EDUKASI: JURNAL PENDIDIKAN DAN PENGAJARAN ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| 43 Available online at http://jurnal.radenfatah.ac.id/index.php/edukasi LEARNING STRATEGIES AND TECHNOLOGIES APPLIED BY HIGH PROFICIENCY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS FOR ENGLISH AS A GENERAL SUBJECT SUFIYANDI Universitas Bengkulu Corresponding Author: sufiyandi@unib.ac.id MUHAMMAD FADHLI Universitas Bengkulu ILDI KURNIAWAN Universitas Bengkulu Abstract Learning strategy is an important factor in the success of achieving communicative language skills. Besides the awareness of using various strategies, applying technology in the language learning activity also becomes crucial for learners to succeed. However, learning strategies and the use of technologies by students of English Subjects at colleges and universities have not been widely found in the literature. For this reason, the research is aimed at finding out the application of strategies and technologies used by high proficiency students. The research is designed by combining both qualitative and quantitative research as the so-called Mixed Method. The participants involved were 33 high proficiency students in English subjects. They were taken based on the tests from 169 students spreading across four faculties at Universitas Bengkulu – Sumatera, Indonesia. After providing the test to determine the high proficiency student, the questionnaires were administered to collect the data related to the strategies and technologies applied by the students. Eventually, an interview was also undertaken to gain the qualitative data. Based on the questionnaire data, it was found that the students applied all learning strategies, namely: memory, cognitive, metacognitive, compensation, affective, and social strategies. Of the six strategies, metacognitive was the strategy mostly used with a mean score of 3.771 and followed by cognitive strategy with 3.643 points. Meanwhile, the least used ones were compensation and social, which have a value of 3.419 and 3.460, respectively. In addition, based on the interview, the use of technology as a learning strategy was also concluded. The high proficiency students applied various technologies such as mobile phones, various Internet Websites, and language applications to practice English. Of these various technologies, mobile phones were the most dominant. Keywords: English as a general subject, learning strategies, technology application Manuscript submitted: March 4, 2021 Manuscript revised: May 21, 2021 Accepted for publication: June 12, 2021 mailto:sufiyandi@unib.ac.id EDUKASI: JURNAL PENDIDIKAN DAN PENGAJARAN ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| 44 Available online at http://jurnal.radenfatah.ac.id/index.php/edukasi Introduction English has a very strategic position for education institution despite its status as a foreign language in Indonesia. It becomes a global language symbol as the medium for social and intellectual mobilization on an international basis (Taguchi, 2014). For this reason, universities and colleges in Indonesia have made English a compulsory curriculum that students must take to complete a vocational or an undergraduate program. The English curriculum is offered in various disciplines, both in the exact and non-exact sciences as a General Subject (MatakuliahUmum/MKU). The course equips students with English language skills for academic purposes in obtaining information in English and for future career preparation. The goals of learning are always related to professionalism, or a set of skills needed by language learners in their current or future professional careers (Day & Krzanowski 2011). English MKU at Universities and colleges has gained an important concern. At Universitas Bengkulu, various efforts to strengthen the English MKU have been carried out. The routine workshops are held at the beginning of each semester for lecturers accordingly. To ensure the quality of teaching, important documents in lectures the so-called the semester learning plan (RPS) and the Course Unit (SAP) are also discussed and arranged carefully in groups of English MKU lecturers. However, based on the preliminary observations, there were several important problems that still occurred related to the condition of students in the English MKU. In general, students view English as a very difficult subject. The difficulties faced by students lie in the lack of vocabulary, the pronunciation of English sounds that are different from Indonesian, the difficulty in understanding what is said by native speakers, and the other matters. The difficulties raise the other problems, namely the lack of self-confidence. They view that mastering English appears to be impossibility. Thus, the students become reluctant to practice. Some students feel embarrassed to speak. When asked to write, they will rely more on Google Translate. The estuary of the above problems is low academic achievement. The mean class scores were found to be unsatisfactory. To find an alternative solution to the problems, it is necessary to conduct a study of the learning strategies possessed by these students in learning English. The strategy should be