Analysis of Character Education in Students’ Learning Process
in National Junior High School
Afriana Afriana and Emil Eka Putra
Department of English, Putera Batam University, Batam, Indonesia
Keywords: Character Education, Learning Process.
Abstract: This study focuses on character education that is aimed at helping learners to become people who have
better behaviour. The study used a qualitative descriptive method to briefly examine character education in
English learning process in 9
th
grade classes of National Junior High School (SMPN) which are in SMPN 1,
SMPN 3, and SMPN 5 Batam. The results of this study indicate that the character education planning in the
learning process undertaken by the teacher included preparing the syllabus, RPP (Lesson Plan) which had
already been integrated with the values of character education and reading references about the material to
be taught that had been previously written in RPP. The teachers were free to apply kinds of learning method
because every teacher had different tricks and strategies. The learning process involved not only active
teachers but also active students. The role of teachers in learning was not only as a speaker but also as a
facilitator and motivator for students. Most teachers of SMPN in Batam implemented lecture and question
and answer method. The lecture method that is often used in every meeting made the students felt bored
because there was no variation in the learning process. Then, the question and answer method were also
used by the teacher to measure the level of students' understanding on the presented material. The evaluation
system was based on the value of semester test results, midterm exam, daily test, and daily observation of
each student. The values included in the report were three aspects: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor.
1 INTRODUCTION
The character values that can be integrated in
English subject consist of some principal or main
character values. Provisions relating to the principal
or main character values do not necessarily limit the
introduction, development, and internalization of
other character values. That is, the other character
values that are possible to be integrated in learning,
are also recommended to be introduced, developed,
and internalized in the real life of learners. The main
character values, in this case, are the character
values used as the starting point for the development
of another character values. Through the
introduction, development, and internalization of
these basic character values, it is expected that other
character values can be developed as well. The main
character values are the priority character values to
be integrated, developed, and internalized for and by
the learners.
Education is an effort of society and nation to
prepare its young generation for the sustainability of
better life of society and nation in the future.
Sustainability is characterized by the society and
national cultural and character inheritance. In the
process of cultural and character education of the
society or nation, the students actively develop their
potentials, internalize the process, and appreciate the
valuesinto their personalities in socializing,
developing a more prosperous society, and the life of
a dignified nation. In line with the rate of
development of society, education becomes very
dynamic and adaptive to the existing development.
The educational curriculum is not a static standard,
but it is dynamic and has to adapt to the situation
and conditions.
Character education in English learning can be
applied through strategies because strategies can
establish better relationship between student and
teacher. With this argument, therefore, researchers
want to further observe the application of character
education in the learning process of junior high
school students in Batam. The purpose of this study
is to describe the planning process of character
education application in class IX’s English learning
process of some junior high schools in Batam and to
evaluate the process of character education
Afriana, A. and Putra, E.
Analysis of Character Education in Students’ Learning Process in National Junior High School.
DOI: 10.5220/0007168604290433
In Proceedings of the Tenth Conference on Applied Linguistics and the Second English Language Teaching and Technology Conference in collaboration with the First International Conference
on Language, Literature, Culture, and Education (CONAPLIN and ICOLLITE 2017) - Literacy, Culture, and Technology in Language Pedagogy and Use, pages 429-433
ISBN: 978-989-758-332-2
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
429

application in class IX’s English learning process of
Junior High School in Batam.
The word character is derived from Greek
charassein which means to engrave and translated as
carving, painting, or scratching (Echols and Shadily,
1995). In Indonesian Dictionary the word
"character" is defined as psychological traits, morals
or behaviors that distinguish a person. Characters
can also mean letters, numbers, spaces, and special
symbols which can appear on the screen through a
keyboard. A character person is a person who has
personalities and behavior. Thus, character is the
behavior and nature of a person which becomes the
basis to distinguish someone from others.
In the process of its development and formation,
one's character is influenced by two factors, namely
environmental factors (nurture) and innate factors
(nature). Psychologically characteristic behavior is a
manifestation of a person’s potential of Intelligence
Quotient (IQ), Emotional Quotient (EQ), Spiritual
Quotient (SQ), and Adverse Quotient (AQ).
