Assessing Learners Potential Literary Comprehensive Level on Popular Movies by

Using Dynamic Assessment Principles

Widya Ratna Kusumaningrum & Atsani Wulansari

Tidar University

Abstract
Assessing learners literary comprehensive level is hard nut to crack. One of the
major problems is that there is no such a correct and wrong answer when it comes down
to interpret literature. This study focuses on investigating learners potential literary
comprehensive level on popular movies by using Dynamic Assessment (DA) principles.
The objective of the study is to give a clear description how dynamic assessment able to
elicit students actual level and their potential differences. This study deployed an
experimental study by comparing two groups of 5 including an experimental (DA) group
and a control (Non-DA) group. Primarily, the two groups were asked to write a response
paper about their interpretation towards a popular movie, and they were interviewed one-
by-one. In this interview section, these two groups then were treated differently. The DA
group was assisted by DA principles while the NDA group was interviewed without the
DA principles. The result showed that the interview section without DA principles given
to NDA group could not illustrate in-depth depiction of the learners potential literary
comprehensive level in contrast to DA group. From the assisted interview section, it was
of note that the DA principles were able to document the students potential level. At first,
it was seen that learners made the same errors, but by using DA principles it was known
that they performed different potential literary comprehensive level. Thus, it is surmised
that by applying DA principles, it will be easier to assess their potential level in
interpreting literature.

Keywords: Dynamic Assessment principles, Literary Comprehensive Level, Movie

interpretation

A. Introduction

Research question: How effective is Dynamic Assessment in diagnosing and

documenting students potential development level on literary appreciation?

objective: to give a clear description how dynamic assessment able to elicit students
actual level and their potential differences.
B. Review of Related Literature
In this study, we refer Dynamic Assessment and as the review of related
literature.

Dynamic Assessment
Dynamic Assessment has been interpreted and defined by some educational
practitioners (Lidz & Elliott, 2000; Elliot, 2003; Murphy, 2011; Campione & Brown,
1985; Lantolf & Poehner, 2004). Lidz & Elliott (2000:6) define Dynamic Assessment as
an umbrella used to describe a heterogeneous range of approaches. Otherwise, Elliot
(2003:51) elaborate the term specifically as an approach that seek to overcome many
educational difficulties in which it is seen as a more sensitive measurement to the
minority by investigating their cognitive processes and potencies on the basis of offering
guidance for the practitioners. Dynamic Assessment can be referred as a procedure for
simultaneously assessing and promoting development. Whereas Murphy (2011:2)
illustrates DA as an fluid, process-oriented, and flexible individual assessment
measuring their intellectual stances. This interpretation is in line with the definition
proposed by Campione & Brown (1985:48) where they claim it as two distinct sets of
activities emphasizing on (i) the aim of assessment as academic tasks to uncovering
successful performance and (ii) the continuity and updated assessment.
Distinguishing dynamic assessment from non-dynamic assessment can be easily
done if we know the DA principles such as: major questions, goal of testing, outcome,
orientation, context of testing, examining process, interpretation of results, nature of
tasks, and the role of examiner Smit (2010:47). Firstly, major questions characterizing
DA are How does this person learn new situation? How and how much, can learning and
performance be improved? And what are the primary obstacles to a more optimal level of
competence?. While, the NDA concerns with the individual achievement such as How
much has this person already learned? What can he/she do or not do? How does this
persons current level of performance compare with the others of similar demographics?.
Secondly, The goal of conducting DA is to assess individual changes, mediation,
cognitive functions, and non-intellective factors while the NDA goal is to give priority
to evaluation of static or standardized performance and comparison with peers. Thirdly,
since the goal of testing is different, the outcome will not be the same. In DA, the
expected outcome is to know learning potential and understand the potential
development level through the given intervention, while, in NDA, it is hoped that we see
the intellectual ability that is reflected from IQ score and actual level of individual
functioning (Smit, 2010:47). Fourthly, it is clear that DA has different orientation with
NDA. Unlike NDA, which focuses on the end products and scores, DA orientation is
on the process of learning and understanding of mistakes. Fifthly, the context of texting
in DA is different with NDA, in which DA is characterized with dynamic, open, and
interactive activities, it functions to give guidance, help and feedback, the
accomplishment of a task is when the mediator feels that learners already possess
competence, and it allows parents and teachers collaborate to observe the progress.
Whereas, NDA entails standardized, structure tests in which they are conducted in formal
situations where parents are not able to see the progress. Sixthly, the process of
examination in DA tends to be individualized in which it needs to be responsive to the
learning obstacles and focuses on the process while NDA is seen as the standardized
tests which focuses on the product of past experience. Seventh, the interpretation of the
test results between DA and NDA are different, in which, DA identifies the obstacles to
learning and performance in order to overcome them while in NDA interprets the results
by identifying limits on learning and performance and differences across domain of
ability, and documenting the performances and needs for further assessment. Eighthly,
the nature of the task in DA is that it is constructed for learning and graduated for
teaching while NDA is based on psychometric tradition and discontinuity after wrong
responses. Lastly, it deals with the role of examiners. In NDA, examiners are functioned
to record the responses, while in DA, interviewers are demanded to identify obstacles,
teach metacognitive strategies, promote change, and actively involved in the mediation
process.

