Effect Teacher’s Competence and Student’s Prior Knowledge on
Improvement of Learning Outcomes
Suarman Suarman
1
and Nurul Hikmah
2
1
Economic Education, Faculty of Teaching and Education, Universitas Riau, Pekanbaru, Indonesia
2
Alumnus of Economic Education, School of Postgraduate Studies, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Bandung, Indonesia
Keywords: Learning Outcomes, Teacher’s Competence, Student’s Prior Knowledge.
Abstract: This study aims to determine the effect of teacher’s competence and student’s prior knowledge to student’s
learning outcomes. This research was conducted because of the low student’s learning outcomes. The
hypothesis of this study, namely, teacher’s competence and student’s prior knowledge are the determinants
of learning outcomes which have a positive influence. This study uses survey method with sample in this
study were taken as many as 110 students. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis. The results
showed that the teacher’s competence have no significant effect on learning outcomes and the student’s prior
knowledge has a significant effect on learning outcomes.
1 INTRODUCTION
One of the education issues are still become the
international concern in the last decade is on student’s
learning outcomes. Research reveal that students are
usually worried about their academic results.
Concerns arise because of learning problems and
demands of the school, including the management of
time to study, fear of failure in exams, and bad grades
(McInerney et al, 2012). If the students are capable to
get the good learning outcomes at the end of the
learning process, students are said to be successful. In
addition, function of learning outcomes can also
indicate the quality of an educational institution and
the quality of teachers in it (Hamilton-Ekeke, 2013).
Improved student’s learning outcomes reflect an
improved quality of education. Similarly, on the
contrary, decreased student’s learning outcomes,
describe the low quality of education.
High learning results become the hope of all
parties, both students, parents, and the school. But
many of students who have not reached the mastery
of economic learning shows indicators of less
successful teaching and learning activities conducted.
According to data from the Ministry of Education and
Culture of the Republic of Indonesia, for the social
study programs, the average value of the subjects of
Economics at the National Exam of Senior High
School in 2015 decreased as big as 2.18 when
compared to 2014. In addition, the average value of
National Exam to state high school and private high
school in 2015 was 61.29 while in 2016 average of
national exam was 54.78, decreasing as big as 6.51
points.
Although the codes on the National Exam are
differentiated, the student’s learning outcomes should
be stable and even increase year by year. If the
condition continues to be allowed to decline, feared
the students' learning outcomes become low and the
goal of education does not materialize. Furthermore,
the condition will have impact on further education,
future, career opportunities, social status attainment,
and welfare of the students (Levpušcek & Zupancic,
2009). So, this problem is very important to be solved
because it is an issue that always be faced in the
education scope.
According to Slameto (2010), in the learning
process, there are several factors that can affect
learning outcomes, namely internal factors and
external factors. Internal factors are factors that affect
learning that comes from within the student, which
includes physical factors or health factors,
psychological factors, such as intelligence, attention,
interest, talent, motivation, maturity, and readiness,
and fatigue factors. While external factors are factors
that affect learning that comes from outside of student
666
Suarman, S. and Hikmah, N.
Effect Teacher’s Competence and Student’s Prior Knowledge on Improvement of Learning Outcomes.
In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (ICEEE 2017), pages 666-669
ISBN: 978-989-758-308-7
Copyright © 2017 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved

self, such as family factors, school factors, and
community factors. Family environment factors are
the way parents educate, relationships between family
members, home atmosphere, family economic
conditions, understanding of parents, and cultural
background. School factors are teaching method,
curriculum, teacher relation with student, student
relation with student, school discipline, learning tool,
school time, standard lesson above measure, building
condition, learning method and home task.
Environmental factors of the community are the
activities of students in the community, peer group,
mass media, and life forms of society.
From the many factors that influence student’s
learning outcomes, teacher factor becomes the
dominant factor (Muzenda, 2013; Jennings &
Greenberg, 2009). The teacher becomes a decisive
factor the most important in classroom that play a role
in improving student’s learning outcomes because
interacting directly with students while in school.
Teacher’s competence in the teaching process is a
multidimensional concept that measure various
aspects of inter-related with the knowledge,
communication skills, mastery of the subject matter,
the presence in the classroom, teaching skills and
attitudes of teachers (Muzenda, Allexander, 2013).
