves the encoding of a message that is translated his thought into words. Further more, he says that writing is more than the production of graphic symbol; it requires the conscious mental effort where it involves how to combine the ideas into various way and arrange them in a coherent text.

As the conclusion, writing is make a thought or idea or experience in a written form that needs mental effort to do it.

Students of English Department of UNP

Students are the ones who are studying at a college or university. So, English department students of UNP define as the ones who are studying in UNP at English department. The number of them is more than 1.000 and they are now in the first to the sixth year of their study.

English department, like any other department, has some majority: English education, English literature and linguistics. For the status of the students, it is based on the way they entrance the department, whether through SPMB, PMDK or a test held by English department itself. For those who joined the test they are called non-regular students.

Overall condition of English department students is pretty good, for they actively join many kinds of extra curricular activity and many times become the best graduators of UNP. However, there is still some of them who can not submitted the tasks on time because they do not maximize the use of internet yet.

So English department students are those who study in English department whether in English education or English literature and linguistics.

Maximizing the Use of Internet in Mastering English

Education officials in countries such as Canada, the United States, France, Germany and Italy have already made commitments to wire all or most of their schools up to the Internet. In the developing world, South Africa launched its School Net project in 1997 designed to pool expertise and resources in developing partnerships in areas such as Internet connectivity and curriculum development in order to build a national educational network. In 1999, School Net partnered with Telkom Foundation to train over 2000 teachers in 1035 schools throughout South Africa. The Catholic University in Chile launched the "Enlaces" programmed in 1992, which started out connecting a half-dozen schools in remote, indigenous areas with 2 computers each equipped with 2400 bit/s modems utilizing wireless technology.

In Indonesia, such commitment has never been made yet formally, although there are some educational institutions that have already applied it in their own ways. Most of educational institutions here are still follow the basic teaching learning program use conventional media and method. This fact clearly produces also a basic result that is definitely will never escort this country to the brighter future. Indonesia will never be able to be as good as other country if their students can learn much faster that ours do by using internet. That is why the maximizing of internet should be conducted here in our country.

Now, if it comes to talk about mastering English by maximizing the use of internet. Here are the ways :

1. Reading

In reading, as what has been mentioned before, the main purpose is to understanding the meaning of written and printed form as close as possible to what the writer has in mind. Internet is a very wealthy sources of reading materials students can use to master reading.

In internet, there are so many types of written text, such as any kind of article or essay or journal that can be used by students to practice reading as often as possible. It is so important since reading needs practice. Before Internet, students have to spend so much money for buying an English book or magazine, but now they can get it for free. Further more, internet allows students to choose what kind of topics they like to read and everything is there.

There is also the technique of reading itself. Fact shows that the text book of reading sometimes only state a very basic method of reading. Meanwhile from internet source students can find various methods that is delivered by interesting way and easy words. More over, students also can find some tricks they will never see in the text book. Some people argue about the reliability of data we get from internet because everybody can write something there, but it is in fact the benefit since more ideas about something is better than just one.

Online magazines and newspaper in English are another reading materials can be found easily in internet. It is very significant since English magazines and newspapers are still rare in our city. By reading English magazine and newspaper, students can enrich their vocabulary, especially the words that are usually used in any particular field like politics, economic and medicine. The more vocabulary students have, the better readers they will be.

Then, short stories and e-books. By searching for short stories and e-books in the internet, students can keep the money they will spend f they buy the real books. It is also much easier because import books are still very difficult to find in our bookstores. Actually, the significant in reading English stories or novels is that students will be familiar with the culture of English spoken country and it is very crucial since a good language is not only good in the language but also knows the culture of the country where the language is spoken.

2. Listening

The goal of listening subject in English is to make students can easily understand what people are saying in English. This subject is the most complicated one for the majority of students since it includes understand the vocabulary, grammar and accent of the speaker at the same time. The difficulties are even doubled if the speaker is happen to be the native speaker of English. For that reason, the key to master listening is to get used to listen to English and internet provides so many sources of materials can be used.

First, trough internet it can be found radio online program that is in English. In an article from www.usingenglish.com/articles, it is said that to master English, instead of watching TV, the learner would better listen to the radio. It is because when we listen to the radio, students will be able to really focus to the sound because no picture that will distract them like in TV and that is a god exercise to improve your concentration, the key for good listening skill.

Next, students also can search for many song lyrics they want. It is well known that English song can improve students listening skill very effectively, partly because the words are simple and partly because students like to listen for it. However, the comprehension will be better if they know the lyrics and then just try match it with what told by the singer.

Finally, there are any kinds of movies students will easily find in internet. The good thing about watching movie is that students will be familiar with all expressions being used and then it will help them very much in doing any listening test thay paln to take.

2. Speaking

Speaking is a complex skill to be learned by students because the speaker must think the ideas they wish to express. For that reason, the first thing students have to have is the vocabulary since it is the tool used to deliver a speech. In internet, students can find several things that will help them in mastering speaking ability.

First, there is various kind of speech example students can use to practice at home. The speech itself is not the kind students usually find in the text book that is strict to the rule and not fun. On contrast, the kind they can get from internet will make they realize that a speech not always need to be formal to be listened by the audience.

3. Writing

Writing is a very active process that needs creativity that often comes from talent. However, fact shows that everybody can be good in writing if they work hard by write a lot. Internet, in this case provide students such an unlimited sources of writing works that can be a good example for students before they create their own master piece. This opinion supported by the theory that says the firs step to write after reading is imitating. Just like a toddler that imitate the way her parents’ way of walking in her early life before she finds her own way.

Another thing that can improve students’ writing ability that available in internet is blog or website. In today’s life, these two things are something usual, especially for teenagers or students. However, it will be better for them to use their blog and website wisely. They have to stop posting some articles they get from another sites in theirs. Students have to realize that these two internet services can be a perfect place or spot they can practice writing. Imagine if every students have their own blog and really use it to write down their ideas, we will have lots of excellent writers in this institution or at least there will be no student that complain about their mark in writing subject.

Conclusion and Suggestion

Internet is something cannot be separated from students’ live. They can use it for fun since it provides unlimited sources of entertainment but at the same time can also use as a learning tool, especially be the students of English. Internet can help students in each of the four basic skills in English: reading, listening, speaking and writing.

The advantage of internet sources is not only its accessibility, but also the quality and the various choices it has. By using internet effectively in their effort to mastering English, students will reach their goal faster and by a smarter way because internet is both of them: fast and smart.

Based on the conclusion, it is very suggested to the students, especially English department students, to use internet more wisely. They have to regard internet not only as a facility to have fun but also a tool to ease them mastering English. More over, it will be very kind of government to increase the capacity of internet connection in campus area, because after all, shortly we will come to an era when everything will be added with E letter in its front: E-learning, E-banking, E-government, E-election and so many other E-something.

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