conscious so that it can be applied in the learning process. It can become a means for learning and self- evaluation activities. The idea is essential by considering the shift in the trend of the world of education from teacher-centered to student-centered. So focusing only on lecturers as the previous efforts is not enough. The great attention should also be given to students about what actually happens to them in learning English in MKU subject especially in the students’ using strategies. Many studies have been carried out in examining student language learning strategies in tertiary institutions such as those conducted by Griffiths and Cansiz (2013) and Khan et al. (2018). The results of the findings indicated that the use of strategies is very important to support the language skills of learners. There were also differences in the use of these strategies between successful learners and learners with low abilities. Learning strategies can be defined as behaviors and conscious thoughts that are used by learners to understand, learn, and remember new information. This activity is determined by students as their way of learning language (Griffiths, 2013). A learning process requires a method or strategy that must be owned to achieve the main goals of learning. Things that need to be considered in the learning process are what methods will be used and how to use them. Although people learn in different strategies, some of these strategies have a positive contribution, and some EDUKASI: JURNAL PENDIDIKAN DAN PENGAJARAN ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| 45 Available online at http://jurnal.radenfatah.ac.id/index.php/edukasi are not effective (Hardan, 2013). When students consciously choose a strategy that suits their learning style and the task at hand, this strategy becomes a useful tool for active, conscious, and purposeful self-regulation. In general, Grenfell and Macaro (2007) make a summary of learning strategies, namely: a) The strategies used by students are accessible and can be documented; b) A strategy is a definable construct, and what it is and what it does can be described in practical terms; c) Strategy is important because it is related to the success of learning; d) Some types of learners are more likely to use strategies or use them more successfully than other types of learners; e) and Strategy can be taught and learned, as a result, can develop more effective strategic behaviors. The learning strategy is not a distinction between good or bad students, but how the strategy is carried out by language learners in the right way and situation. A strategy that fits the conditions will make learning feel more effective. Various studies have been conducted to analyze this problem. Most of studies are influenced by a model designed by Oxford (1990) which is known as Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). In this model, strategies are divided into two categories, namely: a) direct strategies consisting of memory, cognitive, and compensation strategies, and b) indirect strategies which consist of metacognitive, affective, and social strategies. By considering the current advance, the use of technology as a learning strategy is a challenge because technology offers various advantages and convenience in learning. In learning English, learners can use special software, various practice rooms on the Internet that are easily accessible, and a simple dictionary that can be installed on a mobile phone. Learners can also have friends to communicate with English speakers if they use social media. Besides that, learning activities in online classes cannot be neglected. This becomes interesting to study since the research within the scope of learning strategies that includes the use of technology variables is still limited, especially in the context of tertiary institutions. The use of technology in language learning can create student- based learning situations. This makes it possible for teachers to make material variations in providing motivation and opportunities for learning outside the classroom to students (Mahrooqi & Troudi, 2014). In line with this, Genclter (2015) emphasizes that teachers should encourage students to use activities that are appropriate for computer technology so that the students become the successful language learners. From the explanation above, this study aims to find out the students' strategies in learning English as the general subject, and how the technology they use in learning. There have been many researches related to the learning strategies, but the studies that analyze the use of technology in the students’ learning strategies are not found greatly. It is expected that this research can contribute to provide the new insight in learning English context especially in the use of learning strategies. Methodology The research is designed by combining both qualitative and quantitative research as the so- called Mixed Method. According to Gay, et al (2012), mixed methods study design incorporates quantitative and qualitative techniques, allowing both qualitative and qualitative results to be used in a single study. Rather than using either quantitative or qualitative