Students’ perception on utilizing podcast in learning speaking

- This research aimed to find out students’ perception of utilizing podcasts in learning speaking skills. The researchers used a qualitative approach and basic interpretative design to explore students’ perceptions. Three students were involved in this study. They are first-grade students of the vocational high school in the academic year 2019/2020. The data was gathered from the reflective journal and semi-structured interview. To obtain the data, the researchers analyzed it by thematic analysis. Results of this research, researchers classified three aspects that are the instruction in the podcast, the benefits of the podcast, and the use of podcast. The findings illustrated that students had a positive perception of the utilization of podcasts in learning speaking. Students perceive that podcast is interesting media because it has many contents or topics that they can listen and practice their speaking whenever they want. They also agree that podcast is beneficial for speaking achievement, for example, students can increase their vocabularies and word pronunciation.


Introduction
Speaking is an important thing that must be mastered by the students in this global era to provide them how to communicate in the global society. Richards (2008) as cited in Yoestara (2018) tells that people who are speaking English well are people who can use English to communicate in their daily life. Therefore, the students must be in preparation to face the wider community. Meanwhile, for students, speaking is one of the difficult skills. The problems of speaking usually come in several factors, which are lack of exposure to language, lack of motivation, students' anxiety and lack of confidence, limited knowledge of English, and inefficient teaching methodology (Al-Sobhi & Preece, 2018).
Additionally, Indonesian is one of the countries that used English as a foreign language. EFL students much more used their mother tongue compared to using English inside or outside the classroom. So, the opportunities for students to practice or produce speaking English are limited. In this case, most students feel that they are not confident enough to speak English. It proved when the researchers were doing observation at one of the lower secondary schools in Krw, West Java. The researchers found that students had any difficulties in learning speaking such as they are not confident in speaking English because they have limited vocabularies and the pronunciation still to be improved. Consequently, students need a harder effort to improve their speaking achievement.
In such a condition, teachers have a responsibility to prepare the students to be able to speak English. And utilization technology nowadays is increasingly important to motivate the students to be more interesting and they can't bore in learning speaking. Actually, in this technological era also many online or offline applications can become media to supporting learning speaking skills, for instance, podcasts. A podcast is seen as modern technology to constructing students' listening and speaking skills (Sze, 2006). The podcast is known as audio or video format that available on the internet. Moreover, podcasts can be downloaded on the internet through the application using a computer or smartphone (Silmawati et al, 2018). It is innovative media that can use by the teacher to facilitate student learning speaking inside or the outside classroom.
The Podcast has many contents or materials from the native speaker that can be selected and downloaded based on students' interests or the instructions of the teacher. Furthermore, students have an opportunity to listen or to record in their podcasts. Podcasts allowed the students and teachers to share some information with others at any moment (Bahadorvar & Omidvar, 2014). Thus, using podcast not only give additional practice in listening skill but also can to increase students' speaking ability. Before they produce or speaking in the podcast, they can listen first how to the native speaker spoken English. When listening to the podcast, students can follow or repeat the native speakers' pronunciation, intonation, accurateness, etc. So students could know how to speaking well.
Moreover, the podcast has been investigated by several studies. Mashhadi et al (2016) mentioned that the podcast-mediated blended L2 learning scenario appeared as the most successful scenario in L2 vocabulary learning. Phillips (2017) found that the students had a positive learning outcome such as increase confidence of students who are reticent to speak English in the class, increased language confidence, fluency, and vocabulary acquisition. Nwachokor et al (2019) obtained that most students perceive that podcasts can increase productivity, promote creativity, and facilitate academic learning.
From three previous studies above, the researchers increasingly believed that podcast is an appropriated media and effective way to supporting students' acquisition in learning a language. However, those previous studies had a limited podcast in learning the speaking context. To fill this gap the present study conducted and focused on utilizing the podcasts to support students to enhance their speaking achievement based on students' perception. Also, the present study was administered with different participants, whereas the researchers conducted at a vocational high school student X grade. Therefore, the researchers determined the research with the title of "Students' Perception in Utilizing Podcast in Learning Speaking".

Method
This research used a qualitative approach. Qualitative usually describes and explains the situation of a phenomenon that occurs. Fraenkel and Wallen (2009) stated that in the qualitative study, the researchers focus on comprehending the situations and events from the viewpoint of the participants. 2.1 Research design In this case, the researchers focused on the real situation or phenomenon of the students' perception on utilizing podcasts in learning speaking. Interpretative was chosen for this study as a research design. In the interpretative qualitative study, the researchers viewed how people interpret their experiences of a phenomenon or situation (Merriam, 2002). Therefore, the researchers considered to used interpretative design in qualitative research to explored students' perception of utilizing podcasts in learning speaking activity.

