The Application of Scientific Approach in Developing Students’
Characters through Practicum
Oban Sobandi, SariSari, Ferli Septi Irwansyah, Wahyudin Darmalaksana and Mahmud Mahmud
UIN Sunan Gunung Djati Bandung, JL. A. H. Nasution No 105A Bandung 40614
Keywords: Scientific Approach, Characters, Practicum.
Abstract: The 2013 curriculum emphasizes the formation of attitudes, skills and knowledge. Chemistry learning
should be done creatively and innovatively by integrating phenomena in everyday life with the development
of technology. Character development in chemistry learning is highly possible. This is from the blend of
scientific process skills and attitude. This study aims to describe the application of scientific approach in
developing students’ characters. This study used classroom research. The results showed that the approach
of scientific approach through practicum was able to develop students’ characters. The observation stage
can develop religious characters, the questioning stage can develop the character of curiosity, the stage of
collecting data can develop communicative characters and responsibilities, the stage of association can
develop the character of reading, hard work, independent and tolerant. Those stages were in moderate level
to build students’ characters.
1 INTRODUCTION
Practicum method is one method of learning that can
be used to integrate knowledge, skills and attitudes
of the students. In fact, this method has not provided
an opportunity for students to develop the expected
characters. Practicum methods are still aimed at
improving cognitive learning outcomes only,
without involving the characters of students, which
became the goal of national education in achieving
learning outcomes that must be taken seriously.
To develop students’ characters, the teacher
should look for the right learning approach to enable
character development. The integration of character
values in the application of scientific or inquiry
learning takes place through questioning,
hypothesizing, designing experiments and discussing
(Suparson, 2012). The way the teacher inculcates the
values of characters in learning is by giving,
inserting character values in learning materials,
adapting to learning methods, and connecting
learning materials with daily life (Rhamdhani,
2016).
Characters can be developed with exemplary,
habituating and conducive circumstances in learning
(Ramdhani, 2014). They are instilled in chemistry
learning in every stage of learning (Hikmah, 2013).
In the learning of scientific approach, students are
invited to conduct the process of seeking knowledge
related to the subject matter through various
scientific activities as conducted by scientists in
doing investigation (Arumsari, 2014). This study
focuses on the application of a scientific approach to
develop the character of students through practicum.
2 METHOD
This study used a classroom action method
(Hopkins, 2002). This research was conducted to
third grade senior high school students of
Mathematics and Natural Sciences in one public
school in Bandung, Indonesia. The study involved
36 students consisting of 16 men and 20 women,
which were then divided into six heterogeneous
groups based on achievement.
The learning process started from observing,
planning, investigating, conducting experiments,
explaining and communicating (Iyad Dkeidek,
2010). The steps are presented in Table 1.
Sobandi, O., Sari, S., Irwansyah, F., Darmalaksana, W. and Mahmud, M.
The Application of Scientific Approach in Developing Students’ Characters through Practicum.
In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education (ICSE 2017) - Volume 2, pages 71-74
ISBN: 978-989-758-316-2
Copyright © 2018 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
71

Table 1: Characters developed in each scientific approach.
No
Scientific Stages
Developed Characters
1
Observing
Religious
2
Questioning
a. Curious
b. Environmentally
care
3
Collecting Data
a. Patient
b. Honest
c. Careful
d. Communicative
e. Serious
f. Socially care
g. Responsibility
4
Associating
a. Interested in
reading
b. Hard working
c. Independent
5
Communicating
a. Tolerant
b. Democratic
Based on table 1, characters developed in every
stage of scientific learning are as follows:
2.1 Observing
At this stage, students are given a worksheet that
contains a text about the solubility of a soluble
electrolyte, such as stalactites and stalagmites that
we can find in everyday life.
2.2 Questioning
At this stage students are given the opportunity to
write questions based on the text given. By asking
questions, we can improve students' thinking and
attitude skills (Wenning, 2004).
2.3 Collecting Data
At the stage of collecting data students are required
to write tools and materials on the lab that will be
used. After the practicum, the teacher guides the
students to fill in the observation data already
available on the worksheet.
2.4 Associating
At this stage students are asked to answer questions
about unsaturated and saturated solutions, and the
factors that affect solubility and solubility products.
2.5 Communicating
Communicating is the activity of writing or telling
what is found in finding information, associating and
finding patterns (Ida Ayu Km Mirah Wartini, 2014).
After students follow a series of lessons, the final
stage of the scientific approach is communicating.
At this stage students are asked to draw conclusions
on the worksheet and present the results of the
practicum and discuss it with members in a group.
3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The observing stage in scientific learning aims to
motivate students to find out the process of
formation of stalactites and stalagmites. In addition
students can learn the beauty of one of the chemical
minerals that Allah created. Researchers hope that
this phenomenon will make students have curiosity
and gratitude towards the favors Allah has created.
Based on the observations, the characters
developed in the observing stages for each study
group can be seen in table 2 below:
Table 2: Character analysis of students at the observing
stage.
Developed
Characters
Group
Score
Category
Religious
High
50
Moderate
Medium
50
Moderate
Low
50
Moderate
Based on table 2, the stages of questioning
religious indicators in each group are still in the
moderate category. This is because students have not
maximized their senses in making observations.
Students are still accustomed to observations only by
looking at objects only. It should involve many
senses. As Farida observes, it is the process of using
the senses of sight, smell, listener, taste, and touch
(Sanjaya, 2012).
Religious characters for all study groups are in
moderate categories. This teacher always instills
religious character in learning. Scientific approach is
better and more effective to improve the characters
of students in the learning process.
Some characters developed in the questioning
stage are presented in Table 3:
Table 3: Character analysis of students at questioning
stage.
Developed
Characters
Group
Score
Category
Curiosity
High
78
Good
Medium
65
Moderate
Low
60
Moderate
ICSE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Sociology Education
72