Configuration of characters in the context of the
totality of psychological and socio-cultural processes
can ultimately be grouped into four categories,
namely 1) spiritual and emotional development, 2)
intellectual development, 3) physical and
kinesthetics development, and 4) affective and
creativity development. These four psycho-social
processes are holistically and coherently interrelated
and complementary in the context of character
formation and the internalization of noble values in a
person (Kemendikbud, 2010).
2 METHODS
This research is about the analysis of the application
of character education in the learning process of
national junior high school students in Batam.
Therefore, this research is descriptive qualitative
research which is reported in the form of description
and pictures and do not use statistical figures.
According Moleong (2007), qualitative research is a
study that is intended to understand the holistic
phenomenon experienced by the subject of research
such as behavior, perception, motivation, action, etc.
through description of words and language, in a
special natural context by utilizing various scientific
methods. Population of this research is all students
of class IX SMPN 1 Batam (St.1), all students of
class IX SMPN 3 Batam (St.3), and all student of
class IX SMPN 5 (St.5). Sample of this research is
taken by random sampling technique that is
researcher take one class in each of Junior High
School (SMP) in Batam.
3 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
The implementation of this research includes pre-
research phase, research phase and data analysis
phase. In the pre-research phase the research permit
at selected locations, namely SMPN I Batam (Sc.1),
SMPN 3 Batam (Sc.3), and SMPN 5 Batam (Sc.5)
was arranged. In this early phase of research,
researchers conducted observations and
documentation and then continued with interviews.
In the observation researchers conducted character
education observation on learning process at Sc.1,
Sc.3, and Sc.5. Here the researchers directly
observed the learning steps. While in the interview
stage, researchers conducted interviews with the
principal (informant 1), curriculum vice principal
(informant 2), English teachers (informant 3), as
well as students (informant 4). The purpose of this
interview was explained to the informant so that
openness, comfort, and trust can be established.
Students’ interview is focused on building same
perceptions on students' responses to their learning
atmosphere and how students feel in English
learning. To strengthen the observation and
interview data, researchers recorded the observations
in the forms of photographs and recorded data
relating to character education in the learning
process.
The obtained data is the data obtained through
interview and observation. In this case the result of
interview is primary data which is very important
because it is the main component in data analysis
activity while field research note result is supporting
data. Interview guide was further developed in
research or in the process of collecting data from
interviewee.
Based on informant 1 interview data,
strengthened by informant 2 interview data, and
observation result data it is found that character
education should not only implemented at home but
it also must be developed in school educational
institution. At school, it is integrated in all subjects,
self-improvement and school culture. In this study
character education integrated in all subjects is
limited to the English subjects. In the learning
process the values of character building are
integrated. Character education is not a separate
subject and there is no separate curriculum that must
be taught.
CONAPLIN and ICOLLITE 2017 - Tenth Conference on Applied Linguistics and the Second English Language Teaching and Technology
Conference in collaboration with the First International Conference on Language, Literature, Culture, and Education
430

3.1 Character Education in Learning
Process
Learning has a broad meaning. Learning is an
activity consisting learning and teaching. Learning is
the activity that causes behavior to change in the
individual self, while teaching is the activity of
giving things to learn.
Learning as a system is a complete learning
which consists of several inter-related subsystems.
The process involves various components. Those
components are objectives, subject of learning,
subject matter, strategy, media, evaluation, and
support. The objective component is the learning
objects, while the subjects of learning are the teacher
and the student. According to the information of the
informant 1 about character education in the learning
process it is found that:
“Teacher should have integrated it (the
character education into other subjects)
because there is no curriculum of its own
(character education), even though some
teacher has not yet applied in the
curriculum.”
In the above statement the informant 1 states the
importance of character education integration in
other subjects. He further orders the teacher to
integrate the character values in the explanation of
the teaching materials and in the examples given
during the learning process. In making lesson plan
(RPP) the informant 1 emphasize the importance of
integrating it. The statement is further strengthening
by observation data and the statement of informant
2:
“Character education is already integrated
implicitly. It integrated within each subject
and in the practice of the common prayer.”
