EEJ 8 (4) (2018) 411 - 417 English Education Journal http://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/index.php/eej Developing an Interactive Multimedia Based on Local Culture for Teaching Writing Narrative Texts for the Eighth Graders Sigit Sulistiyanto1, Abdurrachman Faridi2, Mursid Saleh2 1. SMP N 4 Satu Atap Karangrayung, Kab. Grobogan, Indonesia 2. Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia Article Info ________________ Article History: Recived 23 June 2018 Accepted 04 September 2018 Published 23 December 2018 ________________ Keywords: Interactice Multimedia, Research And Development, Writing Narrative Abstract ___________________________________________________________________ This study describes developing an interactive multimedia based on local culture for teaching writing narrative texts for the eighth graders. In the process of developing the materials, this study addressed four problems: (1) What are existing materials available to teach students of eight graders of Junior High School?(2) What is the initial condition of students before using the narrative texts materials developed based on local culture through interactive multimedia?(3) How is interactive multimedia developed based on local culture for year eight students of junior high school?(4) How effective is the developed interactive multimedia based on local culture used for teaching writing narrative text?.In developing the narrative text materials through interactive multimedia, the method, Research and Development (R & D) was adapted and simplified from the development stages of Borg and Gall. The process started from doing a survey. Then, it was followed by developing materials through interactive multimedia, experts and teachers validation, doing first revision, trying out the materials, doing second revision, and ended by producing the final product. The developed product is the materials of narrative text through interactive multimedia. The result of the narrative text learning media was narrative corner, grammar pitstop, writing section, and evaluation. © 2018 Universitas Negeri Semarang Correspondence Address: Ds. Gunungtumpeng Gunungtumpeng Karangrayung Kabupaten/Kota: Kab. Grobogan Provinsi: Jawa Tengah, Indonesia E-mail: wiwin.taawb@gmail.com p-ISSN 2087-0108 e-ISSN 2502-4566 Sigit Sulistiyanto, Abdurrachman Faridi, Mursid Saleh / EEJ 8 (4) 2018 411 - 417 412 INTRODUCTION There are many ways of learning and mastering English as the foreign language. Writing is one of the skills that students can do in this process. There are several previous studies that become the background on this study. According to Anggrayani, Sofwan & Saleh (2015, also see Wuzaro: 2012, Mubarok: 2012, Suraya & Sofwan 2013, Detapratiwi: 2013, Aininna: 2014, Noor, Saleh, & Rukmini: 2014, Anggraeni, Hartono, & Warsono: 2015, Arifiana: 2015, Hermasari & Mujiyanto: 2015, Kurniyasari:2016, Amilia & Sisbiyanto: 2016, Shweeba &Mujiyanto: 2017, Ernidawati &Sutopo: 2017, Wulandari: 2017, Wachyu & Rukmini; 2015, Ardianti & Bharati; 2016), Nurwachid & Rukmini, D. (2018), writing included the ability to express the students‟ opinions or taught clearly and effectively in written form. In writing a text, some students got difficulties in finding ideas, providing second ideas, finding a topic idea, and low of knowledge in grammar and vocabularies. Moreover, the students‟ problem in writing was also caused by the difficulty of expressing ideas. It is a fact that teaching writing makes students uninterested because teachers do monotonous activities. On the other hand, the students need something interesting, enjoyable, and playful, including material. It is contradictory with the monotonous material that they have got thus far. And nowadays, teachers should be aware of this urgent case. The learning material must be selected and recreated into the fresh ones. From previous study Kawase (2009) compared synchronious CMC and face-to-face interaction. The result showed the differences and similarities between them and in the classroom setting where it was conducted; synchronious CMC had indicated that teachers tend to spend less time engaged in teacher talk. It is a fact that information and communication technologies play very important role in today's education settings. Yaworski and Ibrahim (2001) also conducted an experimental study to prove the effectiveness of using direct instruction of vocabulary words via the computer to increase students‟ motivation and to create advantage for students. The technologies then are expected to change the nature of instruction and provide learners with cognitively challenging and attractive materials. Through the use of internet and multimedia, learners can engage in individualized instruction where they can investigate and learn concepts and contents to meet their specific needs. Educational researchers believe cognitive growth is informed by existing knowledge (Lee, 2003, Bransford, Brown, & Cocking, 2000). However, the existing of today's student technology is fundamentally different from past decades. There is a digital disconnection between how students use technology for their everyday communication and how the students use technology in the classroom. Outside the school students communicate through instant messaging, cell phones and internet. These technologies are not just toys, rather essential for students to communicate with the world. Nevertheless, schools are failing to recognize the digital world of students outside of schools. In order for teachers to tap into the everyday technology knowledge of students, teachers must believe these technologies can benefit classroom instruction. Students are now heavily immersed in interactive multimedia-Web 2.0 technologies (i.e. Blogs, twitter, social network sites, virtual worlds, video sharing and photo sharing). They are crafting on-line lives that seamlessly meld with their off-line world. Indeed, the internet is playing an increasingly important role in not only students' social life but also academic. According to Munoz and Towner (2009), educators are now turning to Web 2.0 tools, drawing upon their ability to assist in creating, collaborating on and sharing content. Social network sites are now quickly becoming ubiquitous online. It is in line with Jarf (2007) online instruction had an effect on students‟ vocabulary acquisition development. With the boom in