Improving Students’ Writing Participation and Achievement in an Edpuzzle-Assisted Flipped Classroom

Received Sept 26, 2020 Revised Dec 8, 2020 Accepted Dec 30, 2020 Writing is often considered as a dull but challenging skill to be learned. Hence, a learning innovation aside the conventional methods is needed to improve students’ participation and achievement. Flipped Classroom, a reverse teaching strategy was selected to overcome this problem because it involves the use of technology as a learning media that fits the characteristics of millennial students. This strategy was combined with Edpuzzle, a learning media which provides content from renowned education channels that can be customized and used freely by teachers. The combination of Flipped Classroom strategy and Edpuzzle has proven to be successful in improving students’ participation in learning activities (30.5%) as well as their achievement in writing (17%). Therefore, teachers are suggested to implement and adapt this practice in their class while considering the competence to be mastered, as well as students’ needs and characteristics.


Introduction
Students' participation, both physically and psychologically, should occur during learning activities because it can aid students in constructing their knowledge. When students are actively learning, they are actively building an understanding of the problems that they face in the learning process (Carr et al., 2015;Handelsman et al., 2007;Sardiman, 2011). Moreover, students who are actively participating in the learning process will tend to be actively involved in discussions or group work which can hone their higher-order thinking skills (Freeman et al, 2014). This idea is also regulated by the Standar Proses in Permendikbud Nomor 22 Tahun 2016 (Permendikbud, 2016) which states that "the learning processes in an educational institution is held in an interactive, inspirational, fun, and challenging way which motivates students to actively participate and provides space for them to develop initiative, creativity, and independence tailored to the talents, interests, and physical and psychological development of the students". Thus, students' participation is an essential element that teachers should generate in their students for the success of the learning process.
In the English subject, students' achievement in writing is important because writing is an essential tool in both academic and social life (DeVoss et al., 2010). Writing is a complex skill that requires the students to search for detailed information which makes them often encounter difficulties, especially for those who study English as a foreign language such as in Indonesia. Moreover, students may find writing activities boring and uninteresting because they are often associated with activities that are limited to the use of pen and paper only (DeVoss et al., 2010; Zakiya, 2020). Those difficulties are also experienced by students of XI OTR 1 of SMKN 10 Malang, whose average success score in writing English texts is 62% and less than 70% of student learning participation. Therefore, learning activities that engage students' participation (student-centered) is necessary to be conducted to enhance their learning writing outcomes. This can be done by selecting the appropriate teaching strategy, which is the Flipped Classroom strategy.
Flipped Classroom is a relatively new strategy among educators in Indonesia so that it can also be viewed as an interesting new variation in learning. Indahwati (2020) states that teachers are expected to continuously improve their learning models to overcome problems that occur in the classroom [16] . Additionally, the Flipped Classroom strategy also requires the use of technology as a learning medium so that it is considered in line with the characteristics of millennial students in the technological revolution era. The use of technology can attract students' attention and curiosity. The benefits of using the Flipped Classroom strategy in facilitating learning activities and improving students' achievement has also been proven in studies conducted by Zakiya (2020), Soltanpour & Valizadeh (2018), Afriyalsanti et al. (2016), and Engin (2014). To support the technology-integrated learning process using the Flipped Classroom strategy, this study utilized a web-based interactive learning media called Edpuzzle. It was chosen after considering the effectiveness of Edpuzzle in improving students' writing ability. Several studies have found that Edpuzzle can activate students' prior knowledge to construct their knowledge and is more effective in improving students' English text writing skills than other conventional media (Julinar & Yusuf, 2019; Yesyika, 2017). Moreover, Rahmiati & Emaliana (2019) agree that online learning is an interesting learning resource because it provides convenience and flexibility to the students.
Based on the explanation above, the problems that become the focus of this study are 1) how are students' participation and achievement in learning writing after the implementation of the Flipped Classroom strategy using Edpuzzle, and 2) how to implement the Flipped Classroom strategy using Edpuzzle. Therefore, the objectives of conducting this study are 1) to describe the improvement of students' participation and achievement in learning writing after the implementation of the Flipped Classroom strategy using Edpuzzle, and 2) to describe the implementation of the Flipped Classroom strategy using Edpuzzle. Additionally, this study will provide benefits in the form of 1) detailed information about how the implementation of Flipped Classroom strategy using Edpuzzle can improve students' participation and achievement in learning writing, and 2) detailed information about the steps and techniques for implementing Flipped Classroom strategy using Edpuzzle.

