The Use of Science Film Media “Gravity and Interstellar” in English

Learning to Improve the Understanding of the Physics Concepts

Nurlela Muhammad

, Astuti Salim

and Susana R. Bahara

Physics Education Study Program, Khairun University, Ternate-Indonesia

English Language Education Study Program, Khairun University, Ternate-Indonesia

Keywords: Film Media, English, Understanding Physics Concepts

Abstract: Physics and English are two disciplines that play an important role in the advancement of science and

technology in the globalization era. Physics is a basic capability that must be possessed to advance science

and technology. That is why physics has also become the main pillar for technological advances today.

Some of the research results from physicists have contributed greatly to current technology. English courses

in the Physics Education Study Program are included in the English for Specific Purpose (ESP) or English

Language category for specific purposes, in which the teaching material must be related to physics that the

students’ needs. However, the lack of understanding of the physics concepts is still the main problem faced

by students of the Physics Education Study Program. This research is an experimental study used

experimental design, namely the one group pre-test – post-test design. Subject of research is students of fifth

semester in Physics Education Study Program. Technique of collecting data used instruments in the form of

essay questions. Techniques of analyzing data are descriptive quantitative and inferential analysis

approaches using t test to determine whether there is an increase between the average data. The results

indicates that learning English in physics education study programs by using the media of science film can

improve the students’ understanding of physics concepts. This can be seen based on the results of the t-test,

it is known that the average before getting pre-test is 55.69 after getting post-test to be 67.09 so that the

increase was 11.62%, then t-test was obtained, the t-count was 10.208. The value of t-table with df 34 at the

significance level of 5% is 1.69.

1 INTRODUCTION

English courses in the department of physics

education are included in English for Specific

Purpose (ESP) category, where in learning, teaching

materials must be related to physical sciences that

are related to students’ needs. According to

Hutchinson and Waters (1994), ESP is the English

teaching approach that the methods used are based

on the reasons why the learner wants to learn

English.

In other words, Specific Purpose (ESP) is

different from General English (GE). According to

Yaumi (2012) in his research entitled "Learning

Materials Development of English for Specific

Purpose" ESP has approaches and assumptions that

are different from General English (GE). The aim of

ESP is for students to be able to master English in

their fields of study. For example chemistry

students, they must understand English for

Chemistry, or if they are engineering students, they

must know English for engineering, or if they work

in hospitality, then they must know English

Hospitality, if they are maritime students, then they

must master Maritime English, and so on.

However, learning materials development of

English for specific purpose (ESP) will be more

affective if it supported by good learning media.

Understanding the concept can also be improved

through audio-visual media (film). Because film is

an audio-visual media that involves the senses of

sight and hearing in one process (Munadi 2013).

Edgar Dale (Arsyad, 2003) estimates that the

acquisition of learning outcomes through the sense

of sight ranges from 75%, through hearing senses

around 13% and through other senses around 12%.

Otte (1966) states the creativity in learning can

be realized by presenting learning experiences for

students. Therefore, film is one of the media that can

provide learning experiences that can be used as a

242

Muhammad, N., Salim, A. and Bahara, S.

The Use of Science Film Media “Gravity and Interstellar” in English Learning to Improve the Understanding of the Physics Concepts.

DOI: 10.5220/0008900102420248

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Teaching and Learning (ICTL 2018), pages 242-248

ISBN: 978-989-758-439-8

stimulus to increase learning motivation that can

achieve learning goals. In a study entitled "The

Effectiveness of Using Film Media to Increase the

Interest and Economic Learning Outcomes of Class

X Students", Yasri and Mulyani (2016) wrote in a

Film (Masterpiece) in the Classroom (2011)

mentioning that students tend to understand things

more interpreted in films rather than in textbooks. It

was also stated that the film was able to provide

learning experiences that students did not get in the

classroom because of the limited space and time

they had.

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

Musfiqon (2012) presents the benefits and

characteristics of film media in increasing the

effectiveness and efficiency of the learning process,

namely:

a. Overcoming the limitations of distance and

time.

b. Able to portray past events realistically in a

short time.

c. Film can bring children from one country to

another and from one period to another.

d. Films can be repeated if necessary to add

clarity.

e. The message delivered is fast and easy to

remember.

f. Developing students' thoughts and opinions.

g. Developing the students’ imagination.

h. Clarify things that are abstract and provide a

more realistic picture.

i. Very strong influence on someone's

emotions.

j. Film is very good at explaining a process and

can explain a skill.

k. All students can learn from the film, both

smart and less intelligent,

l. Growing interest and motivation to learn.

