Teacher Development Through Implementation of Thematic
Teaching Material in Project-Based Learning Setting on Primary
School
Effy Mulyasari, Andhin Dyas Fitriani and Harsa Wara Prabawa
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Jl. Dr. Setiabudhi No. 229, Bandung, Indonesia
effy@upi.edu
Keywords: Thematic Teaching Materials, Project-Based Learning.
Abstract: Thematic learning is one of the effective learning models (highly effective teaching model). thematic learning
is a fun learning because it departs from the interests and needs of students, learning outcomes will last longer
because learning is more memorable and meaningful. However, there are some obstacles in its implementation
of thematic learning model. One of the problems is related to the teachers’ capability in teaching materials
and implementing teaching material in setting project based learning. Furthermore, the study was aimed to
investigate some issues that related with teachers’ development and teaching materials in setting project based
learning. The study involved two teachers and 30 students. Thus, experimental research was applied in the
study that started with the development of teaching materials for the students. The result of the study shows
that teachers’ development of thematic teaching materials is increased. Referring to the result, it also increases
students’ achievement in the teaching and learning process.
1 INTRODUCTION
The effectiveness of integrated thematic learning
model can be seen from its ability to accommodate
and integrally touch emotional, physical and
academic parts in the classroom or in school
environment. Empirically, this thematic learning
model has also been proved capable and successful to
trigger acceleration and increase long-term memory
capacity of learners (enhanced learning and long-term
memory capabilities of learners). The main premise
of thematic learning is that students need additional
opportunities to utilize their gifts and talents,
providing time with others to rapidly conceptualize
and synthesize a particular knowledge. On the other
hand, thematic learning is suitable to accommodate
qualitative differences regarding the learning
environment around students (Samsuri, 2013).
However, along with the development of the
learning process in primary schools, the
implementation of thematic learning encountered
several obstacles including: (1) The limited
knowledge and ability of teachers in teaching
according to the theme; (2) The available teaching
materials that still use the subject approach making it
difficult for teachers to integrate material according
to the theme; (3) Thematic teaching materials are still
national so that some of the materials are less
appropriate with the condition of student learning
environment; (4) Team teaching model is appropriate
for school conditions that apply the subject teacher
system. However, this model requires high
coordination and commitment for each teacher; (5)
Schedule using subjects makes it difficult for teachers
to integrate subjects flexibly; (6) The use of theme
schedules is more flexible in the delivery of thematic
learning, but requires careful planning in terms of the
weight of presentation between subjects (Fitriani et
al., 2014; Pudjiastuti, 2010; Sukini, 2012).
Based on this study, several important things that
become the basis of the implementation of this
coaching activities are matters relating to (1) the
limited knowledge and ability of teachers in teaching
according to the theme; (2) the available teaching
materials that still use the subject approach making it
difficult for teachers to integrate the material
according to the theme; (3) thematic materials that are
still national so that some of the materials are less
appropriate with the local conditions and student
learning environment; (4) schedules that based on
subjects make it difficult for teachers to integrate
subjects flexibly; And (5) the use of theme schedules
260
Mulyasari, E., Fitriani, A. and Prabawa, H.
Teacher Development Through Implementation of Thematic Teaching Material in Project-Based Learning Setting on Primary School.
In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Educational Sciences (ICES 2017) - Volume 1, pages 260-263
ISBN: 978-989-758-314-8
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
is more flexible in the delivery of thematic lessons,
but requires careful planning in terms of weighting of
presentation between subjects.
In general, the identified issues from the results of
preliminary observation and discussion of problems
with teachers in target schools are related to the
process of adaptation of the new curriculum (in this
case is the 2013 curriculum) in classroom learning.
These problems can be grouped into several
categories including teacher creativity, student
independence and evaluation of process and learning
outcomes.
In the teacher's creativity point of view, some
expressed obstacles for example: (1) difficulty in
determining the Basic Competence in accordance
with the recommended theme; (2) In making the
lesson plan (RPP), teachers have difficulty in
determining activities that combine several subjects
in one theme; (3) In the thematic learning activities,
teachers have difficulty in developing teaching
materials to integrate several subjects in one theme;
(4) The learning process emphasizes the cognitive
aspect rather than the affective and psychomotor
aspects so that it is less intriguing to the students; (5)
Thematic teaching materials are still national so some
materials are less appropriate with the condition of
student learning environment
In terms of student independence, ideally thematic
learning is a fun learning because it departs from the
interests and needs of students, learning outcomes
will last longer because learning is more memorable
and meaningful. In addition, thematic learning ideally
can foster social skills, such as cooperation, tolerance,
communication, and responsiveness to other people's
ideas. But in its implementation, it is difficult to
develop students' independence in executing the
results of a thematic learning process, so in the
implementation, the teacher is encouraged to
intervene in the process by giving an explanation. As
the impact, the process of learning comes back on
teacher-dominated learning activities in constructing
student knowledge.