Flipped Classroom
According to Bergmann & Sams (2012, in Engin, 2014, students who are taught using the Flipped Classroom strategy learn the basics of subject matter to be learned by collecting and searching for information from outside the classroom before the actual classroom activities (at school) begin. Wiginton (2013) adds that Flipped Learning involves the use of technology by changing the place of learning that usually exists in a conventional classroom into a classroom outside the conventional classroom or even anywhere else. Flipped Classroom strategy has attracted the attention of teachers and researchers because of its benefits, such as its ability to provide opportunities to learn independently (autonomous learning) both inside and outside the classroom. It is also more focused on student-centered activities in the classroom that are more in-depth and can sharpen students' higher-order thinking skills through activities such as discussions, questions and answers, presentations, and so on with the teacher as a facilitator the teacher provides students with online learning videos about the material to be learned and assigns students to observe the video and collect information related to the content of the video, 2) the students write questions related to the content of the video or other information they have collected, 3) the students submit and discuss these questions in class, 4) the teacher clarifies answers and provides feedback for the students.

Edpuzzle
Edpuzzle learning media is an online resource that allows the use of video clips to support the learning process. In Edpuzzle, teachers can search and use content that has been provided on leading education channels such as YouTube, Khan Academy, TED Talks, National Geographic, and Vimeo. Teachers can also upload videos of their work, add video content to specific learning objectives that can be integrated into the teachers' Learning Management System (LMS). Each video can be customized by cutting, embedding sound recordings, audio comments, multiple-choice questions, entries, notes, comments, written messages, and additional references. Besides, teachers can see students' learning activities in listening to and working on video assignments, find out the time spent by the students in completing assignments, the percentage of assignment completion, students' scores, and the result of evaluation analysis, all in real-time (Edpuzzle.com).
A study conducted by Julinar & Yusuf (2019), shows that there are several reasons why Edpuzzle is very popular with students. In said study, students who are taught using Edpuzzle can study anywhere, repeat material at any time, and most importantly, they can get initial information about the material to be studied so that they have more confidence and motivation which ignite their curiosity and make them actively participate in brainstorming sessions. This shows that Edpuzzle can activate students' prior knowledge which is necessary for the initial stage of knowledge construction. Also, Yesyika's (2017) study about the effectiveness of Edpuzzle in improving the English writing skills of junior high school students proves that Edpuzzle media is more effective than other conventional media.

Methods
This study was conducted using the Classroom Action Research (CAR) design. 34 students from XI OTR 1 of SMKN 10 Malang were selected as the subject of this study. In this study, the researcher designed the lesson plan, prepared the video in Edpuzzle, set the criteria of success, observed the learning process, and conducting the reflection. Those processes were designed and conducted by referring to the Standar Kompetensi Bahasa Inggris Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan (SMK) (Depdiknas, 2017). The Classroom Action Research is done in several cycles, each of which is repeated in the next cycle if the criteria of success are not achieved (Latief, 2017). Therefore, if the first cycle did not generate a satisfactory result, the researcher will improve the lesson plan and conduct the following cycle until the criteria of success are achieved. Each cycle in a Classroom Action Research consists of planning, implementing, observing, and reflecting. The criteria of success for the implementation of the Flipped Classroom strategy using Edpuzzle are if there is an increase in the number of students who achieve the passing grade, the average of students' writing score is no less than 76, the percentage of students' participation in learning writing reaches 70%, and positive attitude is shown by the students towards the implementation of the Flipped Classroom strategy using Edpuzzle.
In this study, the researcher created an assessment rubric to measure students' achievement in learning writing and an observation checklist to record the findings for students' writing participation. The assessment rubric includes grammar, vocabulary, content, and mechanics assessments. On the other hand, the observation checklist includes the students' frequency in performing the following activities: watching the Edpuzzle video at home, asking questions related to the material, having classroom discussions, and finding the solution to the problems given by the teacher. The observation checklist also includes students' attitude in consulting and presenting their works.

Implementing
At the stimulation stage, the teacher shared the online learning videos to the students on the Edpuzzle about the material to be learned from home. In this stage, the teacher assigned students to observe the video and collect information related to the content of the video at home. In this study, the video presented to the students was in the form of an initial introduction to Procedure Text as well as several questions to stimulate students' prior knowledge, as shown in the screenshot below:

Figure 1. A screenshot of an online learning video in Edpuzzle
Next, the question/problem identification stage was conducted in class. The teacher engaged students to ask which part of the video that they did not understand and write the questions on the whiteboard. Then, the teacher invited students to discuss what functions and information can be obtained from the video that they have watched in Edpuzzle to answer those questions. In the data collection stage, the teacher guided students to use Edpuzzle in discussing the answers to the questions and then provided clarification and feedback on the answers given by the students. Furthermore, at the data processing stage, the teacher assigned students to draft a procedure text according to the material that they have got from the video in Edpuzzle and the teacher's explanation. Students could playback the video if they want to review information about the material. The next stage was the verification stage, in which the students presented the assignments that they have arranged in front of the class and the teacher gave feedback to students who are presenting. Finally, at the generalization stage, students finalized their work based on the feedback from the teacher and other students.