This research was motivated by the lack of

understanding of the physics’ concept which is still a

major problem faced by students of the Physics

Education Study Program.Therefore,thelearning

materials development of English for

specific

purpose (ESP) at the department of physics

education that is related to the learning materials of

physics by using film media can help them to

increase their understanding of the concept of

physics.

The films “Gravity and interstellar” are both

science fiction genre. The content of the films are

about some of physics’ concepts, Newton’s Law of

Universal Gravitation, Special Theory of Relativity,

Newton’s 3 Law of Motion.

a. Gravity

b. Interstellar

The stages of English learning using Gravity and

Interstellar film media can be seen in the following

chart:



Figure 1: The stages of English learning using Gravity and

Interstellar film.

Giving

Watchin

Gravity

Interstellar

The theories of physics:

- Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation

- Special Theory of Relativity

- Newton’s 3 Law of Motion

Presentation and

The increasing of students’

comprehension of some fundamental concept

of physics

The Use of Science Film Media “Gravity and Interstellar” in English Learning to Improve the Understanding of the Physics Concepts

243

3 METHOD

This research was an experimental research.

According to Alsa (2004), the essence of

experimental research is to examine the effect of

treatment on behavior that arises as a result of

treatment. By using pre-experimental design,

namely the one group pretest-posttest design, that

there is a pretest before being given treatment, the

treatment results can be known more accurately,

because it can compare with the situation before

being treated. This design involves one group given

the pre-test (O), given treatment (X) and given a

post-test. Treatment success is determined by

comparing the pre-test and post-test values.

In the pre-experimental design one group pretest-

posttest design study, the first step was to determine

the sample to be used as the research sample and

group it into one research class. The second stage

was to provide a pre-test to measure the

understanding of physics concepts before being

given treatment using gravity and Interstellar film

media and the last stage was to give a sample post-

test to measure the level of understanding of physics

concepts after treatment.

Table 1: Design the one group pre-test-post-test.

X O

Pre-test Treatment Post-test

The subjects in this study consisted of population

and sample. The population was all students at the

department of physics education. The sample is a

portion of the population taken randomly, namely 35

students. The techniques of data collection used

instruments in the form of essay questions. The

technique of data analysis was descriptive

quantitative analysis approach and inferential

approach using t-test to find out whether there are

differences between the average results of the data

before and after the treatment, so that it can be stated

that there is an effect of the treatment or vice versa.

The Stage of Research’s Implementation could

be seen on the chart below:



Figure 2: The Stage of Research’s Implementation.

4 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Hutchinson and Waters (Mahripah et al., 2016) state

that ESP is an approach in language learning where

all decisions taken involve teaching material and the

overall learning method is based on the reason of

learners in learning English. Therefore, teachers or

lecturers are required to be able to develop

interesting teaching materials and according to the

learners’ needs. In developing teaching material, of

course, it requires learning media that can facilitate

understanding a material. According to Aqip (2010)

the instructional media of art as everything that can

be used to channel messages (messages), stimulates

the mind, feelings, attention, and abilities of students

so that it can encourage the learning process.

Film is an audio-visual media that involves the

senses of sight and hearing in one process (Munadi

ICTL 2018 - The 1st International Conference on Teaching and Learning

244

2013). Edgar Dale (Arsyad, 2003) estimates that the

acquisition of learning outcomes through the sense

of sight ranges from 75%, through hearing senses

around 13% and through other senses around 12%.

Therefore, Yasri and Mulyani (2016) that students

tend to understand more things that are interpreted in

films than in textbooks. It was also stated that the

film was able to provide learning experiences that

students did not get in the classroom because of the

limited space and time they had.

The selection of gravity and interstellar films is

because the two films are included in the category of

science fiction film, which cover some physics

concepts, such as Newton’s Law of Universal

Gravitation, Special Theory of Relativity, Newton’s

3 Law of Motion. Before learning begins, students

are given a pre-test in the form of 11 essay questions

related to the three theoretical physics in the film to

determine the level of their understanding of the

theory. In the post-test phase, it is conducted after

students take part in learning using gravity and

interstellar film media.