The observation data and the existing
documentation show that the character education
values have been implicitly integrated in the lesson
plan (RPP). For some other teachers who have not
yet included these values in the lesson plan, they
integrated it in the implementation of the learning
process. Explicitly the applications of character
education are manifested in the form of weekly
Monday ceremonies, National day celebration
ceremonies, Dhuha prayer at first break and Dzuhur
prayer on the second break and so on. In the process
of learning in the classroom teachers add the values
of the characters in the material delivered. As when
researchers followed the English learning process,
when the teachers delivered the material the teacher
gave examples in accordance with the circumstances
of the environment as well as the values of character
education such as being honest, disciplined,
generous, helpful and active doing positive things.
In the three research sites the facilities and
infrastructures used are not enough and need to be
adjusted to the condition of the school environment
and the characteristics of students. Teaching media
are also limited because teachers only used
whiteboards and markers. The methods used by
teachers are lecture and discussion. However, this
method makes the students feel bored, bored of the
monotonous of learning process.
From the findings, the researcher concludes that
character education is applied in learning to guide
the students to have character values such as
discipline, honesty, obedience, religious respect,
mutual respect, and cooperation. For this the
teachers need to give example to the students. Since
existing curriculum gives full freedom to teachers
regarding the methods used, teachers then should
use methods that are considered appropriate to the
circumstances, environment and students and the
available infrastructure facilities of the school. By
this, teachers will not be forced to use inappropriate
methods in teaching.
3.2 Character Education Planning in
Learning
Planning learning process includes syllabus and
lesson plan (RPP) which contains subject identity,
competence standard (SK), basic competence (KD),
competency achievement indicators, learning
objectives, teaching materials, time allocation,
learning method, learning activity, assessment of
learning result, and learning resources
(Permendiknas No.41, 2007). According to Usman
(2000) activities included in learning planning are:
1) The management of learning activities planning
2) The organization of lesson materials planning
3) The classroom management planning
4) The use of teaching methods and tools planning
From the findings of research conducted in Sc.1,
Sc. 3 and Sc. 5, it is found that the learning planning
made by teachers are in the form of prota (yearly
program), promes (semester program), syllabus, and
RPP (Lesson Plan). These things are made at the
beginning of the academic year. Every subject
teacher makes prota, promes, syllabus, and RPP.
Teachers also include character education values
into RPP and define the methods and media to be
Analysis of Character Education in Students’ Learning Process in National Junior High School
431

used for conveying the material. This is consistent
with what is said by informant 3 and informant 2:
“The RPP has been made for new academic
year. The RPP was made at the beginning of
the new academic year along with prota,
promos and syllabus.”
“Method considered suitable to be applied is
certainly adapted to the characteristics of the
subject, then the situation of environmental
conditions, learners’ condition, infrastructure
facilities availability and so forth. By doing
so, learning process does not focus on one
medium only but supported by using various
media.”
Preparation of subject matter for the application
of character education in the process of learning is
left to each teacher. This is in accordance with what
is said by informant 3 and informant 2:
“I told the students to use the internet but for
me, I use the laptop, flash disk, power point
to teach the material.”
“What our teachers prepare, because
teachers have different ways and strategies,
in general in accordance with the rule are
character education values integration in
every subject they teach. Because the
character education is implicitly integrated in
the process of learning in each subject then
the administration is generally the same as
the administration of learning process of
each subject starting from the preparation of
syllabus, RPP, analysis, assessment and so
forth.”
From the data the researchers conclude that the
implementation of character education planning in
the learning process undertaken by the teacher
include the preparation of syllabus, RPP (Lesson
Plan) which has been integrated with the characters
education values. School does not require teachers to
use certain methods. Teachers are free to use
methods that they think are appropriate with their
teaching material. Teachers preparation also need to
be adjusted to the condition of the school
environment and students condition, especially in
planning lessons using media that improvise
according to conditions of infrastructure facilities. In
the observations it is also found that the
implementation of learning that implements
character education is already good enough.
Teachers are very active in the learning process. The
teacher is not only a speaker and facilitator but also
a motivator.
