Improved Understanding of Students on History of Economic Theory

through Learning Using Concept Map

Disman Disman, Moch Dudih Sugiharto and Yana Rohmana

Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Jl. Dr. Setiabudhi 229, Bandung, Indonesia

disman@upi.edu

Keywords: History of Economic Theory, concept maps, Quality of learning, Level of understanding.

Abstract: This study aims to illustrate how students understand the history of economic theory by using concept maps.

The subjects from this study are students who take the History of Economic Theory even semester 2016/2017

in the Department of Education Economics Education University of Indonesia. Data were collected through

observation and test, and analyzed descriptively. The results show that using concept maps helps students

improve their understanding to the history of economic theories. The implication is that implementation of

concept maps brings better results, it just takes more time and good planning.

1 INTRODUCTION

The effect of Ausubel’s meaningful learning theory

has been observed on concept map approach which

was developed by Novak. Some studies show that

students receive greater benefits by creating their own

concept maps (Novak 1990). The aim of concept

mapping is not to generate spontaneous associative

elements but can improve students’ ability to analyze

and compile important concepts, relationships

between concepts, and knowledge structure. The map

normally begins with a word or concept or phrase

which represents a focus question that requires an

answer (Novak and Canas, 2006). Melek Cakmak

(2010) explain concept maps provide important

contribution to teachers about their students learning

and needs, and therefore the instruction that will be

given to the prospective teachers gains an importance

in teacher education.

There have been many studies related to the use

of concept maps in learning, such as Wan-Ju Chen, et

al (2014) students thru e-learning teaching methods

of the Concept Map can effectively learn to acquire

knowledge, skills, and show a good attitude towards

learning. In short, the e-learning of Concept Map

approach for students with disabilities shows positive

learning results. Similarly, research by Brett Jones, et

al (2012) finds the activities that students perceived

as being more preferred or enjoyable were not always

the ones that they perceived they learned the most

from Mariya Burdina (2015) can be stated that most

students believe the conceptual chapter maps helped

them learn. Whether conceptual chapter maps

actually improve learning outcomes is yet to be

determined. Ertug Evreklia, et al (2009) according to

science teacher candidates, mind mapping can be

used in constructive science and technology

effectively and help students in different stages;

however, some science topics is not suitable for using

mind mapping. And, Nikhilkumar D. Parikh (2016)

was found that the Mind Mapping technique was

more effective than Traditional method. But, Mine

Taskin, et al (2011) using both concept maps and

traditional method is more efficient for students’

learning learning.

Based on the results of teaching experience so far

in the department of Economic Education University

of Indonesia Education, obtained information that

students are still learning by way of to memorize to

understand the history of economic pique that exists.

This method of memorization has a weakness because

the information received is not associated with

previous acquired knowledge so that the accepted

concepts are easy to forget. In addition, student

activity is very least once that leads to learning

outcomes that have not reached the completeness of

classical. This can be seen from the average value of

the exam in the previous year semester, there are still

some who have not achieved the expected value, but

also from activities in learning activities are also not

running properly.

Efforts for learning to be meaningful in the

learning must be associated with the relevant

concepts that have been owned by students and this

will be more meaningful if students participate

actively in the learning activities and delivery of the

Disman, D., Sugiharto, M. and Rohmana, Y.

Improved Understanding of Students on History of Economic Theory through Learning Using Concept Map.

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (ICEEE 2017), pages 195-198

ISBN: 978-989-758-308-7

195

material involves the process of thinking students.

Novak and Gowin (1985: 15) develop learning by

"concept maps", a theory of learning based on the

principle of meaningful learning Ausubel to show the

meaningful relationship between concepts and

propositions. Research related to the concept map has

been done, such as Novak and Gowin (1985: 5) states

that the concept map function can make clear the

central idea for teachers and students who are

focusing on specific tasks.

To improve students' understanding and activity

in teaching and learning process History of Economic

Theory, it is endeavored to improve this learning by

using concept map gradually, so that students can

learn more meaningful. Start the concept map

prepared by lecturers and students, and finally the

students are able to arrange their own concept maps

after the lecturers give some examples. This study

aims to determine the increase in activity and

understanding of History of Economic Theory

students semester 2016/2017 in the Department of

Economic Education University of Indonesia

Education on the thinking of classical and neo-

classical schools through the use of concept maps.

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This study is a classroom action research using two

cycles with each cycle containing elements of

planning, action, observation, and reflection. This

research was conducted in the department of

Economics Education FPEB University of Education

Indonesia in semester four academic year 2016/2017.

With research subjects are students who take the

course History of Economic Theory that amounted to

32 people with 25 female students and 7 men.

To obtain the necessary data in this research, used

observation by using some of the instruments, namely

(1) student work sheet in the form of concept map; (2)

student test result sheets, pre test and post test; (3) the

observation sheet to observe the implementation of

the action in the lesson; and (4) student response

sheets to the implementation of this lesson.

The indicator of the achievement of the objectives

of this research is the increasing of activity and

motivation of student learning and the improvement

of understanding and able to create the relevant

concept map shown by the assessment of learning

result achieved with the absorption of each student

reaches 70%.

3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This classroom action research is conducted in two

cycles, namely the subject of the classical school of

classical and classical neo-classical school of thought,

where each cycle is done twice as much as the action

or learning. Aspects studied in this study include

student activities in preparing concept maps and

understanding of students which is shown by the

results of learning the history of economic theory by

applying the concept map method.

a) Observation result of student activity.

Student activity here is student learning activity in

preparing concept map which is all activities done in

process of interaction between lecturer and student

and also among student in order to reach the purpose

of learning.

