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Literature) 

Vol. 1 No. 2, 2020  
Available online at https://jurnal.iainponorogo.ac.id/index.php/eltall 

 

 

 

 

 
  

51 
 

 

 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SOCRATIVE APPLICATION FOR 
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT IN TEACHING VOCABULARY  

AT SMA MUHAMMADIYAH 1 PONOROGO 
 

Fitriani Nurhasanah; Nurul Khasanah 
Institut Agama Islam Negeri Ponorogo (IAIN Ponorogo) 

 
fitrianinh27@gmail.com  

khasanah@iainponorogo.ac.id  
  
Abstract  

The objective of this research was to find out whether there is any significant 
difference vocabulary mastery between students who used socrative application for 
formative assessment and who are not used socrative application for formative 
assessment. This research applied quantitative research approach and used quasi-
experimental design. In this research, the researcher used two classes (experimental 
class and control class) as a sample. The population of eleventh science grade in SMA 
Muhammadiyah 1 Ponorogo was 115 students. The number of sample in this research 
was 30 students of experimental class (XI IPA4) and 31 students of control class (XI 
IPA3). The researcher used simple random sampling to choose the sample in this 
research. The data were obtained by using a pre-test and post-test. The pre-test was 
given to both classes before the treatment and the post-test was given after the 
treatment. After getting the score of pre-test and post-test, the data were analyzed 
and processed by using T-test formula using SPSS 23 versions for Windows. The 
result of this research showed that the average of post-test of experimental class is 
87.70 and the average score of post-test of control class is 77.74. The value of t-test = 
3,226 with df = 59 on level significance 5%. According to the table value “t” = 1,671. 
Then tcount  higher than ttable (3,226 > 1,671). Therefore, H1 is accepted and H0 is 
rejected. So, it can be concluded that there is significant difference on students’ 
vocabulary mastery that used socrative application for formative assessment and that 
are not. In the other words, Socrative Application is effective for formative 
assessment on students’ vocabulary mastery of eleventh science grade of SMA 
Muhammadiyah 1 Ponorogo.  

Keywords: socrative application, formative assessment, teaching vocabulary 
 
  
INTRODUCTION 

English has turn out to be a lingua franca. A lingua franca can be defined as a 
language that is adopted for conversation between two speakers whose native 
languages or using it as a second language (Harmer, 1997). It makes English as an 
international language that is learned many students in the world, not except in 
Indonesia. 

In learning English, it always relates to the four skills. They are writing, 
speaking, reading and listening. Besides the four cores of language skills, the 

mailto:fitrianinh27@gmail.com
mailto:khasanah@iainponorogo.ac.id


ELTALL (English language teaching, applied linguistics and 

Literature) 

Vol. 1 No. 2, 2020  
Available online at https://jurnal.iainponorogo.ac.id/index.php/eltall 

 

 

 

 

 
  

52 
 

students should have well understanding of English component such as grammar 
and vocabulary to support their mastery of four language skills. 

Vocabulary refers to a setuof words for particulareilanguage orua list phrases 
that individual speaker of language use (Hatch & Brown, 1995). Vocabularykis the 
mosthimportantfaspect in English teaching and learning. We can’t understand 
English without vocabulary. And also we can’t  understand about English spoken 
and written while we have no vocabulary. Based on this fact, vocabulary is not just 
very important aspect in learning English, but the most important aspect in 
learning English. 

To measure students’ vocabulary mastery, an English teacher needs to do an 
assessment in the end of English teaching learning process. However, the students 
usually don’t interest while formative assessment process and it can influence to 
their achievement in vocabulary mastery.  

Based on the researcher’s preliminary study in SMA Muhammadiyah 1 
Ponorogo on October, 24th 2019, the researcher found some students of XI IPA 4 
had low motivation and feel uninterested in English teaching and learning 
especially in formative assessment process. They didn’t give their best 
performance while doing the task from teacher. Because of their uninterested and 
low motivation while formative assessment, it can influenced to their achievement 
in vocabulary mastery. Almost 40% students of XI IPA 4 had limited vocabulary 
mastery. Whereas, SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Ponorogo was one of favorite school in 
Ponorogo and it was a school that had a good reputation and A grade acreditation. 
SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Ponorogo was also one of few school in Ponorogo that had 
billingual program.  

One of many suitable solution that can be choosen to increase students’ 
interesting while formative assessment is by using mobile learning. Mobile 
learning can be defined as electronical media devices such as the smartphone, 
computer, laptops that used in language learning. Mobile learning can increase the 
mobility of learners, the learners can learn everytime and everywhere 
(Gangaiamaran & Pasupathi, 2017). With portable and personal mobile devices, 
learners cangbe engagedbmore flexible anduaccessible inmlearning practices 
withoutdconstraint on places. 

From the reason above, one of mobile learning application that can be used to 
doing formative assessment is socrative application. Socrative application is one of 
the popular student online response systems that empower teachers to engage 
their students in classroom activities by using a quiz (Maslawati, 2019).  It is 
considered as a appropriate application that can be used to increase students’ 
motivationoin formative assessment. According to relevant research about Mobile-
Assisted Language Learning (MALL) defined that socrative application not 
onlytican enhance students’ Englishoability but alsohincrease students’ learning 
motivation. Seemingly, itcis helpful andrefficient fordstudents using socrative 
application for formative assessment. 

