Actually, the commitment of religious teachers to
the upgrading of the quality of the learning process
and the result of good learning is quite high and even
tends to increase. This is seen more of the training
activities followed by teachers of religious teachers in
the effort of developing the quality of self as a
religious teacher.
One of the schools that is quite active in
conducting training activities for teachers is SMK
(vocational school) of MIFTAHUL FALAH. The
school is located in the Kebayoran Lama area of
South Jakarta. Geographically the school is in a less
strategic position for the education process. The
school is flanked by a sizable economic center, the
eastern part of which is the kebayoran lama market
and in the west there is an ITC cipulir market.
Environmental conditions adjacent to the center
of the economy give effect to the perspective and
behavior of the surrounding community. School-aged
youth are more interested in making money than
going to school. The money is easy to get in the two
centers of the economy. Many teenagers and school-
age students prefer to seek money in the market rather
than spare time by learning to read Al Quran in
mosques or institute courses that teach basic religious
lessons (TPA). In the end the reality that must be
accepted is that many school-age students and
teenagers who do not have a good foundation of
religious knowledge.
The above conditions may provide an influence to
the prior knowledge or basic religious abilities for
students continuing school education at vocational
school (SMK) of MIFTAHUL FALAH. Because the
last 10 years students of this school ± 85% came from
the neighborhood around the school.
Base on of the above conditions, Researcher
interested in conducting research with the title: “THE
RELATIONSHIP OF LEARNING STRATEGY
AND PRIOR KNOWLEDGE WITH LEARNING
OUTCOMES OF THE ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS
STUDY (PAI) IN VOCATIONAL SCHOOL (SMK)
OF MIFTAHUL FALAH SOUTH JAKARTA”.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Learning Strategy
The word of 'strategy' according to Gulo .W. (2008:
1) comes from the Greek word "strategos" meaning
general or commander, so the strategy is defined as
the science of military. This strategy in the military
sense means the use of all military power to achieve
the purpose of war.
Thoughtful the strategy according to Stephanie K,
cited by Husain Umar (2001: 31), strategy is defined
as a process of determining the plans of top leaders
that focus on the long-term goals of the organization
with the preparation of a way or effort how to achieve
that goal. Furthermore, with regard to learning
strategies, Oemar Hamalik (2001: 201) defines as
overall methods and procedures that focus on student
activities in the learning process to achieve certain
goals. Gropper explained, as quoted by Hamzah B.
Uno (2009: 1) learning strategy is the selection of
various types of specific exercises that fit the learning
objectives to be achieved.
Miarso (2004) in book of Warsita (2008: 266)
defines that learning strategy is a condition created by
the teacher deliberately so that learners are facilitated
in achieving the learning objectives set. Furthermore
according Sudirman in book of Warsita (2008: 266)
learning strategy is efforts in manipulating the source
of learning resources in order to occur the learning
process in the learners.
From some of the above definitions, it can be
concluded that the learning strategy is a set of
learning planning that includes methods, procedures,
a set of materials, even the conditions used by
teachers in an effort to achieve learning objectives.
2.2 Prior Knowledge
Prior Knowledge according to Mukhtar (2003: 57) is
the ability that a student has acquired before he gains
a new terminal capability. Prior knowledge show the
current status of students' knowledge and skills to get
to the next status the teacher wants to achieve by the
students. Sunarto and Agung Hartono in their book
'The Development of Learners' (2008: 10) describe,
Human nature has the basic potential that essentially
distinguishes man from animals, namely thoughts,
feelings, and wills. Nevertheless, the basic potential it
has is not the same for each human being.
Prior Knowledge (Sanjaya: 2013) is the result of
learning gained before getting a higher ability. Prior
knowledge of students is a prerequisite to follow the
learning so that it can carry out the learning process
well. A person's abilities gained from training during
his lifetime, and what is brought to face a new
experience. According to Rebber (1988) in Muhibbin
Shah (2006: 121) who said that "Prior Knowledge
prerequisite to know the existence of change".
Gerlach and Ely in Harjanto (2006: 128) " The prior
knowledge of students is determined by giving the
initial test". The student's prior knowledge is
important for teachers to provide the right quantity of
learning, not too difficult and not too easy. Prior