Table 3 shows that the level of curiosity in
questioning stage was different among groups of
students. High level students showed a good
category of curiosity level, while medium and low
group of students showed moderate level of
curiosity. The behavior of environmental care
accounted only 20% among the high level of
students. It is indicated by a question by the
students, such as ‘How to preserves stalactite and
stalagmite from damage? Meanwhile, the results
from questionnaire showed that high and medium
level of students had a moderate category on
identifying cause and effect. Based on the analysis,
students’ level of creativity should be improved as
students seemed to be less enthusiastic in identifying
the problems arise. Mostly students tended to search
information without using books as guidance for
learning. Whereas, chemistry learning is to search
and to experiment so that students learning can be
helped, particularly to understand much deeper on
their surroundings (BSNP, 2006).
In the stage of collecting data, students do a
practicum about the solubility of lime (CaCO3).
When students weigh CaCO3 compounds, students
must be patient and honest. Students must be
thorough in expressing the reaction that occurs,
serious in doing practicum, and communicative with
friends of his group. Students also show social
concern when there are friends in the group who ask
for help, as well as responsibility in disposing waste
generated according to the type of waste. Student
character at the stage of collecting data can be seen
in table 4 below:
Table 4: Character analysis of students at the stage of
collecting data.
Developed
Characters
Group
Score
Category
Communicative
High
75
Good
Medium
65
Moderate
Low
65
Moderate
Responsible
High
72
Good
Medium
70
Good
Low
50
Low
Based on table 4, students' ability in
communication is in good and sufficient category.
This shows that students are very enthusiastic in
following the learning process and put forward the
results of the lab data. Scientific learning
(Laboratories Inquiry) can improve communication
skills (Council, 2000). In responsibility, high and
medium group have good category, while low group
has less category. Student characters still need to be
improved, for example in clearing the practicum
table, room, and throwing garbage including
cleaning the sink.
At the association stage, the characters that can
be developed are love to read and independent.
Students are required to be independent in
completing their duties. In addition, hard work is a
character that must be owned by students in doing
the task.
Student characters at the association stage can be
seen in Table 5 below:
Table 5: Character analysis of students at association
stage.
Developed
Characters
Group
Score
Category
Love to read
High
65
Moderate
Medium
66
Moderate
Low
65
Moderate
Hardworking
High
65
Moderate
Medium
75
Good
Low
50
Low
Independent
High
75
Good
Medium
60
Moderate
Low
68
Moderate
Based on table 5, students' favorite reading is in
enough categories for each study group. This
happens because students are less interested in the
given teaching materials. In the character of hard
work, the high group has sufficient category, while
the medium group is having good category and low
group has less category. Independent characters have
well to enough categories. This happens when
students find failure in practicum there are some
groups who do not want to fix the failure. Whereas,
checking the data obtained from experiment is
highly needed (Dewi, 2008).
In the stage of communicating the character that
can be developed is tolerance and democratic.
Percentage of student characters can be seen in
Table 6.
Table 6: Character analysis of students at communicating
stage.
Developed
Characters
Group
Score
Category
Tolerance
High
75
Good
Medium
50
Low
Low
65
Moderate
Based on the analysis of the observation, the
tolerance level on the students with high
achievement in communicating stage is in good
category, while the students with moderate
The Application of Scientific Approach in Developing Students’ Characters through Practicum
73

achievement are in low category and the low group
students are in moderate category. Tolerance is
demonstrated during discussions, for example giving
students the opportunity to ask questions, expressing
opinions and listening when one speaks. This is in
accordance with the purpose of scientific inquiry
process is to cultivate a scientific attitude one of
which tolerance (BSNP, 2006).
4 CONCLUSIONS
The application of a scientific approach is
appropriate to apply. This approach can develop the
character of the student at the observing stage in
order to develop the religious character, the stage of
questioning in order to develop the character of
curiosity, the stage of collecting data in order to
develop communicative character and responsibility,
the stage of association to be able to develop the
character of reading, hard work, independent and
tolerant and communicative stages to be able to
develop a character of tolerance. On average all the
characters above can be developed through a
scientific approach with moderate level.
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