Participants
The participants of this research were the X grade students of vocational high school in the 2nd semester, the academic year 2019/2020. The researchers involved one class that has been recommended by the teacher of the vocational high school. Twenty-eight students take online learning speaking using podcast. To fill the data, the researchers decided to choose 6 students randomly. The researchers examined students following the interview online and filled the reflective journal.
The site of this research was conducted at one of the vocational high schools. The researchers administered this research in online learning because pandemic of covid-19 that should the students learning at home. The school was chosen as the site of the research because this site allowed researchers to taught by online learning used podcasts as new media to learning speaking at home.
In a pandemic situation, the researchers conducted this study and instructed students by online learning. Thus, the researchers facilitated students' learning speaking using podcast applications. The application is Podomatic Podcast. It is recommended for students to producing own podcasts at home. They can download those applications on the web and then they can create their accounts individually and students make their own podcast recordings to practice speaking. Also, students can upload their podcast production after their recording that has been revised. Then, the data was collected by doing a semi-structured interview and reflective journal.

Data Collection
To collect the data, researchers used two instruments. First, the researchers asked the students to fill the reflective journal. It included several questions that asked students to share their thought or perception toward podcasts. And to clarify the data, the researchers have interviewed the students in a semi-structured interview. The interview was also made the data in the reflective journal more detailed. It is hoped that those two instruments can help researchers to conduct the students' perception on utilizing podcasts in learning speaking. 2.4 Data Analysis Data analysis techniques are carried out after the data is collected and the researchers tried to analyze based on the several instruments above. The researchers used a data analysis technique based on Braun and Clark (2006) proposed the sixth stages, they are familiarizing yourself with your data, generating initial codes, finding the themes, defining and naming the themes, reviewing the potential themes, and producing the report.

Results and Discussion
The findings of this research were found from the interview and reflective journal. It gathered information to answer the research question: How do students perceive podcast in learning speaking? There were sixth students who participated. They were from X class at vocational high school in Krw, West Java. However, this chapter presents students' perception of utilizing podcast in learning speaking. Thus, the researchers asked students to perceive podcast after students learning to speak using podcast. From the experienced of students after learning to speak by using podcast, the researchers was classified the data into third aspects of students perceive podcast: students' perception of the instruction in podcast, students' perception of the benefits of podcast, students' perception of the use of podcast.

Students' Perception of the Instruction in Podcast
The process of the instruction in podcast was conducted in online learning. The researchers use a group online to teach students. In this aspect, most of the students argued the instruction in podcast was interesting because in the podcast it has several contents or topics that can be listening such as stories, jokes, songs, motivation, lesson, etc. They can learn speaking enjoyable and podcast was safe time because the topics can be downloaded in the smartphone so it can be used anywhere they want. It was confirmed by participant 1.
"Learning speaking with podcast is very fun, easy to carry anywhere, interesting and can fluent speaking from there". It indicated that student was enthusiasm to learned speaking by using podcast. In addition, podcast was suitable to use in pandemic situation. Because, the teacher can instruct speaking by online learning and the student can learn in their home.

Students' Perception of the Benefits of Podcast
This aspect was explained the benefits of podcast, the researchers can point out the beneficial of podcast based on students' perception. A. Podcast motivated the students to learning speaking The data showed that students were motivated to learn speaking when they used podcast. Podcast had a various audio can be listened by students such as the histories, song and motivation. For this reason, students are motivated to make the audio podcast and practiced speaking. Additionally, the students wanted to become a podcaster after they learn speaking with podcast.
"I very motivated because there are so many podcaster who are 'waw', their work are very good and I also very motivated to become impressive podcaster" (Participant 3) It indicated that podcast successfully motivated students to practiced speaking.

B. Podcast makes students more confident in speak English
Podcast could make individually in the smartphone. It means that student can recorded or produced podcast whatever they want included in their home without anyone else watching or disturbing. So, they can be more focused and confident in speaking English using podcast. Therefore, the students believe that by using podcasts they can increase their confidence in speak English. It was confirmed by the students in interview section.
"My opinion about learning in podcast are certainly very useful for speaking skills and become more confident to speaking English" (Participant 6).

C. Podcast help students' pronunciation and vocabulary
Besides increasing confidence, the result indicates that students felt the podcast assignment improved their speaking skill such as vocabulary and pronunciation. It is because, in using the podcast, the researchers suggested the students to listen the audio podcast and read the scripted before they produced or recorded their voice in the own podcast. With the result, students can listen and repeat the audio podcast until they understand and the students can imitate the correct pronunciation of the audio podcast.
"I become to know how to pronounce the English word. Because, before recording on the podcast we listen first on the podcast so we know the correct pronunciation" (Participant 5).
Podcast was valuable to help students in learning speaking achievement and students agreed that the used of podcast in the learning speaking process had a good impact on improving their speaking skill.