approaches, mixed methods analysis aims to capitalize on existing synergies and strengths between the two types of research as a means for better understanding phenomena more fully rather than using only one of them. Thus, to find out the results related to the strategies and technologies applied by students at English course as EDUKASI: JURNAL PENDIDIKAN DAN PENGAJARAN ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| 46 Available online at http://jurnal.radenfatah.ac.id/index.php/edukasi the general subject, the quantitative survey data collection is carried out in the first phase, and then followed by the qualitative data in the second phase. The location of the research is in Universitas Bengkulu – Indonesia. It is a public university consisting of several faculties: exact and non-exact science. The students taking English as the general subject at the university became the research participants. The research participants were determined based on purposive sampling. The participants were selected based on the objectives of the study. Out of 169 students taking courses in 4 faculties, namely the faculties of engineering, agriculture, natural sciences, and teacher training and education, 33 students were selected purposively as the research participants. The research objective is to learn the high proficiency students both in the terms of learning strategies and in applying technologies in English learning activities. The intended concept of the high proficiency is the student with the highest score in the class of English language subject in the academic year 2020/2021. It means that the 33 participants were the students who achieved the highest score in the English class in that semester. The implementation of the test is an important part of collecting research data. The test is carried out at an early stage to separate the categories of students with high abilities and students with low abilities. The test was conducted on 4 (four) language skills, namely: listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills based on TOEFL standard. The test was administered by using E- Learning Universitas Bengkulu. The test was assigned in the E-learning by the following procedure: 1). The listening test was conducted by answering questions based on the audio attached in the platform; 2. The speaking test was assigned by recording their spoken language and uploading it; 3). The reading test was accomplished by answering questions based on texts; and 4). The writing test was done by uploading essays based on the given topics. The students who got a score between 80- 100 were categorized as the best score students based on the test. A questionnaire was administered in this research to obtain the research data. They were designed for students as the participants in the form of Likert scale. According to Siniscalco and Auriat (2005), Likert scales generally have 5 categories (strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, and strongly disagree). Accordingly, in this research, there were five choices that the participants selected based on their own perspective related to the topic. The items in the questionnaire were adapted from Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) version 7.0 by Oxford (1990). There are 40 questions based on 5 indicators, namely: memory, cognitive, metacognitive, compensation, affective, and social strategies. The questionnaire was administered in October 2020 to 33 high level achievement students taking English Course at Universitas Bengkulu. After gathering the quantitative data by using the questionnaire, an interview to four students as the representative was carried out. The participants were the highest proficiency students in the subject. Interviewing was primarily used to gather the students’ opinion and feeling from their point of view related to technologies as the strategy. The students were referred as Student A, B, C and D. The four students were the students who got the highest score from the test. They were selected one from each class. The interview was directed by an interview guide that had been already prepared. There are 10 items of interviewed that was adapted from Genclter (2015). The interview was conducted in November 2020. EDUKASI: JURNAL PENDIDIKAN DAN PENGAJARAN ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| 47 Available online at http://jurnal.radenfatah.ac.id/index.php/edukasi Findings and Discussion The test results To determine the high proficiency category, the test was given to students who took the General Subject (MKU) of English in the odd semester in academic year 2020/2021. There were 169 students in 4 (four) study programs and faculties involved in this study. The test consists of 4 language skills, namely listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Of the 169 students, the number of students in the high level category; those who got scores in the range of 80 -100 were 33 as described in the following table: Table 1. Students with high proficiency category Faculty Program Class Total Students % FKIP Chemistry A 35 9 25.71 Husbandry Soil Science A 49 6 12.24 MIPA Nursing A 27 5 18.52 Engineering Civil Engineering A 58 13 22.41 Total 