Competency dimensions of teachers consists of
pedagogical competence, personal competence,
social competence, and professional competence.
In addition to the competence of teachers,
dominant internal factor in affecting student’s
learning outcomes is student’s prior knowledge of
students (Solihah, 2015; Duff, A, 2004; Greene, JA,
Costa, LC, Robertson, J., Pan, Y., & Deekens, V
2010; Hailikari, T., Nevgi, A., & Komulainen, E,
2008). The study states that there are differences in
learning outcomes between students with high prior
knowledge with low prior knowledge. So, student’s
prior knowledge affect learning outcomes and as the
strongest predictor in determining the outcome in the
classroom. Prior knowledge is a collection of
individual knowledge and experience that gained
throughout the course of their lives and who will they
bring to a new learning experience (Liliasari and
Rahmatan, 2012).
Based on the background of the problem, this
research is important to be examined with the title
Effect Teacher's Competence and Student's Prior
Knowledge on Improvement of Learning Outcomes.
The hypotheses in this study are there are effect that
significant positive between the level of teacher’s
competence and the level of students' prior
knowledge to the level of improving student’s
learning outcomes both simultaneously and partially.
2 METHODS
The study was conducted in one of State High School
in Bandung City with the unit of analysis is students
in the school environment related. The independent
variable in this research are teacher’s competence
(X1) which consists of pedagogical competence,
personal competence, social competence, and
professional competence, and students' prior
knowledge (X2). While dependent variable in this
research is student’s learning outcomes (Y). This
research used types of research descriptive and
verification with survey method. The sample in this
research is 110 students with sampling technique
using simple random sampling. Data collection
techniques in this study was questionnaire for
teacher’s competence variable and grade school exam
scores of Economic Subjects for student’s prior
knowledge variable and Economic learning outcomes
variable. Hypothesis testing using inferential
statistical analysis with analysis tools using multiple
regression analysis. Multiple regression analysis
previously had to meet the requirements analysis test
in the form of data normality assumption test,
multicollinearity test, and heteroscedasticity test.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
3.1 Research Result
The analysis has fulfilled the prerequisite test. After
testing the hypothesis, then obtained the following
results:
Table 1: Model summary.
R
R Square
Adjusted R Square
.845
.715
.710
Source: SPSS Output
Simultaneously X1 and X2 have contributed as
much as 71.5% in explaining changes in the variable
Y. This means that 71.5% of student’s learning
outcomes can be explained by teacher’s competence
and student’s prior knowledge. The remaining 28.5%
is the influence of other variables which are not
described in the model.
Table 2: ANOVA.
F
Sig.
134124
.000
Source: SPSS Output
Effect Teacher’s Competence and Student’s Prior Knowledge on Improvement of Learning Outcomes
667

In the Sig. column on ANOVA table, Sig. value
of 0.000 or less than probability value 0.05 (sig 0.000
< 0.050). This means that multiple regression
coefficients are significant. So, X1 and X2
simultaneous and significant effect on Y. In other
words, teacher’s competence and student’s prior
knowledge effect simultaneously and significant on
learning outcomes.
Table 3: Coefficients.
Model
Standardized
Coefficients
T
Sig.
Beta
(Constant)
X1
X2
-.018
.846
30.204
-.346
16378
.000
.730
.000
Source: SPSS Output
X1 beta standardized value of -0.018 and
significance at 0.730 which means that teacher’s
competence was not significant effect on learning
outcomes. The amount of the effect of teacher’s
competence on the learning outcomes of (-0.018)2 or
at 0.03%. This study showed that the students'
learning outcomes in Economic Subjects are not
influenced by the teacher’s competence who teach
them.
While X2 beta standardized value of 0.846 and
significance at 0.000 which means that students' prior
knowledge was significant positive effect on learning
outcomes. The amount of the effect of students' prior
knowledge to the learning outcomes of (0.846) 2 or at
71.57%. This research indicated that the student’s
learning outcomes on Economics Subjects are greatly
influenced by the student’s prior knowledge.
Student’s prior knowledge before starting new
learning in school, making student’s learning
outcomes also increased on Economics Subjects.
3.2 Discussion
Simultaneously, teacher’s competence and student’s
prior knowledge influenced to learning outcomes of
71.5%. But partially, teacher’s competence has no
effect on learning outcomes. While student’s prior
knowledge was very significant effect on learning
outcomes.