3.3 Character Education Evaluation in
Learning
Evaluation is a process to determine the outcomes
that have been achieved (Arikunto, 2010). Activities
in the evaluation of learning are as follows:
1) Evaluating achievement of learning outcomes of
Learners
2) Evaluating the achievement of educational
objectives, whether student achievement can
demonstrate the expected learning achievement
or not
3) Evaluating the use of learning outcomes to
improve the way learners learn and to improve
learning programs (Usman, 2000)
The results of research show that the assessment
system in Sc. 1, Sc. 3, and Sc. 5 in evaluating the
application of character education in the learning
processes are the same as other learning process.
Since character education is integrated in each
subject so the evaluation system is still the same i.e.
there is semester exam, midterm exam, and daily test
on the basis of three aspects namely cognitive,
psychomotor, and affective. As told by informant 3:
“There are two, the cognitive is daily test,
and the regular test is daily test. In addition, I
also consider the students’ behaviour.”
In addition to the evaluation conducted for the
students, the teacher also gets his/her own
evaluation. Usually schools conduct monitoring for
every teacher. Monitoring is done every semester or
every six months, as explained by informant 2:
“To monitor this learning process every
semester the principal evaluates it based on
syllabus, RPP, including the integration of
the character education materials”
With the monitoring, the school can find out how
the teachers teach students. The monitoring also
evaluates the constraints experienced by each
teacher, so that these constraints later can be
discussed in the meeting involving all parties. From
the interview data and observations in Sc.1, Sc.3,
and Sc. 5 showed the evaluation in these school are
not conducted based on semester test result and daily
test result only, but also based on students’
CONAPLIN and ICOLLITE 2017 - Tenth Conference on Applied Linguistics and the Second English Language Teaching and Technology
Conference in collaboration with the First International Conference on Language, Literature, Culture, and Education
432

behaviour in class. The final grades in student report
cards are from students' cognitive, affective, and
psychomotor aspects. From these findings
researchers conclude that the evaluation system in
Sc. 1, Sc. 3, and Sc.5 is good. By having this scoring
system that considers the three aspects of cognitive,
affective, and psychomotor the learning objectives
can be achieved equally.
4 CONCLUSIONS
Based on above results and discussion, it can be
concluded that character education planning in the
learning process undertaken by teachers includes
preparing syllabus, RPP (Lesson Plan) which
integrates the values of character education.
Learning planning is conducted in accordance with
the circumstances and characteristics of the students.
The method used in learning process is left to the
teacher by considering the condition of the students
and school environment. Also, the learning process
involves not only active teachers but also active
students. To stimulate students’ activeness teachers,
ask questions that stimulate students to think. The
role of teachers in learning is not only as a speaker
but also as a facilitator and motivator for students.
Most teachers such as English teacher in Sc. 1, Sc. 3,
and Sc. 5 use the methods of lecture and
questioning. Facilities and infrastructure are used in
accordance with the needs of learning activities.
Furthermore, evaluation system in Sc. 1, Sc. 3, and
Sc. 5 are based on the results of semester test,
semester mid-test, daily test, and daily observation
of every student. The report cards score based on
three aspects of cognitive aspect, affective aspects,
and psychomotor aspects. In addition to this
evaluation system, teacher monitoring is also
conducted to evaluate the activities undertaken by
teachers and students and to evaluate the constraints
in the course experienced by the teacher.
REFERENCES
Arikunto, S., 2010. Prosedur Penelitian Suatu Pendekatan
Praktik. Jakarta: Rineka Cipta.
Echols, J.M., Shadily, H., 1995. Kamus Bahasa
Inggris. Jakarta: Gramedia.
Kemendikbud, 2010. Desain Induk Pendidikan Karakter.
Moleong, L., 2007. Metodologi Penelitian Kualitatif.
Bandung: PT Remaja Rosdakarya.
Permendiknas No.41., 2007. Standar Proses untuk Satuan
Pendidikan Dasar dan Menengah. Jakarta: Badan
Standar Nasional Pendidikan.
Usman, M.U., 2000. Menjadi Guru Professional.
Surabaya: Remaja Rosdakarya.
Analysis of Character Education in Students’ Learning Process in National Junior High School
433