169 33 19.53 Table 1 shows the number of the high proficiency students was 33 consisting of 9 students from the Chemistry study program, 6 students from the Soil Science study program, 5 students from the Nursing study program, and 13 students from the Civil Engineering study program. The overall percentage of students with the high score category is 19.53% of the total 169 students. The questionnaire results The next phase is administering the questionnaire. The questionnaire was given to 33 students. There were 50 questions that were expected to be answered by the respondents. The questions were referred to the strategies of memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, affective, and social. The results are described as in the following. Memory strategy, table 2 shows the results of the questionnaire for the memory strategy consisting of 9 items. From the 9 items, it can be seen that the strategy mostly used by the high proficiency students in learning English is connecting sounds with images with an average value of 3.606, and is followed by using new words in sentences to train memory with 3,727 point. While the least used strategy in memory is to use cards to remember new words with score of 2.909, followed by the strategy of using lyrics with a value of 3.182. EDUKASI: JURNAL PENDIDIKAN DAN PENGAJARAN ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| 48 Available online at http://jurnal.radenfatah.ac.id/index.php/edukasi Table 2. Memory strategy No Strategy Mean Interpretation 1 Making connections between what is already known and what is new in learning English. 3.606 Agree 2 Using new English words for a sentence so you can remember them. 3.727 Agree 3 Connecting newly-known English words with pictures to help you memorize vocabulary. 3.788 Agree 4 Memorizing new vocabulary in English by creating mental images of a situation in which the word might be used. 3.727 Agree 5 Using rhymes / rhymes to remember new words in English. 3.182 Neutral 6 Using cards to remember new words in English. 2.909 Neutral 7 Practicing acting out new English words. 3.727 Agree 8 Often repeating English lessons. 3.424 Neutral 9 memorizing new words or phrases in English by Memorizing them on book pages, on chalkboards, or on road signs 3.515 Agree Average 3.512 Agree Cognitive strategy, there are 14 questions in the questionnaire to reveal the high proficiency students’ learning strategies in the cognitive context. Based on the table, it can be seen that the strategy used with the highest score is repetition of pronunciation and writing (4.030) and then watching TV shows or movies in English (3.970). The strategies with the lowest response were writing notes, messages, letters or reports in English (2.879), and compiling information summaries (3.333). Table 3. Cognitive strategy No Strategy Mean Interpretation 1 Repeating the pronunciation or writing of new words in English. 4.030 Agree 2 Trying to speak like a native English speaker. 3.909 Agree 3 Practicing English sounds. 3.879 Agree 4 Using English words that I know a variety of ways. 3.788 Agree 5 Starting English conversation practice 3.667 Agree 6 Watching English TV shows or movies 3.970 Agree 7 Often reading material in English. 3.424 Neutral 8 Writing notes, messages, letters or reports in English. 2.879 Neutral 9 Reading the English text in a cursory manner at first, then return to perusing. 3.788 Agree 10 Looking for similarities between English and Indonesian in words I just met 3.545 Agree 11 Trying to find patterns in English. 3.667 Agree 12 Finding the meaning of a word in English by dividing it into parts that I understand 3.667 Agree 13 Trying not to translate word for word. 3.455 Neutral 14 Summarizing the English information heard or read 3.333 Neutral Average 3.643 Agree EDUKASI: JURNAL PENDIDIKAN DAN PENGAJARAN ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| 49 Available online at http://jurnal.radenfatah.ac.id/index.php/edukasi Compensation strategy, for the compensation strategy, the high proficiency students responded to 6 strategy items. From the results of the responses, it can be seen that items 1 and 2 are the most used strategies, respectively, with points 3.939 and 3.879. In contrast, items 4 and 3 are the least used strategies in this category with response values of 2.667 and 2.909. Table 4. Compensation strategy No Strategy Mean Interpretation 1 Guessing the meaning of English words for words you still don't understand. 3.939 Agree 2 Using gestures when unable to say a word during a conversation in English. 3.879 Agree 3 Making up new words if I don't know about the correct word in English. 2.909 Neutral 4 Reading English without having to search for the meaning of each new word. 2.667 Neutral 5 Trying to guess what someone will say in English conversation next. 3.394 Neutral 6 Using a word or phrase that has the same meaning as a substitute when unable to get a word in English. 