STEM Education Indonesia

Enhancing Learning Styles and Strengthening Verbal and Visual Representation Skills: Utilizing Worksheet through Pictorial Riddles, Crossword Puzzles, and Mind Maps

Nurul Asrilia Dewi — 2024-01-15

This study, conducted as classroom action research (PTK), aims to assess the effectiveness of using LKPD based on pictorial riddles and crossword puzzles in accommodating diverse learning styles and enhancing students' verbal and visual representation abilities. The research was carried out at SMPN 35 Bandung during the odd semester of 2023/2024, with a focus on students in class VII F, totaling 36 participants. Employing a descriptive qualitative approach, purposive sampling was utilized for subject selection. Findings indicate that crossword puzzle-based LKPD effectively enhances students' verbal-to-verbal representation abilities. Additionally, pictorial riddle-based LKPD proves successful in improving both visual-to-verbal and visual-to-visual representation abilities. This suggests that utilizing LKPD based on pictorial riddles and crossword puzzles can address deficiencies in representation abilities stemming from students' learning style preferences..

Impact of Pre-Laboratory Activities on Science Process Skills and Socio-Emotional Development in Middle School Students

Nurul Melani — 2024-01-16

Insufficient facilities and infrastructure for practicums in schools can impede the development of students' science process skills. The lack of familiarity with the scientific learning process may hinder students' proficiency in science-related tasks. Additionally, students may experience anxiety when encountering practicum activities for the first time. One strategy to better prepare students for practicums is the implementation of pre-laboratory activities. This quasi-experimental study, utilizing a pretest-posttest control group design, involved 64 eighth-grade students from SMPN 14 Bandung. The sampling technique employed convenience sampling, with 32 students assigned to the control group and 32 to the experimental group. The research utilized a 10-item multiple-choice test to assess science process skills and a 15-statement socio-emotional questionnaire adapted from Pintrich et al. (1991) and Barber (2013). Results revealed a significant difference in science process skills between the experimental and control groups (sig. 0.00 < 0.05). The average N-Gain for the control group was 0.52, and for the experimental group, it was 0.69, indicating a medium-level improvement in both groups. Furthermore, the Mann Whitney test results demonstrated a significant impact of pre-laboratory journals on reducing anxiety levels during tests (sig. 0.00 < 0.05) and practicum activities (sig. 0.00 < 0.05). Notably, the anxiety levels of control group students were higher than those of the experimental group. In conclusion, pre-laboratory activities had a substantial positive effect on the science process skills and socio-emotional well-being of junior high school students, emphasizing the importance of integrating preparatory activities to enhance the overall learning experience.

Implementation of Differentiated Learning in Science Lessons for Students in Junior High Schools

Putri Selaras — 2024-12-12

Students in Indonesia have various characters and different backgrounds, which is a challenge for teachers in Indonesia. In the independent curriculum, teachers have the freedom to choose learning tools that suit the needs of students. The differentiated learning approach reflects learning that responds to the differences of each individual. The study was conducted in a Junior High School in Bandung using two classes a control class and an experimental class. This experimental study used observation instruments, post-test only, and documentation. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive quantitative methods. The results of the study showed that the experimental class had lower average learning outcomes than the control class. Then a normality test was carried out which showed that the data was not normal. Furthermore, the results of the hypothesis test showed that sig (0.565) was greater than alpha (0.005), meaning that the differentiated learning approach did not affect improving student learning outcomes. This is influenced by several factors, namely the number of activities at school, the division of science lesson hours, teaching activities, and the level of difficulty of the questions. However, this study has several advantages including increasing student participation when learning, supporting the implementation of the independent curriculum, and supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4, 10, 8). The things that need to be improved are preparing alternatives to research facilities and infrastructure and planning a more appropriate time allocation

Improving Learning Outcomes on Work and Power through Inquiry Learning

Ridha Ajeng Aprilia — 2024-12-12

The purpose of this study was to see the improvement of learning outcomes of 8th grade students in the material of Effort and Power with inquiry learning. This study contains pretest and posttest as well as LKPD work. The sample collection technique using convenience sampling with class VIII students of SMPN 35 Bandung in the 2023/2024 academic year totalling 21 people as research subjects. The research method uses quantitative research. Data collection with observation sheets of teacher activities, student activities and pretest-posttest. The data was analysed with mean value, standard deviation, maximum value, minimum value and n-gain. Based on the results of data analysis, it shows that there has been an increase but there are still those who have not experienced an increase in learning outcomes.

Improving Literacy and Students Activities on Motion and Force Materials through Problem Based Learning Model

Refa Tri Ustati — 2024-12-12

Current technological developments provide opportunities for every learner to express themselves creatively through digital media. However, the easy access to technology that can facilitate the learning process can make learners become complacent with the excitement of instant technology, so that the learning culture is reduced due to this convenience. The PISA 2018 results show that Indonesia occupies the bottom 10 positions out of 79 participating countries, even below the achievements of students in ASEAN countries. This is reflected in the observation results at SMPN 32 Bandung which has a low level of literacy skills, so that the learning process tends to be passive and only receives learning from the teacher. This can be seen from the percentage of passing the classical KKM learning that does not reach an average of 75%. Based on the above problems, it is necessary to increase the literacy and activity of students related to the Implementation of Straight Motion and Force in everyday life using the Problem Based Learning (PBL) learning model. This type of research is Classroom Action Research (PTK) with quantitative research methods and using post-test only instruments. The results of this study are the level of literacy skills of students with the application of Problem Based Learning on Straight Motion and Force material is still relatively low with the acquisition of the value -t count < -t table or -4.154 < -2.03011 which results in H0 rejected. The data results show that there is a significant difference between the average literacy skills of students against the given value of 70. Then the results of increasing student learning activities have increased to more than 70%.