technology and the Sigit Sulistiyanto, Abdurrachman Faridi, Mursid Saleh / EEJ 8 (4) 2018 411 - 417 413 popularization of social networking among school students, many teachers and students are now utilizing this information sharing network opportunity for academic purposes. In the case of SMPN 4 Satu Atap Karangrayung, in which the writer conducted research, it was found that the students writing ability had not reached the basic competency stated in the curriculum, for there were still many under developed ideas, grammatical errors and lack of clarity or organization in their writings and students had less motivation to write. Students‟ low motivation was caused by monotonous and limited teaching materials which were mainly taken from standard text books. Mariana(2016) said that the students are interested in fiction story such as short story since they can feel that they are involved in the story, it seems that they are one the characters in the story. Thus, the writer decided developed narrative text. Based on the above problems, there was a need to develop an alternative media utilizing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for teaching writing which could improve students‟ motivation and competency in writing. The need to utilize ICT is mandated by the National Education System Act No. 20 Year 2003 and the Ministry of National Education Regulation No. 16 Year 2007, which state that each teacher is required to familiarize him with ICT and utilize it within their teaching. One way to utilize ICT is by creating e-learning. Teachers as the facilitators should use the interactive multimedia as the visual aid which will help them make their students easy to understand the given material. Rohani (1997:4) describes the media of the process as educative instructional media. He says that educative instructional media are kinds of media in instructional processes (in teaching-learning activities) to make the progress of instructional purposes more effective and knowledgeable. They are applied through hardware and software. In this study, their applications will be used in the form of Video Compact Disk (VCD) as hardware and web as software. For those reasons, the writer conducted his study on Research and Development (R & D) to develop the material of writing narrative text and interactive multimedia for year eight students of Junior High School. Interactive multimedia is chosen to be developed for the sake of facilitating students with an interesting multimedia and get students involve in the process of teaching and learning joyfully. Moreover, the material developed based on local culture. In here, the writer used some stories from „Grobogan‟. METHOD The study used R & D approach, since the objectives of the study were to develop the Narrative text writing materials through interactive multimedia based on local culture for Year Eight students of Junior High School (a case was VIIIA which consisted of 26 students of SMPN 4 Satu Atap Karangrayung). According to Borg and Gall (1983:772) research and development (R & D) is one reseach design aimed at developing and validating educational products. The process involves identifying problems that need to be solved by educational products, like textbooks, syllabus, assessment instruments, etc, studying the principles of writing instructional media, developing the media based on the principles, field testing it in the setting where it will be used eventually, and revising it to correct the deficiences found in the field-testing stage. Basically, the objective of R & D is managing and developing the effectiveness of products applied at schools. This is started from administering an observation that is valuable in deciding what materials will be developed and on what grade the materials will be consumed. The R & D process has been constructed in developing writing Narrative text based on local culture materials through interactive multimedia for the year eight students of junior high school. It was held in this level by considering that the narrative text has basically been taught in semester 2 year 8. Sigit Sulistiyanto, Abdurrachman Faridi, Mursid Saleh / EEJ 8 (4) 2018 411 - 417 414 Here, the writer used research and development (R & D) design developed by Borg and Gall (1983: 775). Originally, there are ten steps in the design, such as: (1) research and information collecting; (2) planning; (3) developing preliminary form of products; (4) preliminary field testing; (5) main products revision; (6) main field testing; (7) operational products revision; (8) operational field testing; (9) final products revision; and (10) dissemination and implementation. However, according to Borg and Gall (1983: 792), the above R & D cycle can be highly unlikely to be conducted by graduate students for the cycle is very expensive to carry out. Thus, Borg and Gall (1983: 792) suggest that graduate students “undertake a small-scale project that involves a limited amount of original instructional design” and “limit development to just a few steps of the R & D cycle”. Therefore, based on the above suggestion, the writer used the following six R & D stages, which was half of the Borg and Gall s (1983: 775) stages. (1) Stage 1 : students and teachers needs analysis; (2) Stage 2 : developing preliminary form of products; (3) Stage 3 : preliminary field testing by experts, and English teacher; (4) Stage 4 : product revision; (5) Stage 5 : main field testing; and (6) Stage 6 : conclusion. