Implications of Watching Foreign Movies Essay

ABSTRACT This study looked at the relationship between watching foreign film, dramas, or variety show habits and the students’ academic performances. To determine whether its exposure benefitted the students or not, a reliable research has to be conducted. Considering student’s differences factors and strategies while studying, the results might be differ from many aspects. The individual skills include how frequent they watch the movie, how long they spent their time and what types of entertainment that they favored the most. An argument about the uses of visual aids such movie shows and others can enhance the academic performances will be settled on after the results of this study had been processed. A pilot study was conducted first to check whether there was any problem regarding this issue. About 3 to 5 students were tested. Finally a survey was conducted at the boys’ and girls’ hostels in Kolej Profesional MARA Indera Mahkota where 40 students consist of 15 male students and 25 female students. This survey was conducted by distributing a set of questionnaires to all the respondents. In general, this study was a big success where majority of the students agreed that this method of learning can enhance their academic performances. Winding up, several suggestion, opinion and recommendations were recorded in the finishing part of the report. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my special thanks to my advisor, Madam Jamilah Binti Abdul Manan, who provided me with detailed and insightful feedback for every draft, who spent an enormous amount of time reading and editing my investigation, and more importantly, who set an example for me to be a prudent presenter. I also want to thank her for her encouragement and assistance throughout the entire graduate program. I would also like to thank my family especially my auntie, Nooraini Binti Abdul Wahab for her assistance and suggestions in helping me to better understand the concept of visual study and etc. Also, I want to thank my parents for their great encouragement throughout the writing of this research. I want to offer a tremendous thank you to all my friends and anyone who has contributing  themselves in this study. I will remember your patience and assistance in helping me finish this program. I treasure your friendship and support. 1.0. Introduction 2.1. Background of the Study Watching movies and dramas has been a trend nowadays in students’ life especially in KPMIM. This habit does influence the student’s result in academic studies. By practicing this hobby, students manage to fill their free time. But the question is what the implications of this attitude are. Is it positive or negative impact towards the students themselves? A research has been done by Christine Canning Wilson from the Centre of Excellence for Research and Training, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi. In her research, it has been stated that audio-visual aids can enhance the language learning process. It said that note-taking studies are less successful nowadays. Instead of that, advanced visual organizers such as educational videos or any other related matters helped the learners  improve comprehension and aid in the retention of information. Students also like learning language through the use of videos. One of the result is learners prefer action/entertainment films in the classroom. In addition, this shows that visuals can be used to help enhance the meaning of the message to be conveyed by the speakers. By providing this kind of learning method, learners may be benefitted by seeing immediate meaning in terms of vocabulary recognition in the first language. Besides that, it is easier for them to clarify the message and clarify the gist of the stories. However, individuals process information in different ways. The strategies used by one learner are likely to differ from another. Thus, further investigation needs to be done in order to identify the real impact of watching movies/dramas and the relationship between these habits towards the students’ academic performances will be resolved after the research has been carried out. 2.2. Statement Of The Problem The problematic issue of this study is to identify the implications of watching foreign movies or films towards students. Besides that, the increase or any decrease in academic performance will be observed and to be concluded after this study has been completed. There is also an argument that questioning about either it is a kind of wasteful activity for KPMIM students. So a reliable research needs to be carried out regarding this issue. 2.3. Purpose Of The Study Since watching movies, dramas and variety shows have been a trend nowadays in students’ life especially in KPMIM; there may be some consequences for them particularly in academic performance. Apart from piling up their free time, a research needs to be done to investigate whether it is a beneficial or a wasteful activity for them. The purpose of the study portrayed in this research report was to assess the either lecturers and the students in teaching and learning process despite making them easier to understand and memorize all the input during language classes. Besides that, to make  learning process more interactive and enjoyable so that the students would think that education is not something that is too heavy and boring. 2.4. Objective Of The Study The objectives of this study are: 1. to find out whether it is beneficial activity during student’s leisure time or not 2. to investigate what is the relationship between this activity and students’ academic performance 3. to figure out what types of movies/dramas that have been the students’ favorites 4. To make suggestion that it could be one of the effective medium of learning or teaching. 