3.727 Agree Average 3.419 Neutral Metacognitive strategy, based on table 5, the high proficiency students at MKU English have a desire to become better students as evidenced by the response in point 4 with an average value of 4.364. In addition, progress in English is an important concern for students, which can be proven by point 9 being the second rank (4.091). For this metacognitive indicator, items 5 and 7 are the least used strategies with points 2.939 and 3.212. Table 5. Metacognitive strategy No Strategy Mean Interpretation 1 Using a variety of ways to improve English skills. 3.818 Agree 2 Noticing the mistakes I made in my use of English that made me much better off. 3.909 Agree 3 Paying attention when someone is speaking English. 4.061 Agree 4 Trying to be a better English learner. 4.364 Agree 5 Making a schedule so that you have enough time to learn English. 2.939 Neutral 6 Looking for someone I can talk to in English. 3.667 Agree 7 Reading as much English material as possible. 3.212 Neutral 8 Having a clear goal of improving English language skills. 3.879 Agree 9 The progress in learning English is an important thing to pay attention to. 4.091 Agree Average 3.771 Agree Affective strategy, regarding the affective category, trying to relax when there are concerns in using English is claimed to have the most important portion for most respondents with 3.970 points. EDUKASI: JURNAL PENDIDIKAN DAN PENGAJARAN ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| 50 Available online at http://jurnal.radenfatah.ac.id/index.php/edukasi Furthermore, the average value of 3.939 was put at the second rank, namely giving appreciation to yourself. On the other hand, the lowest scores are 2.455 and 3.273 for items 5 and 6. Table 6. Affective strategy No Strategy Mean Interpretation 1 Trying to relax when you are afraid or worried about using English. 3.970 Agree 2 Keeping trying to speak English despite the fear of making mistakes. 3.879 Agree 3 Rewarding yourself for succeeding in English. 3.939 Agree 4 Caring about feeling tense or nervous when using English. 3.485 Neutral 5 Writing down feelings in a diary using English. 2.455 Disagree 6 Talking to others about feelings for exercise. 3.273 Neutral Average 3.500 Neutral Social strategy, the last category is social strategy with 6 sub categories. Based on the value of the questionnaire, it can be seen that point 1 gets a value of 4.182 and item 2 with a value of 3.667. This indicates that more students will ask for advice on the interlocutor in English and vice versa ask for correction if there is a pronunciation mistake. Strategies with low average scores are in points 5 and 6 with 3.091 and 3.212 points. Table 7. Social strategy No Strategy Mean Interpretation 1 Asking the other person to repeat it again 4.182 Agree 2 Asking speakers of other people's languages to correct 3.667 Agree 3 Practicing English with other students. 3.485 Neutral 4 Asking help from English speakers. 3.212 Neutral 5 Asking questions in English. 3.091 Neutral 6 Trying to learn the native culture of English speakers. 3.121 Neutral Average 3.460 Neutral Based on the results, metacognitive strategy is the strategy most used by the best students at MKU English. The average score in this category is 3.771, which means that it can be interpreted that this strategy is the most dominant. Furthermore, in order based on the ranking values, namely cognitive strategy, memory strategy, affective strategy and social strategy. Meanwhile, those at the lowest position are compensation strategies with points 3.419. The rank is described in table 8. Table 8. The strategy applied most Strategy Mean Interpretation Rank Metacognitive 3.771 Agree 1 Cognitive 3.643 Agree 2 Memory 3.512 Agree 3 Affective 3.500 Agree 4 Social 3.460 Agree 5 Compensation 3.419 Agree 6 EDUKASI: JURNAL PENDIDIKAN DAN PENGAJARAN ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| 51 Available online at http://jurnal.radenfatah.ac.id/index.php/edukasi Qualitative results To obtain the data related to the use of technology used by the best students at the English MKU. Interviews were conducted with student representatives with good performance. The question items relate to the use of technology to improve their English skills. This technology is a strategy used by these students. The following questions and answers are based on the interview. How is the intensity of the use of technology in English learning strategies? All respondents stated that the use of technology in improving English language skills has a very high intensity. The student stated that the use of cellphones is a very helpful device to be used every day as needed for communication. For this reason, the intensity of using technology is very high. Here's one response: Student A: "Regarding the intensity of daily use of technology to improve English proficiency, of course it is quite intense for me, because I use cellphones and every day I mostly get a lot of English on my cellphone.” What types of technology are most often used to improve English language skills? As the answer in point 1, the high proficiency students at MKU in English stated that cellphones were the most frequently used devices. With the reason that mobile phones can be easily carried anywhere. This device is the favorite of the respondents' answers. Student B: “When asked about the device, I use the smartphone the most. The reason is of course because a smartphone is the easiest