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS The teacher and students need analysis results were used as the basis for developing the interactive multimedia. The developed interactive multimedia was divided into several stages, such as: (1) Standard of Competence, (2) Basic Competence, (3) Indicators, and (4) Objectives. There are some steps in composing Interactive Multimedia. Basically, the writer searched some information related to teaching English in the year eighth. It was done by going to the field directly and having some interviews both with the teacher and those students. The writer found the strength and the weaknesses of the teaching - learning process especially on writing. After knowing the quality of the teaching - learning process, the writer offered the idea of teaching using Interactive Multimedia. Moreover, the writer also discussed with local people about story that would be developed into narrative text. The writer found an interesting story about „the legend of Banyupahit‟. The discussion ended by an agreement to apply the Interactive Multimedia for teaching writing narrative. In composing this Interactive Multimedia, the writer discussed a lot with English teacher. Here are the steps in composing this web interactive multimedia: First, the writer made a cover of the web. User will find the title that is about Narrative Text Learning Media and the name of the writer. Narrative text learning media consists of four sections: Narrative corner, Grammar pitstop, Writing section, and Evaluation. Narrative Corner- In part of narrative corner, there are the standard of competence, the basic competence and narrative text. Here is the explanation: The standard of competence 1.1 Understanding the meaning in a simple short functional text and essay in the form of recount and narrative text to interact with the nearest surrounding. 1.2 Expressing meaning in a simple short written functional text and essay in the form of recount and narrative text to interact with the nearest surrounding. The basic competence 12.1) expressing meanings in short simple functional written texts by applying accurate, fluent, and acceptable written language varieties to have interaction with environment, Sigit Sulistiyanto, Abdurrachman Faridi, Mursid Saleh / EEJ 8 (4) 2018 411 - 417 415 12.2 Expressing the meaning and theoretical step in a simple short essay by using written language accurately, fluently, and acceptably relating to the nearest surrounding in the form of recount and narrative text. Narrative Text- In here the users can find an example of narrative text, social function, and generic structure of narrative text. Grammar Pitstop- In this menu, users can learn about pronoun, simple past, and punctuation. According to the menu, pronoun consists of personal, possessive, reflexive, and demonstrative pronouns with some examples. In simple past tense menu, there are nominal and verbal sentence supporting explanations and regular-irregular list words. Moreover, the writer added a grammar exercise in grammar pitstop menu. This test is designed automatically. The users just click on the available button “start” and the test is begun. The exercise consists of ten items. The users just choose the answer and then click the button “next” to continue to the next numbers. The screen of the test shows us that the total number of question is10, full score is 100, passing rate is 60 %, passing score is 60, and time is 20 minutes. This program of test is automatically designed. After the users finish the test, this program will show them the result whether they fail or succeed in doing the test. Here is the appearance of the screen. This program was made by using quiz creator application in the form of multiple choices. The step of composing this program was changing the text script into SWF, and then copied the file of SWF and put it into folder data by the following formula: |Test of grammar| After studying pronouns and simple past, users in pairs can explore punctuation section which also has explanation, examples, and exercise. This test is designed automatically, too. The users just click on the available button “start” and the test is begun. The exercise consists of ten items. The users have to type text with suitable punctuation. The screen of the test shows us that the total number of question is just 1, full score is 100, passing rate is 80 %, passing score is 80, and time is 30 minutes. This program of test is automatically designed. After the users finish the test, this program will show them the result whetwher they fail or succeed in doing the test. Writing Section- The writer discussed about main idea; specific participant, action verb, conjunction, and writing exercises. There are three parts of writing sections: cloze passage, rearrange words, and rearrange sentences. Then each sections were completed by interactive quizes. Evaluation- The writer prepared some sequences of picture series as a writing exercise. The story is about The Legend of Banyupahit. There is also a direction to do writing exercise. The users just click the button Picture and it will appear automatically. CONCLUSION The result of the student questionnaire showed that all the students are familiar with the computer use. It means that computer has already been known by all students. Dealing with their opinon about the narrative text materials there are 26 students (76%) who said that such materials is difficult. Source of learning narrative is only from their teacher and the text books and through the teacher. In try out the result of grammar pretest showed that the passing grade of the students reached only 45.5% and the writing pretest reached 43.8%. It means the result of those students tests failed to Sigit Sulistiyanto, Abdurrachman Faridi, Mursid Saleh / EEJ 8 (4) 2018 411 - 417 416 fulfill the standard requirement of class passing grade that is 60%. After being taught by using the developed materials through interactive multimedia, the total average of students‟ achievement on grammar competence was 73% rose from the pre test which was only 45.5%. The average on writing pretest was 43.8% increased up to 70.3% on the post test. Moreover, the students passing grade reached 60 %. The students revealed this improvement after applying interactive multimedia based on local culture for teaching writing narrative text. Therefore, the developed materials through interactive multimediabased on local cultureis appropriate for teaching students writing narrative text in this level. The materials development brings an improvement not only on the students‟ scores but also on their interest in writing. In addition, the use of the multimedia approch in learning narrative text based on local culture triggers students to be more active and feel comfortable to understand the text without feeling anxious of making mistakes. It is due to the practicality of interactive multimedia that makes the studentsable to learn easily, freely and interactively. Therefore, I suggest that the product of this study is practical as one of groundwork in developing teaching-learning materials by using available school facilities. Generally, teachers who apply the product should try it first before conducting teaching-learning process. 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