Assessing Students’ Motivation and Perceptions in Descriptive Text Writing Through Instagram Reels at SMP Negeri 1 Boliyohuto

Abstract

This study explores ninth-grade students' motivation and perceptions regarding Instagram Reels as a medium for composing English descriptive-text captions. A convergent mixed-methods approach was applied to a purposively selected class of 30 students at SMP Negeri 1 Boliyohuto during eight instructional sessions. The quantitative strand employed a ten-item, five-point motivation questionnaire, while the qualitative strand drew on open-ended responses and semi-structured group interviews addressing acceptance, understanding, and evaluation. The reported item-level descriptive statistics yielded an average of approximately 3.86 out of 5; the separately reported intrinsic and extrinsic motivation averages were 3.94 and 3.74, respectively. Item-level scores ranged from 3.27 to 4.07. The qualitative account identified four interconnected themes: greater interest in writing, emerging confidence, social engagement, and hesitation about technical demands or public posting. These findings suggest that short-video caption tasks may provide meaningful opportunities for choice, visual support, and interaction, but they do not demonstrate a causal improvement in writing proficiency. The study is limited by one class, post-activity self-report measurement, and the absence of an independently assessed writing outcome. Teacher scaffolding, constructive feedback, and safer options for sharing work are therefore recommended.