thing to carry anywhere and is an object that is always near me, so it can make it easier for me to learn English." What technology is used to practice listening skills? In an effort to improve listening skills, the best students at MKU English mentioned that they access various videos or audios also using their cellphones. But further, they also access TOEFL exercises as a listening activity. Cellphone is also used for dictionary installation. Laptops and TVs are also devices used for watching English films to improve listening skills. This can be seen in the response below: Student B: “In practicing my listening skills in English, I make use of smartphone and laptop technology. Through my device, I usually listen to songs in English and try not to look at the lyrics and also try to understand every vocabulary in the song. For example, I don't know the meaning of the vocabulary in the song, I will open the U dictionary application to find out the meaning of vocabulary that I don't understand. I also took the online TOEFL Test through a trusted site on the internet. So, I feel trained in the listening part." What technology is used to practice speaking skills? Most of the high proficiency students at MKU of English use recording devices to practice their speaking skills. After recording the voice, they will use another tool such as a dictionary in terms of pronunciation accuracy. Here's an example of an interview response: EDUKASI: JURNAL PENDIDIKAN DAN PENGAJARAN ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| 52 Available online at http://jurnal.radenfatah.ac.id/index.php/edukasi Student D: "To practice my speaking skills, I often listen to the pronunciation of vocabulary words in an "offline dictionary "where later I will practice them and record them whether they match what I have listened to in the offline dictionary application." What technology is used to practice reading skills? The majority of respondents stated that accessing the internet on various English texts is a strategy in the field of technology used to improve reading skills. English articles are considered useful in increasing vocabulary so as to improve reading skills. Online TOEL practice in the reading section is another activity. The following are among the respondents' answers regarding the use of technology in reading skills: Student B: “Device technology is technology that I use to practice reading skills in English. I usually turn to English articles on the internet to try to interpret them without using a dictionary. However, if there is a vocabulary that is really foreign I will interpret it through the “U Dictionary” application and try to remember it. I also took the online TOEFL Test and practiced the reading part." What technology is used to practice writing skills? There are various answers to these writing skills. The high proficiency students in English MKU stated that useful applications such as telegram can be used as an exercise in writing about quotes every day. Apart from that, the integration of listening activities with writing is also the strategy mentioned. Student B’s listening to music and interpreting it into writing are the integration of listening and writing activities. Furthermore, another response also shows that writing on cellphones and assisted by Google Translate is frequently used. Student C: “To be honest, I'm not very good at and interested in writing. But there is still a desire within me to be able to write. It's just that if I am asked to write an essay, I am still unable to do it. Usually I only make small writings on my smartphone notes which of course help the dictionary / Google Translate so that my writing is more precise. Or usually I'll write a short random conversation on the note of my smartphone." Are there sites on the Internet that are important to learning English? Various links on the Internet are important parts of the high proficiency students at English MKU. Internet assistance such as Grammarly, Google Translate, and Kampung Inggris are considered useful. The link t accessed via the internet can help with various English language skills. Student B: “There are many websites that have had a huge impact on improving my English skills. However, I prefer Kampung Inggris LC website. Because from this site we will not only know about grammar and vocabulary. My conversation is highly trained because I am taught to recognize expressions, idioms and even slank words.” What is the motivation when learning to use the technology previously mentioned? All respondents as the high proficiency student representatives stated that they felt very motivated EDUKASI: JURNAL PENDIDIKAN DAN PENGAJARAN ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| 53 Available online at http://jurnal.radenfatah.ac.id/index.php/edukasi by the use of the technologies mentioned earlier in English learning activities. Technology provides positive benefits and provides convenience. Student C: "Personally, with the technological advances available, it makes me more motivated to continue learning English. Because in my opinion most students are lazy or reluctant to learn English because they find it difficult to flip through the