2.5. Research Question The questionnaires will be given to some random students at Kolej Profesional MARA. 40 respondents will answer this questionnaire based on the research project. 15 of them were males and another 25 were the female students. The question will be focus on what are the impacts of the habit. * Is watching movies/ dramas a beneficial or waste type of hobby to students? * Does watching/movies really help the students in their academic studies? * What is the favorite categories/type of movies/dramas that most of the students like? * Should it be implemented as a medium for teaching and learning in education institutions? 2.6. Significance Of The Study This finding will help the lecturers and students to be aware of learning and teaching process can be easily done in a simple and effective way by using visual aids. Furthermore, students will be managed to fill their schedule with some beneficial activities instead of doing nothing. Apart from enhancing the students’ interest and enthusiasm in learning, students should be able to improve their vocabulary and other skills that are required in  language studies such listening skill and speaking skill. Authoritatively, this will help the college to introduce the concept of entertaining while studying so that students can have an enjoyable environment while in the class perhaps. Last but not least, to increase the academic performance in college by adapting a new way of study for the students. 2.7. Scope Of The Study The scope of this research is that the respondents are 40 people of KPMIM students. 15 people of male students and another 25 are the female students. The solution or any recommendations about this topic will be decided after the data has been collected. 2.0. Literature Review About few centuries ago language is hard to learn by mass of people. But a poet named Simonides has come out wit a great principle of learning which was ‘Words are the images of things’. His statement was almost similarly accurate as the famous great Aristotle perception, â€Å"Without image, thinking is impossible†. From here, we can clearly seen that both statement support the principle of visual aids towards one’s ascertain and edifying skills. Visual aids does enhance the language learning process. Video is one of the visual aids that usually used by a teacher, lecturer or a presenter to educate and instrcut pupils. Videos at best defined as the selection and sequence of messages in an audio-visual context. Research by Herron, Hanley and Cole (1995) indicates that the visual support in the form of descriptive pictures significantly improved comprehension scores with language videos for English speaking students. The results of the study indicate that extensive listening is facilitated by the richness of the context that visual organizers, such as educational videos, provide. Heron (1994) finds that advanced organizers based on videos helped learners improve comprehension and aid in the retention of information. A recent large-scale survey by Canning-Wilson (2000) suggests that the students like learning language through the use of videos. One of the results of her survey shows that learners prefer action/entertainment films to language films or  documentaries in the classroom. She states although these films may seem to hold student interest, she believes that it could be inferred that student comprehension of the video may be due to the visual clues instead of the auditory components. Heron, Hanley and Cole also hypothesize that the more meaningful an advanced organizer is the more impact it can have on comprehension and retention. Their results of using twelve different videos with foreign language learners indicates that scores improved when advanced organizers, such as a pictures and/or visual stimuli, are used with the video. Perhaps the findings from these studies can be attributed to the fact that video offers contextual support and/or helps learners to visualize words as well as meanings. Individuals process information in different ways. The strategies used by one learner are likely to differ from those used by a different learner. It has been proven that what benefits one group of learners may actually hinder the performance of a different group of learners (Bovy, 1981). Issues of the value of video as a teaching tool are often questioned. Omaggio (1979) suggests that â€Å"the profession has virtually no empirical basis for promoting the use of visuals as aids to comprehension in the second language; we know practically nothing about how students benefit from visuals† (1979, p.107). Recently, in a lecture on the use of visuals in research, Canning-Wilson (2000) claims that the use of illustrations, visuals, pictures, perceptions, mental images, figures, impressions, likenesses, cartoons, charts, graphs, colors, replicas, reproductions, or anything else used to help one see an immediate meaning in the language may benefit the learner by helping to clarify the message, provided the visual works in a positive way to enhance or supplement the language point. She reports that images contextualized in video or on its own can help to reinforce the language, provided the learner can see immediate meaning in terms of vocabulary recognition in the first language. Furthermore, her research suggests that visuals can be used to help enhance the meaning of the message trying to be conveyed by the speakers through the use of paralinguistic cues. Last but not least, additional factors must be considered when looking at video as an instructional medium to teach a foreign or second language. Balatova’s studies indicated that visual cues  found in videos were informative and enhanced comprehension in general, but did not necessarily stimulate the understanding of a text. It was also found that teaching with video had some affective advantages. If the results of their findings are true and the same results can be replicated, perhaps practitioners will no longer have to rely solely on anecdotal evidence. . 