Meanwhile, the problems related to process
evaluation and learning outcomes are (1) Learning
trend is implemented using integrated thematic
approach but evaluation process is done in the form
of separate subjects. The unavailability of the
assessment guidelines that accommodate the
assessment pattern in integrated thematic learning is
why the evaluation is still relying on the pattern per
subject. (2) Teachers' tendency not to conduct process
assessments in organized learning, due to the
concentration of thematic instruction. (3) Many
teachers do not carry out final assessments because
they feel that the group assignments that have been
given to students in the form of LKS are final
assessments.
2 THEMATICS TEACHING
MATERIALS
The fundamental problem is the lack of teaching
materials that are thematic. Teaching materials can be
interpreted materials or learning materials are
prepared in a complete and systematic based on the
principles of learning used by teachers and students
in the learning process. The teaching materials are
systematic, unique and specific (Sungkono, 2009).
Meanwhile, the principles of developing teaching
materials, among others (PusKur, 2008): flexible and
adaptive, functional and meaningful, based on the
environment, educative, effective and efficient, and
alignment.
Thematic learning is an approach in learning a
process to link and integrate teaching materials in a
subject or inter subjects with all aspects of child
development, as well as the needs and demands of the
family's social environment (John, 2015). Another
definition of a thematic approach is the holistic
approach, which combines aspects of epistemology,
social, psychology, and pedagogic approaches to
educate children, that are connecting between brain
and body, between person and person, between
individuals and communities, and between
knowledge domains (Udin et al., 2006). The strengths
of thematic learning materials are (1) these learning
materials are based on the use of meaningful topics
for social life; (2) students are given the opportunity
to give input to the process and learning materials; (3)
possible variations of activities, not just learning to
read and write; And (4) students can see and reflect
on, and discuss the various problems of life they
experience (Sujarwo, 2008). Preparation of teaching
materials is an effort to formulate or design the
materials and tools that will be presented in the
learning process based on predefined themes.
3 PROJECT BASED LEARNING
One of the approaches that is applied is Project Based
Learning. Project Based Learning is an innovative
learning approach, which emphasizes contextual
learning through complex activities (Kamdi, 2008).
The projects here are complex, based on question or
challenging tasks, involving students actively starting
Teacher Development Through Implementation of Thematic Teaching Material in Project-Based Learning Setting on Primary School
261
from the project planning stage, up to the project
evaluation stage. A project in Project Based Learning
focuses on questions or problems, which encourage
students to undergo (by hard work) the core concepts
and principles of discipline or learning materials
(Kamdi, 2008).
Project Based Learning focuses on the key
concepts and principles of a discipline, engages
students in problem-solving activities and other
meaningful assignments, provides students with
opportunities to study at a given time, and finishes in
products that are valuable, realistic and can be
presented (Rais, 2010). As a model of learning,
Project Based Learning has several principles as
follows (Wena, 2012; Blumenfeld et al., 1991;
Bereiter and Scardamalia, 1999; Dryden and Vos,
2001): Autonomy Principles, Centrality Principles,
Driving Question Principles, Constructive
Investigation Principles, Realistic Principles
(Realism).
4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This study used paired t-test and Analysis Tools menu
on the Microsoft Excel 2010. The result showed that
significance (α) 0.05 (see Table I). Moreover,
students’ average scores pre-treatment is lower than
post-treatment. The calculation by using normalized
gain Hake (1999) shows that the highest average
comes from the students in the high group, which is
0.84 (the high category). Meanwhile, the middle
group and below group are in the score of 0.64 and
0.61 which belong to the middle categories.
According to the Table I, it could be stated that the
changes of thematic teaching materials in setting
project based learning give positive feedback towards
the students’ improvement to the learning material.
Table 1: The comparison between before and after
treatment.
Variable 1
Variable 2
Mean
37.4673219
52,6741902
Variance
185.753081
98.590283
Observations
30
30
Df
29
t Stat
8.554080
P(T<=t) one-tail
1.0538E-13
t Critical one-tail
1.08467032
P(T<=t) two-tail
2.29630E-13
t Critical two-tail
2.0009824
t-Test: Paired Two Sample for Means
Furthermore, the findings show that teachers’
development helps them to select the most suitable
learning content, project, process, product, and
environment. The teachers applied project based
learning method to relate some topical themes with
some object in students’ daily life. Thematic teaching
materials can facilitate students in learning concept
and facilitate students in learning. However, even
though still difficulties in the preparation of the
project, but the teachers showed improvement in the
ability to arrange teaching materials. It is also evident
from the student increased abilities after applying the
lessons using project based thematic materials.
5 CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE
WORK
This study shows that project based learning gives
positive impact in the teachers’ development and
ability towards some thematic teaching materials. The
teachers’ development towards thematic content
knowledge will influence the improvement of the
teaching and learning quality in the classroom.
Through thematic materials in the project based
learning, students understanding increasing, because
through the project and thematic makes it easier for
students to understand a concept. Thematic learning
can be developed with the characteristic of each
region.
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