"Golden Generation And Conservation Nation" Preschool Project

The purposes of this research are: knowing the procedure and the implementation of the project method, and knowing the improvement of student ability within the implementation. As the efforts to improve and enhance the quality of education by making curriculum changes, both structural and its formulation procedures would be more meaningful if accompanied by changes in teaching practices that support the successful implementation of the curriculum.

One method that can be used is Project Method, whereby it is expected that the quality of student learning experiences in the classroom is more effective and instill the character associated with the environmental, cultural, and natural resources conservation. The purpose and benefits of this research are to provide an overview of procedures or mechanisms of implementation and find out how much the success rate of the method used in learning, especially in exhibition subjects with project method. This research is a classroom action research with the approach used in this study is a descriptive qualitative approach. The population in this study was 90 students of Early Childhood Education Department at Semarang State University who took Exhibition subject. The result showed that the procedure of project method activities have to go through stages of actions and observations, which showed at the beginning of the first cycle obtained an average of student ability in this activity amounted to 59, 25% and increased in the second cycle achieving 93, 08%. It showed by using the project method, it was effective to improve the quality of learning for students.

Introduction

The efforts to improve and enhance the quality of education by making curriculum changes, both structural and its formulation procedures would be more meaningful if accompanied by changes in teaching practices that support the successful implementation of the curriculum. There are a lot of factors affecting the learning process of students both internal and external which can be identified. The internal factor includes student’s motivation, while the external factors include lecturers/teachers, materials, patterns of interaction, media, technology, learning situations and systems. Nowadays, there is still teacher/lecturer who did not mastery the subject matter and often evaluates students by demanding answers exactly as what lecturers described. In other words, learners are not given the opportunity in other words, learners are not given the opportunity to think creatively, and identical to the par and identical to the par identical to the parrot. Lecturers/teachers also have limited access to new information that allows him to know the latest developments in the field (state of the art) and the possibility of further development (frontier of knowledge). The example of monotonous way of teaching such as, too theoretically in delivering the matter, less optimal use of media, and the given examples are less contextual.

Lecturers/teachers are merely delivering knowledge to the learners and very textbook oriented. Such paradigm creates a narrow understanding of learning, therefore, it needs to be changed as “responsibility” in an effort to “control” and “develop” the ability of learners towards a better change in accordance with its instructional purpose.

The existence of a varied selection of methods when designing a learning strategy will have a positive impact on learning outcomes of the students, in this case, it can improve the quality of learning. One method that can be used is Project Method form Reggio Emilia, whereby it is exform Reggio Emilia, whereby it is ex, whereby it is expected that the quality of student learning in the classroom is more effective and instill the character associated with the environmental, cultural, and natural resources conservation through role play. The demands for understanding the material can also be applied in the works produced in small groups or large groups. It can give a plus when students planting conservation character, because if the material is applicable and produce a real product, then the absorption of information will be more efficient. Reggio Emilia in Lindsay (2015) offers inspiration to educators in contemporary early childhood contexts, to researchers and to students of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education.

Directorate of Higher Education

Department of Education Workforce (2007) argues that the concept of education quality contains essential attributes, which are relevant to the needs of society and the institutions that will employ the graduates, have the academic atmosphere in a study program, as well as the efficiency of the program which selectively based on appropriateness and adequacy. These dimensions have a position and very strategic function to design and develop a quality oriented organization of education quality in the future. Quality criteria need to be treated as a dimension that serves as a benchmark in professional development activities, either with regard to the organization of educational institutions and the learning activities in the classroom.

Workforce Directorate

General of Higher Education (2007) formulates the indicators of learning quality that can be seen from various aspects, such as learning behavior by teachers (lecturers/teachers), the behavior and impact of learners, learning climate; materials, media, and qualified learning system. Based on previous research application of make-believe play in learning, it can develop intrapersonal intelligence in an effort to make Characterized early childhood.

This method was started by John Dewey’s stated in Pugh & Girod (2006) thinking about problem solving methods and developed by Kilpatrick in the form of project methods. Project Method is partly rooted in Kilpatrick reaction against methods that failed to use problem solving methods by many teachers, which gives more emphasis to learning by using conventional ways. Meanwhile the troubleshooting methods of John Dewey, which defines education as life, growth, a continuous reconstruction of accumulated experience, and a social process. The steps consist of

• a. Awareness of the problem
• b. Formulation of the problem
• c. Data collection
• d. Formulation of hypotheses
• e. Proof.

To further strengthen the knowledge that has been taught, that knowledge is supposed to be applied in various aspects of life. In other words, students are asked to connect with as many knowledge as possible to be gained. The method which gives the possibility to carry out that stuff is projected method. It is a way of giving learning experiences to children by facing real everyday problems to be solved in groups.