Socrative application can facilitate teacher’smquestion-giving andpanswers-
receiving tasks. Using this application, all studentsrcan answertseveral questions 
verygfast and the teacherfknowsdthetanswersdimmediately. Thishapplication also 
has the following advantages, it is not neccessaryuto use neithereany software nor 



ELTALL (English language teaching, applied linguistics and 

Literature) 

Vol. 1 No. 2, 2020  
Available online at https://jurnal.iainponorogo.ac.id/index.php/eltall 

 

 

 

 

 
  

53 
 

any extraselectronic device, its only needs smartphones with connection to 
internet. This application also can facilitate the cooperative learning strategy more 
efficiently (David Mendez Coca and Josip Slisko, 2013).  

There are some previous research that study about the use of socrative 
application for classroom engagement. Based on journal from Laura Tirlea, 
Department of Psychological Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology. The 
title is “The Use of Socrative in Promoting Classroom Engagement: a Qualitative 
Investigation”. She study about integrating socrative application into the statistics 
course changes the dynamic of the class and resulted in greater engagement, 
interaction and fun. Socrative application has a positive impact on students’ 
engagement and interaction in class. Therefore, it is different with this research 
(Tirlea, 2018). In this research, the researcher focuses on the use of socrative 
application for formative assessment in teaching vocabulary. 

The other previous research is a journal from Sam M Dakka, Sheffield Hallam 
University in title “Using Socrative to Enhance in-Class Student Engagement and 
Collaboration” also study about how using socrative application to assess the 
performance and engagement of students are enhanced as compared to traditional 
or other blended teaching and learning process. This research showed that using 
this student paced assessment (socrative application) despite the lack of 
collaboration aspects designed into the experiment did enhance the performance 
of the students on semester 2 as compared to semester 1. In the other word, it can 
be said that socrative application can improve students vocabulary mastery and 
enhanced student engagement (Sam M Dakka, 2015).  

Therefore, the researcher interested to conduct the research with the title 
“The Effectiveness of Socrative Application for Formative Assessment in Teaching 
Vocabulary at SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Ponorogo” 
 
METHODS 

In this research, the researcher applied experimental research method. 
Experimental research was a research that used experiment as a way to find the 
data and balancing of several features including validity, practicality and cost 
(Howard J Seltman, 2018). Experimental research was chosen because it was the 
best quantitative design to determine probable cause and effect. 

Because of this research used experimental research method, so the best 
research design that can be used was quasi-Experimental research design. Quasi-
Experimental research design was signed by the researcher assigned randomly 
different treatments to both different classes (Mohammad Adnan Latief, 2012).  

 In this research, the researcher observed the ability population of the 
research, and then selected two classes out of all the existing classes which are of 
equivalent level. Next, the researcher randomly selected one of the classes into 
experimental group and the other one into the control group.  

The process of data collecting technique includes pre-test, experimental 
treatment and post-test. Firstly, pre-test was given before experimental treatment 
to measure students’ vocabulary mastery. For experimental treatment, the 
researcher applied socrative application for formative assessment in the 
experimental class and used paper based evaluation in the control class. Post-test 



ELTALL (English language teaching, applied linguistics and 

Literature) 

Vol. 1 No. 2, 2020  
Available online at https://jurnal.iainponorogo.ac.id/index.php/eltall 

 

 

 

 

 
  

54 
 

was given after experimental treatment both of classes to know students’ 
vocabulary mastery progress. And the last, the researcher compared the result pre-
test and post-test between both of clasess.  
 
FINDING AND DISCUSSION 
 

Table 1 
The Result of Mean Score of Experimental Class and Control Class 

 
 Group Statistics 

 
Class N 

Mean Score 
Pre-test 

Mean Score 
Post-test 

Result Experimental 30 69,000 87,700 

Control 31 70,000 77,742 

 
Based on the table above, the result of data analysis shows that the mean 

score pre-test of experimental class (students who used socrative application) is 
69,000 and the mean score pre-test control class (students who used paper based 
assessment) is 70,000. While, the mean score posttest of experimental class is 
87,700 and the mean score posttest of control class was 77,742. It means that 
there are any different mean score between experimental and control class.  

Before doing analysis data to determine whether the data have normal 
distribution or not and also to compute how the random variable is to be normally 
distributed, the researcher doing normality test. The result of experimental class’s 
normality test by using Kolmogrov Smirnov (SPSS 23) is 0,053. The data can be 
said normally distributed if the sig > 0,05. This sig. value is 0,053 > 0,05. It means 
that the data from experimental class is normally distributed. While, the result of 
control class’s normality test by using Kolmogrov Smirnov (SPSS 23) is 0,200. The 
data can be said normally distributed if the sig > 0,05. This value is 0, 200 > 0,05. It 
means that the data from control class is normally distributed. 