3.0. Research Methodology 4.8. Introduction This section discusses the methodology of the research. The main purpose of the research is to investigate the relationship between watching movies, dramas or variety shows and the academic performance among KPMIM students. Does it really affect the educational outcome or not? Besides that, to assess the students and lecturers in teaching or learning process apart from making them easier to absorb, distinguish and memorize the entire thing that they should. The data for the research were collected through questionnaires distribution. 4.9. Research Instruments This research utilized both the quantitative and qualitative research methodology. The instrument used to collect data was questionnaires. A set of questionnaires containing 13 questions divided into 2 parts. Different types of questions such as ranking, yes – no questions, listing and were used in the questionnaires. The questionnaires were piloted to five students to assess its validity before it was distributed. The qualitative data for the research come at open-ended questions. 4.10. Respondents of the Study The respondents of the study were several students at Kolej Profesional Mara Indera Mahkota, KPMIM. In March 2012, a total of 40 questionnaires were distributed to students randomly. 4.11. Research Procedure Before the actual data collection phase, a pilot study was conducted to assess the validity of the research instruments. A total of five students were involved in the pilot study chosen at randomly at Kolej professional Mara Indera Mahkota. During the actual study, the questionnaires were distributed at various locations on campus such as library, cafà ©, classes and dormitories. 4.12. Data Analysis To analyze the data, a several variables were taken into consideration namely the duration, effectiveness, oftenness of the students watching their favored movie, dramas or variety shows, and from which countries.besides that, major immpacts of this study were also been questioned. For examples, does it improve student’s vocab and lexis in writings, develop creative thinking, reasoning skill and crtical review and assist students to focus in class. The data were saved into the computer using Microsoft Excel software. Results were presented through frequency counts and other descriptive statistics. The data were transcribed accordingly. 4.0. Findings and Discussion This section will discuss the results of the research that had been done to determine whether it is an effective way as a method of learning and teaching towards KPMIM students. These findings received responses from 40 students which were 25 females and 15 males. FIGURE ANumber of Respondent (Students) Figure A shows the proportion of male and female students who were involved in this research. 15 of them were males and another 25 of them were the  females. The sum of them were 40 and the percentage that has been calculated as shown in the figure above. FIGURE BPercentage of students who watch movies/ dramas/ variety shows during free time. Figure B shows how many of students watch their favored shows during their leisure time. Majority of them watch movies and etc. during free time. 100 percent of male students did watch the movies while 92 percent of the female students who did the same thing. Only few of the female students did not watch the movies, dramas or variety shows. Maybe because of unnecessarily circumstances. Figure C Types of entertainment that mostly watched by the students The figure above shows the type of entertainments that mostly watched by KPMIM students. To sum up, majority of the respondents preffered variety shows as their most favored types of entertainment. It is because it has been a phenomenon nowadays. Not only in KPMIM but all over Malaysia educational institutes. Maybe because the show is really funny and make them laugh every time they watch it. Nevertheless, it educates while entertaining. That is the most important. Otherwise, the data for other type of entertainments that prefferably watch by the students are shown in the figure above. Films at the 2nd rank followed by animation series as the 3rd and dramas was the least. Figure DForeign Entertainments that most Influential Based on the figure above, the well-influenced foreign entertainment among male students in KPMIM is the Bollywood followed by English, Korean and Japanese as the least. The reason why they chose Bollywood as their favoured foreign entertainment, it is because the eye-catching lyrics from pleasant songs and it teaches a lot of moral and values. For the female respondents, majority of them pick English as their favored entertainment followed by Korean, Bollywood and Japanese. FIGURE EFrequencies of Sudents watch their Favored Shows As shown in the figure above, the female students often watch their favored shows for only 3 times a week whereas the male students watch their preffered entertainments 7 times a week which is everyday. FIGURE FTime outlay for each sessions From the figure above, it is shown that majority of the male students spend their time about 4 to 5 