dictionary. However, with the current technology it really helps us all, especially me in learning English." Does E-learning in English MKU provide benefits? The English MKU activities combine synchronous and asynchronous learning activities. In asynchronous activities, lectures rely on E-learning Universitas Bengkulu as a tool provided by the campus. In this item of question, students are asked to give their opinion about the usefulness of LMS technology for them. All respondents answered in a positive tone that the E-learning used has provided excellent benefits for English learning activities, as stated by the following students: Student D: "I think E-Learning learning for English MKU is very useful because using the E-Learning kit can access the subject matter easily and then there is also a discussion forum which we can use to share knowledge and information with other friends." What are the future hopes for the use of technology in the English MKU? The majority of respondents responded that the use of technology in English MKU should be further improved. The existing E-learning media is good, but it is hoped that there will be other technologies as a companion, for example a learning media that can be accessed off line. In addition, synchronous activities through zoom, Google Meet, and other media are also expected to be a consideration. In the following is one of the response examples. Student A: "I hope that the next use of technology is more complex technology that is not only limited to websites and the internet but also such as applications or even with video games or such as video cassettes that can be accessed by students." Discussion Based on the findings, the best students use various strategies in learning English. These strategies are memory, cognitive, compensatory, metacognitive, affective, and social strategies. Of the 6 strategies, metacognitive is the strategy most often used. This finding is in line with research conducted by Panggabean (2017) examining the learning strategies possessed by students with high academic abilities. The finding is that metacognitive is one of the dominant strategies. Chamot (2004) says that all students benefit from using this metacognitive strategy in planning, monitoring, and evaluating their own activities. Metacognitive is useful for students to deal with classroom situations. So, the students know what and how to improve their abilities It is appropriate for English learners to be aware of and know what strategies they can use. With various kinds of improvement in language skills it is hoped that the success can be achieved well. Oxford (1990) states that learning strategies are very important because they are the means to be active and EDUKASI: JURNAL PENDIDIKAN DAN PENGAJARAN ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| 54 Available online at http://jurnal.radenfatah.ac.id/index.php/edukasi independent to achieve the expected communicative competences. According to Setiyadi (2016) the use of strategies can separate effective and ineffective activities. Based on the results of various studies which prove that there is a significant correlation between language skills and effective learners. Various learning strategies should be an important concern. Students should not only be given learning material, but what strategies must be done to achieve proficiency. The use of technology in language learning has been studied in various contexts such as the use of computers, cellphones, e-learning (LMS), radio, TV, games, CD rooms, the Internet (certain sites), Electronic Dictionary, Email, Blogs, Audio Cassettes, Power Points, Videos, DVD's, VCD's or other technologies. Technology that can support language learning should be an important part of the learning process because the use of this technology can maximize language skills. Mofareh (2019) said that one of the main goals in the use of technology is to provide motivation and encourage learners to gain English skills in a realistic context. Based on the results of this study, it was found that the high proficiency students at English MKU used various strategies and technologies to improve their English skills. This is in line with research conducted by Rahimi and Katal (2012). They conducted research on the importance of metacognitive strategies in improving listening skills in a technological context. The finding is that the use of podcasts shows that students recognize the importance of using technology. The use of technology in reading online is an interactive activity between students and text. Mohammadian et al. (2018) conducted a study on students who used interactive reading tools such as videos. Activities using this technology can provide benefits in improving reading skills. In addition, the use of the Internet is also an important part of the high proficiency students’ learning strategies. The use of the Internet as a language learning strategy has also been researched by Solak and Cakir (2015). They recommend that students benefit greatly from practicing English using these technologies. Conclusions From the findings and discussion, there are two conclusions that can be drawn based on the research purposes. Firstly, it