This research only involved one class to find out

the learning outcomes before and after watching

Gravity and Interstellar films. This research is a pre

group design one group pre-test-post-test design, the

first step was to determine the sample that will be

used as the research sample and group it into one

research class. The second stage was to provide a

pre-test to measure understanding of physics

concepts before being given a test treatment to

measure the level of understanding of physics

concepts after being given treatment.

Thus, before taking data, the researcher tested

the question instrument to be used as a matter of

pretest and posttest. Of the 15 questions tested there

were 4 questions that were dropped while 11

questions were valid as many as 11 questions. The

questions were dropped because of the count <r

table, at the 5% significance level with n = 35, df n-

2 = 33, 2-tailed that is 0.361 and Alpha Cronbach's

reliability test results were 0.851. The conclusion is

alpha = 0.851> r table = 0.3338, so that the

instrument was reliable or reliable. After testing the

validity and reliability of the questions, it is known

that the items that are invalid cannot be used and the

valid items continue to the research. Test results that

have been known to be the results, then proceed with

taking the initial data using the next pre-test to be

treated and followed by post-test with the aim to

determine differences in learning outcomes before

and after being given action through film media.

4.1 Prior Learning Outcomes (pre-test)

Table 2: Learning Result before Treatment.

N Mini-

mum

Maxi-

mum

Mean Std.

Deviati

Pretes

35 41.00 70.00 55.4571 8.05621

Valid N

(listwise)

The results of calculations using SPSS 20.0 on the

data before treatment (pre-test) obtained a valid

number of samples of 35, average score of 55,4571,

minimum value of 41 and maximum of 70. The table

of learning outcomes before being given treatment in

the form of watching films as a media in learning

English for understand the concept of physics

obtained frequency as seen in the following table:

Table 3: Frequency distribution of pre-test.

No Class Interval Frequency

Relative

Frequency

1 41-47 6 17.14

2 48-54 9 25.71

3 55-61 12 34.29

4 62-68 6 17.14

5 69-75 2 5.71

6 76-82 0 0

7 83-89 0 0

Total 35 100

Based on the table taken by frequency pre-test, a

histogram can be drawn below:

Figure 3: The distribution of study result pre-test.

The Use of Science Film Media “Gravity and Interstellar” in English Learning to Improve the Understanding of the Physics Concepts

245

Based on the table and histogram above, the

frequency of the pre-test shows that the dominant

interval is between 55-61 (34.29%) or as many as 12

students.

4.2 Learning outcomes (Post-test)

Table 4: Learning Outcomes after Treatment (Post-test).

Mini-

Maxi-

Mean Std.

Deviation

Post-

tes

35 46.00 87.00 67.0857 10.49193

Valid

N (list-

wise)

The results of calculations using SPSS 20.0 on the

data after treatment (post-test) obtained a valid

number of samples of 35, average score of 67.0857,

minimum score of 46 and maximum score of 87.

Learning outcomes after watching Gravity and

Interstellar films were given frequency variations

and increased frequency distribution through media

films in learning English.

Table 5: Frequency After (post-test)

Class

interval

Frequency

Relative

frequency

1 41-47 1 2.86

2 48-54 5 14.29

3 55-61 4 11.43

4 62-68 8 22.86

5 69-75 6 17.14

6 76-82 10 28.57

7 83-89 1 2.86

Total 35 100

Based on the frequency distribution table, the post

test can be illustrated in the histogram below:

Figure 4: Frequency After (post-test).

4.3 Testing Requirements Analysis

Test requirements analysis was carried out before

conducting data analysis. The prerequisites used in

this study were the normality test and homogeneity

test. The following is the data presentation:

4.3.1 Test for Normality

Normality test was done to test whether all variables

are normally distributed or not. The normality test

used the Kolmogorov-Smirnov formula in the

calculation using the SPSS 20.0 program. To Know

whether the variables are normal or not is if sig>

0.05 then normal and if sig <0.05 can be said to be

abnormal. The results of the calculation are as

follows:

Table 6: Summary of Normality Test.

Kolmogorov-

Smirnov

Shapiro-Wilk

Statistic f Si

. Statistic df Si

Pre-

tes

.083 35 .200

.968 35 .393

Post-

tes

.118 35 .200

.961 35 .242

*. This is a lower bound of the true significance.

a. Lilliefors Significance Correction

Based on the table above, it is seen that the pre-test

and post-test data on learning outcomes have

increased. This is indicated by the value of the pre-

test and post-test data greater than 0.05 (sig> 0.05)

which is 0.200> 0.05. Thus, it can be concluded that

ICTL 2018 - The 1st International Conference on Teaching and Learning

246

the research data before and after normal

distribution.