Homogeneity test in experimental research is used to know whether control 
group and experimental group that are taken from population have same variance 
or not. Based on the calculation, the value of homogeneity test is 0,098. Therefore, 
the data can be said homogeneous if the sig  > 0,05. This value is 0,098 > 0,05. It 
means that the data from experimental class and control class were homogeneous. 

To analyze the data in this research, the researcher used T-test. It is used to 
compare the students’ vocabulary mastery between two class which used socrative 
application for formative assessment and not. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



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Table 2 
The Result of T-Test Calculation and Independent Sample Test  

Independent Samples Test 

 

Levene's 
Test for 

Equality of 
Variances t-test for Equality of Means 

F Sig. T Df 

Sig. 
 (2-
tail
ed) 

Mean 
Differ
ence 

Std. 
Error 

Differe
nce 

95% Confidence 
Interval of the 

Difference 

Lower Upper 

Hasi
l 

Equal 
varian
ces 
assum
ed 

14,01
6 

,00
0 

3,22
6 

59 
,00

2 
9,958

1 
3,0867 3,7816 16,1345 

Equal 
varian
ces not 
assum
ed 

  
3,25

5 
46,71

4 
,00

2 
9,958

1 
3,0590 3,8032 16,1129 

 
Based on the result of t-test in the table above, the value of sig. (2-tailed) was 

0,002. It means that sig. (2-tailed) < 0,05. So, it can be used to get the basis decision 
in independent sample t-test. Based on the basis of getting decision in independent 
sample t-test, if sig. (2-tailed) < 0,05 H0 is rejected and H1 is accepted. So, it can be 
concluded that there are any significant different score between students who use 
socrative application for formative assessment and student who didn’t use 
socrative application for formative assessment 

Then, the table above also shows the mean difference is 9,9581, it refers to 
average different of students score in experimental class and control class with the 
confidence interval different is 3,7816 to 16,1345 (95% Confidence interval of the 
difference lower upper). T value is the result of t test = Degree of freedom (df)= n-2 
(61-2= 59). The research result, t = 3,226, with df = 59 on level significance 5%. 
According to the value ttable = 1,671. It means that tcount > ttable = 3,226 > 1,671. 

From the calculation above, it was shown that the difference coefficient of 
students who used socrative application for formative assessment and students 
who were not used socrative application for formative assessment is 3,226. 

Hypothesis test (t0) at 3,226 from the calculation above would be compared to 
the “t” index (tt) with condition below: 
1. If the t0 > tt, H1 was accepted. It means that there was a significant difference 

between two variables. 
2. If the t0 < tt, H1 was refused. It means that there was no significant difference 

between two variables. 



ELTALL (English language teaching, applied linguistics and 

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Vol. 1 No. 2, 2020  
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56 
 

The calculation of (df)= n-2 (61-2=59) is 59. According to the table value “tt” 
with df = 59 on level significance 5% is 1,671. Then the research result, t0 = 3,226, 
so t0 > tt (3,226 > 1,671). It means that H1 is accepted and H0 is rejected. From the 
calculation above, it can be seen that the students who used socrative application 
for formative assessment got better score than the students who were not used 
socrative application for formative assessment.  

According to Terrion and Aceti (2012), using Student Response System 
(Socrative application) and technology based systems can enhance students’ 
engagement, where students can give an immediate feedback to the teacher 
questions. 

According to Ismail El Mahdi, Abdulghani Al-Hattami and Hala Fawzi (2018), 
using technology based tools, such as Socrative application enhances formative 
assessment and consequently improves students’ learning. The students’ 
engagement is improved when the teacher uses socrative application for formative 
assessment which leads to creating effective teaching and learning environment. 

So, it can be concluded that there is any significant difference score in 
vocabulary mastery between students who used socartive application for 
formative assessment and who aren’t use socrative application at the eleventh 
science grade students of SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Ponorogo. 
 
CONCLUSION 

Based on data analysis, the researcher concluded that there was a significant 
different score on students’ vocabulary mastery between students who used 
socrative application and paper based assessment for formative assessment in the 
eleventh grade students of SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Ponorogo. The students who are 
used socrative application for formative assessment got a better score than those 
who are not. The result of average score of post-test showed that experimental 
group or students who used socrative application for formative assessment 
(87,70) is higher than control group or students who didn’t used socrative 
application for formative assessement (77,74).  

It has been found that comparison between students’ vocabulary score who 
used socrative application for formative assessment and who are not is 3,226. This 
score is higher than Ttable which is 1,671 at the level significant 5% and db = 59. It 
means that H1 is accepted and H0 is rejected. In the other words, socrative 
application is effective for formative assessment in teaching vocabulary.  

 
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Ehmadi, Ismail, Abdulghani Al-Hattami and Hala Fawzi. “Using Technology for 
Formative Assessment to Improve Students’ Learning.” The Turkish Online 
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ELTALL (English language teaching, applied linguistics and 

Literature) 

Vol. 1 No. 2, 2020  
Available online at https://jurnal.iainponorogo.ac.id/index.php/eltall 

 

 

 

 

 
  

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