hours for each session. For the female students, they only spent about 3 to 4 hours for their leisure movie times. This shows the females were good in managing their times compared tom the males. Notwithstanding, as long as the shows that they watched bring some benefits to them, it is alright. FIGURE GHelp them in improving the Vocabs and Lexis in Wrtings Greater part of the respondents agree with the hypothesis, ‘by watching movies, dramas or variety shows, they can improve their vocabularies and lexis in their writings’. When they watched foreign shows or movies, they learned by reading the subtitles and find the meaning of words that they do not understand. By doing that, although it looks like a slow way of improving their vocabs, it really helps them in their examination. Especially in writing and speaking skills. FIGURE HDevelop Creative thinking, Reasoning skills and Critical Review For this section, 98 percent of the respondents agreed with the hypothesis by practising this habbit, they can develop their creative thinking, reasoning skills and critical review. Only 2 percent of them did not agree with the statement. The figure indicates that, majority of them could develop some of the useful skills especially in language classes. This means that watching movies, dramas and variety shows is not wasteful activity during leisure time. FIGURE IAssists to Focus and Improve Academic Performance Based on the figure above, 88 percent of the students do agree with the hypothesis of by applying this type of inclination, they tend to focus during classes. Only minority of them, 15 percent did not agree. Besides that, for sure, it will also aiding their academic performance. From this situation, we can conclude that this kind of practice lead to success for the students whom put run through it. Open ended question:- â€Å"Visual Aids (Movies/dramas/etc.) should be one of the effective mediums of learning or teaching because it brings a ton of advantages rather than disfavors†.  Give your opinion/ comments regarding this issue. Please state the reasons why did you support or oppose this statement. Based on all the anwers, most of them are all the positive comments. This shown that, Visual Aids such Movies, dramas, and etc. are really should be implemented as one of the effective mediums of learning and teaching in any KPMIM since it bequeath loads of benefit rather than disfavors. 5.0. Conclusion This research investigated the relationship between the methods of using visual aids as learning process and the academic performance towards KPMIM students. Primary data were collected by randomly with distributing a set of questionnaires to 40 students. As has been mentioned earlier in the introduction, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of using visual aids in teaching and learning towards the academic performance of students The following conlusions can be drawn based on the findings of the study: 1. This study shows that watching movies/ dramas/ variety shows, students managed to perform well in their academic performance. 2. By practicing this habit, educatees can improve their vocabularies and lexis in writings instead of developing their creative thinking, critical reviews and reasoning skills. 3. Last of all, this method of learning and teaching is ought to be implemented in every educational institutions. The results of this study indicate that teaching and learning by using visual aids as a method compulsarily implemented in KPMIM especially in English subject. This is because after a thorough study has been investigated, it bring a a lot more benefits rather than detriment to students or even lecturers. However, this findings are only true for KPMIM students. The same study needs to be done with students from other educational institutes to see if there are any similarities with the impact of watching foreign movies, dramas and variety shows habit towards the academic performances. 6.0RECOMMENDATIONS 6.1Recommendations based on Findings Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, here are several recommendations to be considered: 1. Visual Aids such (Movie Reviews / Documentaries /etc.) should be one of the effective mediums of learning because it brings a ton of advantages rather than disfavors. 2. Educators are also counseled to use this method of teaching as it makes edifying process more simpler, cooler, interactive and valuable. 6.2Recommendations for Future Research Since this study only focussed on KPMIM students, it is highly recommended that further reseach be carried out for other students from another colleges or universities to explore whether there might some differences in the study or similarities in the findings. Besides that, the implementation of this method of learning and teaching could be the worldwide most effective way in teaching English because it is essential for all walks of life. Lastly, M.O.E or any other parties could impart some expenses and provide new high-tech facilities to all education institution. BIBLIOGRAPHY * Richard Cameron & Dolati Roman. (2010). Harnessing the Use of Visual Learning Aids in the English Language Classroom. Retrieved December 15th, 2010 from the Arab World English Journal. * Koren, S. (1996). Vocabulary instruction through hypertext: Are there advantages over conventional methods of teaching?.TESL-EJ, 4(1), 1- 14. * Mayer, R. & Simes, V. (1994). For whom is a picture worth a thousand words? Extensions of a dual–coding theory of multimedia learning. Journal of Educational Technology, 86, 389-401. * The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. VI, No. 11, November 2000 http://iteslj.org/