C. Research Method
 This research aimed to examine the effectiveness of Dynamic Assessment and
how Dynamic Assessment elicited students actual and potential literary comprehensive
level on popular movies. In this study, we used experimental study by comparing two
groups of five including an experimental (DA) group and a control (Non-DA) group with
posttest design only. Both experimental and control groups were asked to analyse the
intrinsic elements of the popular movies including plot, character and characterization,
setting, and moral value. As the experimental group, the DA group was treated by the
Feursteins regulatory scales (cited in Peohner, 2008:58) that we had modified into five
main steps (a) teacher implies that something is wrong in a segment by repeating on the
error with high intonation, (b) teacher questions to particular segment contain error, (c)
teacher tells that the particular segment contains error but she does not identify the errors
explicitly, (d) teacher identifies the error, and (e) teacher provides the correct form. While
NDA group as the control group was treated by traditionally without any interventions.
The participants involved were ten third-semester students taking an introduction to
literature at Tidar University. In collecting the data, I recorded the students analysis of
the intrinsic elements of some popular movies. In analysing the data, I used descriptive
approach.

D. Findings and Discussion

In this part, we
This part functions to answer and discuss the proposed research questions about
the effectiveness of Vygotskys Zone of Proximal Development Level in diagnosing and
documenting students potential development level in pronunciation.

The NDA group

With the same initial treatment,
The student 1 focused on plot of the story
The Student 2 highlighted on setting, plot, and characters
The student 3 stressed on main characters and his opinion
The student 4 emphasized on character and setting
The student 5 underlined about plot of the story
Characters and Characterization
Non-Dynamic Assessment Dynamic Assessment
Student 1 : X Student 6 : V
Student 2 : X Student 7 : V
Student 3 : V Student 8 : V
Student 4 : V Student 9 : V
Student 5 : X Student 10 : V

Setting
Non-Dynamic Assessment Dynamic Assessment
Student 1 : X Student 6 : V
Student 2 : V Student 7 : V
Student 3 : X Student 8 : V
Student 4 : V Student 9 : V
Student 5 : X Student 10 : V

Plot
Non-Dynamic Assessment Dynamic Assessment
Student 1 : V Student 6 : V
Student 2 : V Student 7 : V
Student 3 : X Student 8 : V
Student 4 : X Student 9 : V
Student 5 : V Student 10 : V

Moral Value
Non-Dynamic Assessment Dynamic Assessment
Student 1 : X Student 6 : V
Student 2 : X Student 7 : V
Student 3 : X Student 8 : V
Student 4 : X Student 9 : V
Student 5 : X Student 10 : V

It can be concluded that

It means that they did not appreciate movies deeply and incompletely. They only focuses
on certain elements. Its rather unclear to us whether they really understand the concept
of movie appreciation.

Discussion:
Identifying the in-depth potential development of 5 students treated using DA principles
Scale Elements Students
6 7 8 9 10
Characters and Characterization V V
Setting
5
Plot
Moral Values V V V
Characters and Characterization V V
Setting
4
Plot V V
Moral Values V
Characters and Characterization
Setting
3
Plot
Moral Values
Characters and Characterization
Setting
2
Plot V
Moral Values V
1 Characters and Characterization V
Setting V V V V V
Plot V V
Moral Values
 From the table, it can be seen that students 6 and 7 were able to appreciate movie
deeply than student 8, 9, 10.
As we predict, the students 6, and 7 will be able to appreciate movie well in the
future.
for the student 8 and 10, they need treatment to be able to appreciate movie
deeply
While student 9 needs special treatment from teacher to comprehend the materials
in appreciating movies.