There are several steps that must be implemented

in making a concept map that is: (i) Selecting and

defining a reading material. The reading material is

selected from a predefined passbook. (ii) Determining

relevant concepts. Sort those concepts from the most

general to the most specialized or examples. (iii)

Compile / write down the concepts on paper.

Mapping the concept based on the most common

conceptual criteria at the top, concepts that are at the

same level of abstraction are placed parallel to each

other, a more specific concept under a more general

concept. (iv) Linking those concepts with certain

connecting words to form propositions and

connecting lines. And (v) If the map is complete, it

should be noted where the concepts are, if necessary

repaired or rearranged in order to become better and

meaningful (Ratna Wilis Dahar, 2006).

Based on the observations related to student

activity in making concept map on the first cycle to

the second cycle obtained information has been a

significant increase. Here is a picture of the increase

in student activity in preparing concept maps on

cycles I and II as shown in Table 1.

Based on Table 1 it can be seen that there has been

an increase in the average of student activity in

creating and compiling the historical concept map of

economic thinking of Classical school in cycle I and

Neo Klasik in cycle II. In the first cycle there has been

an average increase in the percentage of first meeting

activity by 70.4% to 87.4% at the second meeting.

Similarly in cycle II there has been an average

increase in the percentage of first meeting activity by

85.3% to 92.2% in the second meeting.

The increased activity in preparing the concept

map from cycle I to II has shown that students are

motivated and enthusiastic with learning using

concept maps so that they are active in following the

ICEEE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Economic Education and Entrepreneurship

196

lecture activities. Of course the future expectation

with the students has mastered the basic structure of

concept map arrangement in this course by obtaining

a meaningful knowledge framework in this field of

study, so to study the next different material will be

easier.

Table 1: Student Activity In Preparing Concept Map Cycles

I and II

Indicator

Cycles I

Cycles II

Part

. 1

Part

. 2

Part

. 1

Part

. 2

Define

important

concepts

(80,7%)

(86,7%)

(93,8%)

(96,9%)

Sorts the

most

inclusive

concepts to

those that do

not

(71%)

(76,7%)

(81,3%)

(90,6%)

Discuss with

other

students

(83,9%)

(86,7%)

(90,6%)

Construc

t the concept

into a chart

(64,5%)

(76,7%)

(84,4%)

(90,6%)

Connecting

between

concepts

with

conjunctive

words

(54,8%)

(66,7%)

(81,3%)

(87,5%)

Explain the

results of

concept map

creation

(67,7%)

(76,7%)

(90,6%)

(96,9%)

Number of

students

Percentage of

activity

70,4%

78,4%

85,3%

92,2%

b) Results of students' understanding (learning

outcomes).

To know the progress of students understanding of

the material of History of Economic Theory is also

showing the level of learning outcomes then

performed one post test at the end of each meeting.

Increased learning outcomes with excellent category

of post test score as seen in Table 2, this is because

students have managed to find important concepts of

each material learned and has formed into its

cognitive structure.

Based on Table 2 we know that there has been an

increase in learning outcomes from cycle I to cycle II

of each meeting. At the first meeting of cycle I there

is still one student who gets enough category value

second meeting no longer exists. In the second cycle,

especially the second meeting, it was found that all

the students had fulfilled the good value category (B)

with the value of more than 75. It is admitted that

almost half of this class many students have received

excellent grades (B +) and keep increasing from each

meeting , Even those who obtained the category of

value of the favor at the second meeting of cycle II

has been achieved by 6 students or about 18.8% of the

total.

Table 2: Level of Student Understanding After Use of

Concept Map

Category

Cycles I

Cycles II

Part.

Part. 2

(A)

(6,45%)

(6,67%)

(12,5%)

(18,8%)

(A-)

(12,9)

(20%)

(28,1%)

(31,3%)

(B+)

(35,48%)

(36,7%)

(43,8%)

(46,9%)

(B)

(25,81%)

(23,3%)

(9,38%)

(3,13%)

(B-)

(6,45%)

(6,67%)

(3,13%)

(C+)

(9,68%)

(6,67%)

(3,13%)

(C)

(3,23%)

(D)

(E)

Total

(%)

(100%)

The improvement of learning achievement

indicates the improvement of students' thinking

ability to learn to relate between concepts, so that the

next one is able to organize the concept into

meaningful structure which in turn will facilitate the

students in compiling and understanding the lecture

material with stronger memory. This classroom

action research aims to continuously improve and

improve the process and results of continuous

teaching and learning.

The findings of this study are more convincing

that learning with concept maps can help improve the

quality of understanding and learning activities. And

the hypothesis put forward in this study that the use

of concept map learning can improve quality quality

of the results of the understanding of the eye History

of Economic theory in proved true.

Research on the use of concept maps in learning

has also been done Yana Rohmana (2016) indicates

that there is an increase in the percentage of learning

and completion of learning activities of students in

the subjects of Micro Economics in the Department

Improved Understanding of Students on History of Economic Theory through Learning Using Concept Map

197

of Economic Education, Universitas Pendidikan

Indonesia. The conclusions of this study indicate that

the implementation of concept maps brings better

results, it just takes more time and good planning.

These results are increasingly supportive of previous

studies such as Novak and Gowin (1985) and Chei-

Chang Chiou (2008).

4 CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of concept map method in Lecture

History of Economic Theory has been able to increase

student activity in learning activities in each cycle.

From this research also has successfully showed that

learning by using concept map can improve

understanding of student participants of Economic

History course in Economic Education Department

Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia. Using concept

map learning has made the students more involved in

active and creative learning as they are directly

involved in the process of drawing up a concept map

both individually and in groups. In conclusion that the

implementation of concept maps brings more

effective results, it just takes more time and careful

planning of the lecturers.

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