4.3.2 Hypothesis Testing

This study aims to determine differences in learning

outcomes before (pre-test) and after (post-test)

through Gravity and Interstellar film media to

improve understanding of physics concepts in

learning English. The pre-test and post-test t-test is

to determine whether there is an increase in learning

outcomes. The study was said to be significant if t-

count> t table at the significance level of 5% and p

value <0.05.

Table 7: The results of t-test paired with pre-test and post-

test.

Based on the table, the average post-test and pre-

test scores were 1,139. it obtained t-count > t-table

at a significant level of 5% (10.208> 1.69) and has a

probability value or p <0.05 (0.00 <0.05) which

means that there is a significant increase in scores

before and after watching the film.

Therefore, based on the results of the t-test it is

known that the average before (pre-test) is 55.69 and

after the post-test is 67.09, so that the increase is

11.62%, then the t-test is obtained by the t-count of

10.208. The value of t-table with df 34 at the

significance level of 5% is 1.69. Therefore, t-count >

t-table (10.208> 1.69) and the significant value is

smaller than 0.05 (0.00 <0.05). Thus, it indicates

that there is a significant increase in the score of the

learning outcomes of the sample class, namely the

fifth semester students of department of physics

education through film media with the aim of

increasing understanding of physics concepts in

learning English.

The following is a diagram before and after

students are treated by applying science film media:

Figure 5: Diagram of the Difference between Pre-test and

Post-test Student Learning Outcomes through Science

Film Media.

Based on the diagram above, it can be clearly

illustrated that learning English at the departments of

physics education by using Gravity and Interstellar

film as media can help students to improve their

understanding of physics concept.

5 CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results of data analysis and discussion

of research results, it can be concluded that:

a. Media science fiction films can be used in

learning English in the Department of physics

Education.

b. The use of Gravity and Interstellar film media

in learning English in physics education study

programs can be used to improve the

understanding of the concept of fifth semester

students of Physics Education Study Program.

c. The science fiction film media can also be used

in physics learning in general.

REFERENCES

Alsa, Asmadi. 2004. Pendekatan Kuantitatif Kualitatif

dalam Penelitian Psikologi. Yogyakarta: Pustaka

Pelajar.

Arsyad, Azhar. 2009. Media Pembelajaran. Jakarta: PT.

Raja Grafindo Tinggi

Dale, Edgar. 1946. Audio-Visual Methods in Teaching.

NY: Dryden Press.

Hutchinson T. & Waters, A. 1994. English for Specific

Purposes: A Learning-centered Approach. Cambridge:

Cambridge University Press.

Munadi, Yudhi. 2013. Media Pembelajaran, Sebuah

Pendekatan Baru. Jakarta Selatan: GP Press Group.

Musfiqon. 2012. Pengembangan Media dan Sumber

Pembelajaran. Jakarta: Prestasi Pustakaraya.

Otte, R.W. 1966. Creativity in Teaching: Childhood

Education Volume 43, Issue 1. Taylor fracis Online.

Diunduh dari http://

www.tandfonline.com/doi/s/10.1080/00

094056.1966.10728017?journalCode=uc ed20 pada11

Juli 2018

Simanjuntak, Purnama, Mariati. 2012. Peningkatan

Pemahaman Konsep Fisika Mahasiswa Melalui

Pendekatan Pembelajaran Pemecahan Masalah

Berbasis Video. Jurnal Pendidikan Fisika ISSN 2252-

732X. Vol. 1 No. 2

Widiyatmoko, Bambang 2012. Peran Ilmu Fisika Dalam

Pembentukan Karakter Bangsa. Prosiding Pertemuan

Ilmiah. ISSN: 0853-0823.

The Use of Science Film Media “Gravity and Interstellar” in English Learning to Improve the Understanding of the Physics Concepts

247

Yaumi. Muhammad. 2012. Pengembangan Bahan

Ajarenglish for Specific Purpose Berbasis TIK.

Lentera Pendidikan, Vol. 15 No. 2: 144-16.

Yasri Lathifaty Hayyun, Mulyani Endang. 2016. The

Effectiveness of Film as Instructional Media to

Enhance Grade X Student’s Learning Interest and

Learning Outcome. Jurnal Pendidikan IPS Volume 3,

No 1. ISSN: 2460-7916.

ICTL 2018 - The 1st International Conference on Teaching and Learning

248