E. Conclusion
F. References

Appendices
The excerpts of one of the student with DA principles.
Teacher: Tell me about the movie
Student : Yes, I want to tell about the movie. The title of the movie is 5 CM. And the
movie.. i know, i think that the movie is one of the familiar movie in Indonesia. And then,
the director is Rizal Mantovani. The Genre of the movie is fiction in 2012. And the
duration of the movie is .... was two hours. And then the story tells about the friendship
which has the different character and ... such as... Saykoji as Ian. He was too fat and he
likes to eat chicken noodle soup and then Raline Shah as Riani. I think that he is most
beautiful girl between them and she was pretty girl. She likes to drink the chicken noodle
soup that he ask to Ian. Then Arial... Denny Sumargo as Arial. He likes sport but if he
knew about the beautiful girl he fell down and then Herjunot Ali as a Zafran. He was
gentlemen, kindly, he likes to write the poem and then Genta.... Genta.... Fedi Nuril as
Genta.. he have a good work and good job. He was a strong man and actually he was a
wise man.
Teacher: What is the plot of the story?
Student : the movie starting by Introduce the place actually around the Cikini and in this
place the story tells about the friendship which has grown for ten years. And until one day
he meet another friend like usual but Genta is so bored because if they meet they only
talk about ... they only share about their feeling, their opinion. So he decided to have the
plan and the plan is to climb the mahameru mountain and then before he went there he
had the rule .. the rule is he must not have the communication one by one or with the
another friend, so we only do... we only did with our .... just like theirself. Yeah i think
this is so bored but this is a restriction. And then .... e.. okay.... the ... the rule have a....
have ......
Teacher: Is it the complication?
Student: Complication...... no.... e ... about .. the plan is during three month they mustnt
have communication about three months then after three months they met again and
Genta never forget what he said after three month. He would to invite all his friend to
climb the mahameru mountain. He and Zafran went to Mahameru Mountain. Ya.. i think
it is very dangerous place because Mahameru is one of the active mountain in Indonesia
actually. With their condition ..... so it could make our body ... physics actually and then
at night actually e... at nine pm, he decided to take a rest. He built the tent to take a rest
and then he woke up again at 2amto continue the way. And then at ... may be.., at 10 pm,
they arrived at Mahameru mountain with many of restrictions. And then he said ee... they
said that they are proud of theirselves because they could see the beautiful scenery the
beautiful view above Mahameru mountain so i think that it is the best moment and they
never forget their life.
Teacher: And then what is the resolution?
Student: The resolution in this film is after he arrived the Mahameru Mountain then go
down and then they meet again in Arial house with their family, with their children with
their wife and so on. But it is very funny e.... e... while they meet with their family only
Genta that has not have a family. So i think it is very-very .......
Teacher: Tell Me about the setting
Student: Setting in this film is in Mahameru Mountain then in the Arial House and then in
the ...many of the place such as they meet in the cafe or the garden or so on.
Teacher : Do you think that the setting is only that?
Student : i know. Just i know mam...
Teacher: Actually the setting is not only the places, it can be the day or the time?
Student : O...the day......... may be in afternoon, in the night. They always meet in Arial
home actually in the night because Zafran always sing a song to exprees his feeling to the
Arials Sister. Because Genta fall in love with Arials sister.
Teacher: Tell me about the Moral Value?
Student: Okay.. i think that the film has many of Moral value such as we dont give up to
do something. Reach our dream.... we dont give up to reach our dream and then about
the nature i think that God created many unique ... mnay of beautiful scenery so we have
to keep the beautiful scenery and dont destroy about the scebery ... the environment. So
we have to keep our eaarth. Just we keep ourself.
Teacher: you say about the dream?
Student: dream?
Teacher: We have to reach the dream?
Student: in this film tell about we have to hold the dream in front of the five
centimeneters. So dont give up to reach it.