Students' Perception of the Use of Podcast
In the use of podcasts, researchers used podomatic podcast application to facilitate students in learning speaking at home. The students can download it application that had been recommendation by researchers and they can create their account to login. After the student login to podomatic podcast application, the student can record their voice to practice speaking skill. However, the use of podcast had been explained in the online group. The students perceive that podcast was easy to use. The majority of students had understood so that there are no difficulties when using podcasts.
"There is no problem in using podcast, because it has been explained in detail and the application is easy to understand" (Participant 3). In this research discussed students' perceptions on utilizing podcast in learning speaking. The students' perceptions were gotten individually with natural setting. Dhingra and Dhingra (2011) stated that perception is a process to organize and interpreted the sensory impressions individually in order to give meaning to their environment. Furthermore, the researchers become know that there were third aspect to identify students' perception on utilizing podcast in learning speaking at vocational high school.

Students' Perception on the instruction in podcast
The research finding was explained students perceived positively toward the instruction in podcast. The students were interested when the researchers are teaching speaking skill by using podcast because they could learn speaking anywhere they want. Miranty and Rachmawati (2016) stated that podcast is a different thing to accommodate 'radio' type content that can be accept by everyone and can be listen at anytime and anywhere they needs.

Students' Perception on the benefits of podcast
In this aspect, the researchers acquired third benefits from students' perception they are: the first, podcast motivated the students to learning speaking. Podcast was affects students' attitude and motivation because it favourably views good point to take students closer to the target language (Samad et. al, 2017). The second, podcast make students more confident in speak English. Make students confident depend the teacher strategy in organized the class. Beside, the teacher must preparation in teaching activity remain that the speaking was difficult for students. And by using podcast, the teacher can support the students and created the enjoyable learning. Thus, it can build students more confidence. The last, podcast help student pronunciation and vocabulary. It is in line with Sze (2006) where he argued that there are some advantages in using podcast such as podcast can motivated students and less confidence student.

Students' Perception on the use of podcast
In teaching speaking activity, the teacher gave opportunity to students in making their own podcast. It was some types of student-created podcast in teaching process using podcast (Namaziandost, 2017). It could be challenged for students because students must produce and recorded their voice in the podcast. But, students not afraid to speaking English when their English is not good. Because, they can repeat and replaced podcast recording until their podcast recording are better. So, podcast can be reflection place and correction for students' speaking proficiency.
In the other hand, before student record their voice on the podcast, the student can imitate how the native speaker speak English especially on the speaking aspect such as the pronunciation, intonation, fluency etc (Duong, 2014). Thus, the students can develop speaking English performance. The students very enjoyable in using this media and they prefer to use this media because podcast can be used anywhere they want. In addition, podcast is easy to use by the students.

Conclusion
The findings of this research were found from the interview and reflective journal. It gathered information to answer the research question: How do students perceive podcasts in learning speaking? Sixth students participated in the study. They were from X class at vocational high school in Krw, West Java. However, this chapter presents students' perception of utilizing podcasts in learning speaking. Thus, the researchers asked students to perceive podcasts after students learning to speak using podcasts. From the experienced of students after learning to speak by using a podcast, the researchers classified the data into third aspects of students perceive podcast: students' perception of the instruction in the podcast, students' perception of the benefits of the podcast, students' perception of the use of podcast.
Students' Perception of the Instruction in Podcast In this research, the researchers researched to know the students' perception toward podcasts in learning speaking. To explore students' perceptions, researchers involved sixth students of X class of a vocational school in Krw. After committing some procedures from the beginning to the end such as determining the research design, collecting the data, analyzing the data, and the others, finally, the researchers had finished the research.
Based on the discussion of this research, the researchers found a positive perception of the utilization of podcasts in learning speaking. The researchers divided it into third aspects. First, the instruction in the podcast, second was the benefits of the podcast, the last was the use of podcast. From the third aspect, the majority of students agreed that the podcast was valuable in learning speaking activity.
The students were very interested to use a podcast in learning to speak because the podcast contained several topics that can choose the students' interest such as stories, jokes, songs, motivation, lesson, etc. They also become know the English pronunciation correctly, they more motivated to practice speaking and they more confident in speak English. Besides, the podcast makes learning speaking was very safe time because podcast can be used whenever students want and it was suitable to use in the current situation that requires students to study at home. Also, the podcast was easy to use and easy to understand. It can be concluded that the majority of all students agreed that the use of podcasts in the learning speaking process had a good impact and very beneficial to improving their speaking skills.