can be concluded that the high proficiency students at English MKU use various learning strategies and technology in improving their English skills. The strategies used are memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, affective, and social strategies. Of the 6 strategies, metacognitive and cognitive are the most frequently used strategies. While the least used are compensation and social strategies. Secondly, the best students also use technology in their daily practice. These technologies include mobile phones, laptops, various Internet sites, and offline learning applications. This study suggests various strategies and technologies used by the high proficiency students at the English MKU. Based on this, the strategy and use of technology are expected to become important concerns so that the improvement of English language skills, especially in English MKU, can be improved in the future. In the realm of study, further research can be carried out towards the different strategies used by students at the best, middle, and low levels. This is as a comparison of learning strategies between the more effective or ineffective strategies. Acknowledgments We would like to express our very great appreciation to the Research and Service Community Institute (LPPM) of Universitas Bengkulu for supporting and promoting the research. EDUKASI: JURNAL PENDIDIKAN DAN PENGAJARAN ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| ISSN |2355-3669| E-ISSN |2503-2518| Volume 8| Number 1|June 2021| 55 Available online at http://jurnal.radenfatah.ac.id/index.php/edukasi References Chamot, A.U. (2004). Issues in language learning strategy research and teaching. Electronic. Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 1(1), 14-26. Day, J., & Krzanowski, M. (2011).Teaching English for specific purposes: An introduction. New York: Cambridge University Press. Gay, L. R., Mills, G.E., & Airasian, P. (2012). Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Applications. New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc. Genclter, B. (2015). How does technology affect languae learning process at an early age? Procedia – Social and Behavioral Science, 199, 311 – 316. Grenfell, M., & Macaro, E. (2007). Claims and critiques.dalam Cohen, andMacaro, E. (Eds.), Language Learner Strategies (pp. 9-28). Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. Griffiths, C. (2013). The strategy factor in successful language learning, The Asian EFL Journal. 3, 103. Griffiths, C., & Cansiz, G. (2015). Language learning strategies: A holistic view. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 5(3), 473-493. http://www.ssllt.amu.edu.pl/ Hardan, A.A. (2013). Language learning strategies: A general overview. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 106, 1712 – 1726. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.12.194 Khan, A.A., Ali, S.R., and Ahmad, H. (2018). Language learning strategies and students’ performance in ESL classrooms. Global Language Review (GLR), 1 (1), 17 – 38. Mahrooqi, R and Troudi, S. (2014). Using technology in foreign language teaching. United Kingdom: Cambridge Scholars. Mofareh, A (2019).The use of technology in English language teaching. Frontiers in Education Technology, 2(3),168-180. http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/fet.v2n3p168. Mohammadian, A., Saed, A., & Shahi, Y. (2018). The effect of using video technology. Advance in Language and Literary Studies, 9(2), 17 -23. http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.9n.2p.17 Oxford, R.L. (1990). Language learning strategies: What every teacher should know. Boston: HeinleandHeinle. Panggabean, C., & Kesuma, I. (2017). Language learning strategies of high proficiency students in their oral presentation at English language education of PGRI Ronggolawe University Tuban. OKARA: Jurnal Bahasa Indonesia and Sastra,2 (2), 205-214. Rahimi, M., &Katal, M. (2012). The role of metacognitive listening strategies awareness and podcast- use readiness in using podcasting for learning English as a foreign language. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(4), 1153-116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.01.025 Setiyadi, B. (2016). Language Learning Strategy Questionnaire (LLSQ): A Measurement to Identify Students’ Learning Strategies and Prepare the Success of Learning English in the Indonesian Context (Empirical Evidence). Yogyakarta: GrahaIlmu. Siniscalco, M.T., & Auriat, N. (2005). Questionnaire Design. Unesco. (available at: http://www.unesco.org/iiep). Solak, E., & Cakir, R (2015) Language learning strategies of language e-learners in Turkey. E-Learning and Digital Media, 12(1) 107–120. Taguchi, N. (2014). English-medium education in the global society: An Introduction. In Taguchi, N. (ed.), English-medium education in the global society (pp. 157–181). Special issue with International Review of Applied Linguistics, 52(2). http://www.ssllt.amu.edu.pl/ http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.12.194 http://dx.doi.org/10.22158/fet.v2n3p168 http://dx.doi.org/10.7575/aiac.alls.v.9n.2p.17 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.01.025 http://www.unesco.org/iiep