3.2.1 Influence of Teacher’s Competence
(X1) on Learning Outcomes (Y)
Teacher’s competence not significant effect on
learning outcomes. The amount of the effect of
teacher’s competence on the learning outcomes of (-
0.018)2 or at 0.03%, while the remaining 99.97%
influenced by other variables that were not described
in the model. This means that if teacher’s competence
increased by 1 standard deviation, then the learning
outcomes will increase by 0.03%. This means that
learning outcomes was not significantly influenced
by teacher’s competence who teach them.
The findings of this study indicated that teacher’s
competence has no effect on learning outcomes due
to other factors that not examined in this study were
more dominant influence on learning outcomes. As
according to Slameto (2010) that argue that in
addition to teacher’s competence, the factors that
affect learning outcomes: physical factors or health
factors, psychological factors, such as intelligence,
attention, interest, talent, motivation, maturity, and
readiness, and fatigue factors, family factors, school
factors, and community factors. Family environment
factors are the way parents educate, relationships
between family members, home atmosphere, family
economic conditions, understanding of parents, and
cultural background. School factors are teaching
method, curriculum, student relation with student,
school discipline, learning tool, school time, standard
of lesson above measure, state of building, learning
method and home task. Environmental factors of the
community are the activities of students in the
community, peer group, mass media, and forms of
society life.
Findings showed that teacher’s competence has
no effect on learning outcomes. According to the
predictions of the author, the reason why teacher’s
competence has no effect on learning outcomes
because teacher’s competence was not sufficient to
implement the learning process. If the teacher's
competence was not sufficient, then the learning
process will not be effective and enjoyable. If
learning was not effective and fun, then student be
difficult to accept, absorb, understand the lessons,
then impact on learning outcomes.
3.2.2 The Influence of Student’s Prior
Knowledge (X2) on Learning
Outcomes (Y)
Student’s prior knowledge significant positive effect
on learning outcomes. The amount of influence
student’s prior knowledge on learning outcomes of
(0.846)2 or by 71.57%, while the remaining 28.43%
influenced by other variables that were not described
in the model. This means that if student’s prior
knowledge increased by 1 standard deviation, then
learning outcome will increase by 71.57%. This study
showed that student’s learning outcomes was strongly
influenced by student’s prior knowledge. Student’s
prior knowledge before starting new learning in
ICEEE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Economic Education and Entrepreneurship
668

school, making student’s learning outcomes also
increased. According to Gagne Theory (Suyono and
Hariyanto, 2012), in learning occurs process of
receiving information which is then processed to
produce the output of learning outcomes. In learning
of learning a process of receiving information and
processed to produce output in the form of learning
outcomes.
This finding was supported by Duff, A’s research
(2004) which showed that student’s prior knowledge
of first-year on Accounting and Business Subjects
affect on learning outcomes. Corresponding with
findings in other academic discipline, researcher's
results reported that prior knowledge about
psychology predicted results in the psychology
course. Thompson and Zamboanga (2004) found that
psychology’s prior knowledge that measured on pre-
test in the beginning semester were predicted as
determinants of psychology test scores. Thus, prior
knowledge of subject must help in encoding, storage,
and then retrieval information when finishing
course’s task and take exam.
4 CONCLUSIONS
Based on the results, be concluded that teacher’s
competence and student’s prior knowledge were
significant positive effect on student’s learning
outcomes simultaneously. But partially, teacher’s
competence not significant to student’s learning
outcomes. While student’s prior knowledge have
significant positive effect on learning outcomes.
Suggestion to this research are: 1. To improve
student’s learning outcomes, schools and the
government is expected to continue implementing of
teacher performance improvement programs
consistently and continuously, especially with regard
to teacher’s competence, 2. To improve teacher’s
competence, the government must provide special
education and training on teacher’s competence in
learning process. In addition, teachers must commit
to themselves to improving the quality of program
development and improvement of teacher
performance, 3. To increase students' prior
knowledge, teachers should provide meaningful
learning and learning thoroughly, so students more
understand the material and have good prior
knowledge, and 4. As for further research, this study
should be done with adding other variables such as
learning motivation, learning model, etc. are carried
out in the educational unit on a broader population
coverage.
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