Silvia Musdalifah (170210401014)

The Use of Storybird Application to Improve the Tenth-Grade Students’ Creative

Writing Skill SMAN Ambulu

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Research Background

This study raises the issue of using Storybird application in teaching creative writing
for senior high school students. The use of this application in teaching and learning process is
able to improve students’ creative writing achievement. The researcher considers the use of
Storybird application as media in teaching creative writing and how this application could
help students to motivate them to learn English.

One of the most important aspects which influence the use of English is writing skill.
Through writing activities students can express all ideas and feelings in written form.
However, among other language skills, writing is skill that not easily mastered by everyone
(Alsawasih, 2008). The author is required to be able to communicate all ideas, understand the
structure of language, and vocabulary of a language. In addition, the ability to write can’t be
achieved by itself, but can be developed through practice.

The result of preliminary study by interviewing the English teacher at SMAN Ambulu
is students face some problems in learning English especially in their creative writing skills.
There are several factors that influence the emergence of problems in students' creative
writing learning, both internally and externally. Internal factors may come from themselves.
They have low motivation in the process of learning English. It can be seen from many
students who have judged that English material is difficult to learn and understand. When the
teacher is explaining the material, many of them often don't pay attention, even some of them
are busy with their gadget. And they also have difficulties in developing their ideas so that
they find difficulties to understand the material that has been given.
 The next factor is from the teacher. The way teachers presents the material and the
teacher uses conventional teaching method in teach. For example, they only explain the
material and then ask students to do exercises. Sometimes the teacher also asks students to
work in groups and then present their work in front of the class. That can make students feel
bored. The teacher sometimes asks students to search material on the internet, but they don't
give the appropriate website address, it makes students uncontrolled. Because the teacher's
role also influences student learning outcomes and teaching creative writing skills requires a
long process,

To solve the problem, the teachers should use a learning media that are interesting,
innovative, and can also increase their motivation to study hard. One way to improve
students’ interest to write is by integrating technology to learning process. In this case, the
teacher use web tools as a joyful activity. Storybird is a website tools where the users can
select artwork and write the text to create digital books that can be shared to others
(Giacomini, 36). Then, according to (Gakhar and Thompson, 2007:608) who says a Storybird
is digital storytelling technology in which engage and motivate students to develop skills for
creating creative writing, designing, collaborating, communicating, and reflecting. Seeing
from the concept above, it can be concluded that among all web tools to teach writing,
Storybird gains some upside things like it is free and easy to use, it has many inspiring
artworks, also extremely engaging collaborative story-writing website for all ages.

In the previous research, the researcher conducted to explore the use of Storybird
platform as a tool for teaching and learning creative writing in English class. The purpose of
the present research is to investigated the use of Storybird application to improve students’
creative writing. Based on the background describe above, the researcher is interested in
conducting a CAR entitled ” The Use of Storybird Application to Improve the Tenth-Grade
Students’ Creative Writing Skill Achievement at SMAN Ambulu “.

1.2 Research Questions

Based on the research problem described above, the research questions as follows :

1. How can the use of Storybird application improve the tenth grade students’ creative
writing skill at SMAN Ambulu ?
 2. How can the use of Storybird application help the tenth grade students to improve the
students’ creative writing skill achievement at SMAN Ambulu ?

1.3 The Research Objective

To improve the students’ creative writing skill achievement by using Storybird

application at SMAN Ambulu

1.4 The Research Contribution

1.4.1 Practical Contribution

1. For the English teacher, as input or information to apply Storybird application

as media in teaching of creative writing to improve the quality of the teaching-
learning and to improve the students’ achievement
2. Other researchers, a reference to conduct a further research with the same
dealing with the similar problem to improve students’ creative writing
achievement by using Storybird application or different design such as the
experiment result with different school

1.4.2 Empirical Contribution

The actions given to the students will be useful for them to give the experience
in learning creative writing by using Storybird application to improve their creative
writing achievement.