Observing
The observation for the learning process in the classroom was done by the researcher by using the observation checklist. The researcher directly observed the learning process in the conventional classroom. Meanwhile, the observation for the learning process using Edpuzzle was done by observing the time spent by the students in completing assignments, the percentage of assignment completion, students' scores, and the result of evaluation analysis in the Edpuzzle.

Reflecting
The reflection refers to the activity to analyze the implementation of the Flipped Classroom strategy using Edpuzzle. The data was obtained from observing students' learning writing process through the cycle. The reflection includes the discussion on how the strategy was able to solve the problem and factors that might cause the strategy to success in achieving that. Finally, the result of data analysis was compared with the criteria of success.

Findings and Discussion
The results of data analysis showed that students have better achievement in their writing. This is reflected in the students' scores which showed an increase after the application of the Edpuzzle-assisted Flipped Classroom strategy compared to the scores they obtained through the conventional learning process. The average of students' writing scores after the application of the Edpuzzle-assisted Flipped Classroom strategy was 78. This indicates that, on average, students can pass the passing grade (Kriteria Ketuntasan Minimal/KKM) which is 76. Moreover, the number of students who achieved the passing grade also increased, from 62% after taught using a conventional strategy to 79% after taught using the Edpuzzleassisted Flipped Classroom strategy.
The observation of students' participation showed that the students actively participated during the learning process. This can be seen from the learning activities that they did at home, such as watching the Edpuzzle video, asking questions related to the material, having classroom discussions, and finding the solution to the problems given by the teacher. The students also showed enthusiasm in doing and presenting the final assignment from the teacher. Besides, the results of students' participation observation checklist showed an increase, from 42% of students who were active during the conventional learning process to 72.5% of students who actively participated during the entire Flipped Classroom learning process as illustrated in Figure 2.
Meanwhile, students showed a positive attitude towards the Flipped Classroom teaching strategy and the use of Edpuzzle learning media. The questionnaire for students' attitude showed that 70% students enjoyed and liked the Flipped Classroom teaching strategy and the use of Edpuzzle media, 71% of them admitted that they found it easier to learn the material through this teaching strategy and media, and 67% of them revealed that they had more fun while learning to write procedure text through this strategy and learning media. Furthermore, 76% of students felt they mastered the ability to write procedure text better through this strategy and learning media, while 64% of them thought that Flipped Classroom strategy and Edpuzzle media should continue to be used in learning other types of text. Students' attitude towards the Flipped Classroom strategy and the use of Edpuzzle media can be seen in Figure 3. Several factors made the implementation of the Flipped Classroom teaching strategy using Edpuzzle able to improve students' achievement and participation in learning writing. In this study, technology has an essential role in the learning process. Not only provide students with new opportunities to learn in a new environment, but technology also engages students to be more active in the class. Brown et al. (2011) concluded that technology provides vital opportunities to learn real-life activities and problem-solving skills. Second, the use of short videos in Edpuzzle helped students to pay their attention and comprehend the material better. Studies have shown that the use of videos lasting 7 minutes or shorter can retain students' attention better (Guo et al., 2014;Kim et al., 2014, in Mischel, 2018. Third, students can learn writing using their learning preferences and pace. Indahwati's (2020) study, which also focused on autonomous learning, yielded a similar result. In her study, she found that there was a significant increase in students' scores and participation after the implementation of an autonomous learning strategy.

Conclusion and Suggestion
Based on the results shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3, it can be concluded that the criteria of success have been achieved. The number of students who achieved the passing grade was 79%, the average of students' writing score is 78, and the students' participation in learning writing reached 72.5%. Moreover, students also showed a positive attitude towards the use of Flipped Classroom strategy and Edpuzzle in teaching writing. Thus, it can be concluded that the implementation of the Flipped Classroom strategy using Edpuzzle can improve students' participation and achievement in learning writing.
Considering the learning outcomes and the participation and enthusiasm of students in learning writing through the Flipped Classroom strategy using Edpuzzle, it is highly recommended for teachers to try and develop it according to their field of study. Teachers can also use different materials and match it with students' learning interests and preferences so that better learning outcomes can be achieved, and the learning activities can also be improved. Edpuzzle can be used in teaching other English skills, and there are endless possibilities in creating the videos since the teacher is free to include any video files as the teaching material.

Students' Attitude Towards Flipped Classroom and Edpuzzle
Preferable Easy Allows Fun Learning

Helps Material Comprehension
Desire for Learning