THE USE OF WEB-BASED EXAM (WBE) TO OPTIMIZE STUDENTS TESTING RESULT

ENGLISH REVIEW: Journal of English Education Volume 6, Issue 2, June 2018 p-ISSN 2301-7554, e-ISSN 2541-3643 https://journal.uniku.ac.id/index.php/ERJEE THE USE OF WEB-BASED EXAM (WBE) TO OPTIMIZE STUDENTS’ TESTING RESULT Abdul Ngafif English Education Program, Teacher Training and Education Faculty, Purworejo Muhammadiyah University, Indonesia E-mail: APA Citation: Ngafif, A. (2018). The use of web-based exam (WBE) to optimize students’ testing result. English Review: Journal of English Education, 6(2), 41-50. doi: 10.25134/erjee.v6i2.1241. Received: 11-02-2018 Accepted: 23-04-2018 Published: 01-06-2018 Abstract: This research was conducted based on the problems found during the mid and final test by using paper and pen test; those are the students tend to do cheating, the sleepy supervisors, the inconsistency of test time, and the risk of losing the answer sheet. Therefore, the goals of the research are; 1) to make an appropriate WBE testing system, 2) to know the cheating rate of the students, 3) to find out the effectiveness of the system, and 4) to inform the benefits that might be taken by the WBE testing system’s users. By applying RnD research model, the researcher applies a concept called webbased exam system which uses three main tools to run the system (teacher’s laptop as the server, WBE software, and access point to communicate the server and the user). The results indicated that the system reduces the students’ cheating rate 100%. Then, from the questionnaire given, the teacherstend to likeusing WBE testing system because they can monitor the whole process of the test from his own laptop and the result of the test will be analyzed and be saved automatically in his laptop. Moreover, it reduces time consumption and paper use. Keywords: web-based exam, testing system, testing result, cheating, software INTRODUCTION The widespread use of e-exam as a tool to measure students’ ability has risen to wide area of education. As Williams (2007) do to test pre-hospital students at Monash University, it is found that the students found WBE experience to be very positive, preferred WBE to PBE and preferred to receive their test results automatically. Furthermore, Rutkowski, et al. (2007) developed a close-ended computer assisted exam which is go online in the form of web-based assessment and based on the questionnaire spread out to the students, it is found that the students have low difficulties to operate it, it has a direct result, and it is much better than PBE. In line with those, Chang and Ming (2012) had compared platform pattern of various web examination system and they use ASP.NET as the programming language with the background database is SQL Server version 2000. They use three basic layers in the system namely data layer (database), application layer (the software used), and user layer (the students). The system provides a good condition for organizing all kinds of tests and also has a great reference value for other colleges and universities. Web-based exam refers to a situation in which a student accesses questions and submits answers by a web browser and in which the exam results (partially or completely) determine the final grade for the subject (Sessink, et al., 2004). Meanwhile, Wang, et al. (2004) defines web-based exam as an exam works over internet and utilizes web browsers as its interface. It is not only provide online real-time tests and online construction of items, but also enable teachers to check answer sheets rapidly and record scores over the Internet. Related to the use of web-based exam, Kuzmina (2010) points out that the benefits of using web-based exam are effective, efficient, safe, instant scoring, professional time, reducing time lag, greater availability, accuracy, standardization, control, and long41 Abdul Ngafif The use of web-based exam (WBE) to optimize students’ testing result term cost saving. Rice (2003) states that the pros of using web-based test are it is effective for testing students’ knowledge and attitudes, it is user-friendly, love to have direct result, less time to prepare, and the data are save and easy to be managed and to be analyzed. From the report of Prometric (2012), it is found that the benefits of using computer-based test are flexible, data-rich test result, enhanced security, consistency and reliability, availability of immediate scoring, streamlined logistic, multiple item types, and engaging navigation and presentation. During the final test in English Department of Muhammadiyah University of Purworejo in the academic year of 2015/2016, the researcher did an observation to the students and to the supervisors using an observation sheet. During the observation, he divided the observation based on two kinds of subject namely non skilled subject and skilled subject. The result shows that from six nonskilled subjects (Al Islam dan Kemuhammadiyahan II, Pendidikan Kewarganegaraan, Al Islam dan Kemuhammadiyahan IV, Introduction to Literature, CCU, and PPBI) followed by 810 students from semester II - VI, the total students did cheating is 253 (31%). Meanwhile, from the eight skilled subjects (Pre-intermediate grammar, English Varieties, Writing for Formal Communication, English Morphology, Modern English Grammar, Genre-based Reading, and Reading Comprehension V) followed by 978 students from semester II - VI, the total students did cheating is 163 students (17%). Besides grouping the students based on subjects, he also did grouping the students did cheating based on the type of the questions that is Multiple Choice Test, Essay Test, and Mixed Test (MC and Essay). The result shows that for MC test, there are 362 students among 780 students or 46.4%. Then, for Essay Test, there are 69 students (12.9%) among 534 students did cheating. Meanwhile, for Mixed Test question type, there are 179 students (40.7%) among 440 students did cheating. For the supervisors of the test, from 16 supervisors there are 8 of them (50%) did chatting outside of the class during the test, 6 supervisors (37.5%) did other job while waiting for the test, and only 2 supervisors (12.5%) just focus on the test they supervised. From the findings above, it can be seen that the dominate students did cheating is on non-skilled subject and MC test type. Then, to overcome those problems, the writer develops a testing system called web-based exam. The researcher is interested in developing that testing system because he sees that the test will be easier to be handled if there is a system which helps the teacher/lecturer in conducting the test included testing, analyzing, and saving the result. Meanwhile, it will be a transparent test if the students and the teacher are able to see the result of the test and they can discuss the test together. The other goal of the research is to reduce the weaknesses of the manual test such as cheating habit, the main role of the supervisors, the inconsistency of time, and the risk of losing/broken answ (...truncated)