The exhibition is a subject which is an estuary of practices/ application of courses in previous semesters, namely: cosmetology, AUD music, and AUD dance. Of this course, students Diana & R. Agustinus Arum Eka / Indonesian Journal of Early Childhood Education Studies 4 (2) 98create a show with a concept based on the courses that they have previously taken, besides being a performer, a student can also organize the show. The outline of this course are as follows:

1. 1) Overview of the materials for the show,
2. 2) Definition of performances,
3. 3) Elements of the principal performances,
4. 4) Management organization for performing arts,
5. 5) The types of arts organizations,
6. 6) Proposal works,
7. 7) Design works,
8. 8) Degree of work (Exhibition of the work).

Therefore, the purpose and benefits of this research are to provide an overview of procedures or mechanisms of implementation and find out how much the success rate of the method used in learning, especially in exhibition subjects with project method.

Research method

This research is a Classroom Action Research with the approach used in this study is a descriptive qualitative approach. There were four steps in this research.

Population and Sample

The population is the total of all objects or individuals that have certain characteristics, clear and complete to be studied. In accordance with this definition, so in this study, the researchers used the entire 6thsemester student population in Early Childhood Education Department, Semarang State University.

Research Variable

Variables are symptoms which become the focus of researchers to be observed. The variables are necessary to identify the function and relationship of each variable. The variables that will be researched in this study are:

• a. Project Method
• b. Education Quality
• c. Exhibition Subject.

Action Plan

a. Plan

The planning for all the activities are shared between teachers and students, for example; specifying units/materials, formulating competence, setting the standard material, media, learning resources, evaluation, and others. Feedback

b. Action Cycle

The implementation of the first cycle, including details such as the column cycle 1 followed by observation and reflection of the results of cycle. The implementation of the second cycle, including details on the column cycle 2 followed by observation and reflection of the results from cycle 2.

Each cycle consisted of planning action activities, action, action observation, and action reflection. Cycle 2 is carried out based on the reflection in cycle 1, but on its core activities in cycle 2, students sharing between groups with collaborative learning as a way to get inputs about the work that will be displayed/ performed in the show.

The data were analyzed using descriptive qualitative data analysis, where the research results describe and explain all stages conducted through the plan of action, observation and interviews about learning quality through project.

Results

At the beginning of this study, an observation was conducted in early childhood associated with the cultivation of character, especially the character of conservation is still difficult to understand for young children. Various methods are given in the cultivation of character in children, but has not touched on the character of conservation, therefore, a different method is introduced by using Project Method.

The lectures steps are arranged and designed by using project method strategy. Teaching materials is a material description of the topics that will be discussed collaborated with the project method. The instrument result is observation sheet contains the activeness of students in lectures, especially the implementation of Project Method: Educating Golden Generation for Conservation Nation on Exhibition Subject in Early Childhood Education Department, Semarang State University.

Based on the result of research cycle 1, it can be described that in average the ability students at the beginning of the course when the pretest interlinked with the implementation of the project method: to educate the Golden Generation for Conservation Nation on Exhibition Subject, that the average understanding of students in the course is still 59. 25%. These results have not yet reached the indicator of success for this study which is 80%.

Based on the research that has been done in the second cycle, it was found that the average number of students’ ability in the implementation of Project Method: Educating Golden Generation for Conservation Nation on Exhibition Subject in Early Childhood Education Department, Semarang State University increased to 93. 08%. This shows a significant increase compared to the first cycle.

This second cycle, students have been able to establish all the steps in the project with a very good method. The ability that is very prominent in the application of the method in terms of the project: the initial ability to understand the topic of the lecture the average amount of student ability by 92% more than in the first cycle by 56%. Capabilities in the development of new ideas in groups The mean number of student ability was 97% more than in the first cycle of only 61%. The ability to work with members of the group in the second cycle is the average amount of student ability by 94% more than in the first cycle of 59%. The ability to express themselves in a group the average amount of student ability by 89% higher than in the first cycle by 58%. Involvement in every stage of planning, implementation to training phase the average amount of student ability by 93% higher than in the first cycle by 57%. The ability to provide an assessment of the material/ scenarios in each group the average amount of student ability by 92% higher than in the first cycle of 59%. The ability to provide an evaluation as a form of improvement in any stage of the average amount of student ability by 90% more than in the first cycle by 63%. Results of the study in the second cycle also showed a corresponding increase in the ability of faculty in teaching by applying the method in the course of the exhibition by students in Early Childhood Education Department. In the second cycle, the average number of lecturers capability is 97. 43% higher than the first cycle which was only 87%.

Discussion

Based on the research that has been done, it can be said that the project implementation method with the theme: Educating Golden Generation for Conservation Nation on Exhibition Subject can is said to be successful. This is indicated by the results of the student’s ability to the second cycle that reached 93. 08%, a significant increase from the first cycle which only amounted to 59. 25%. This indicates that the project method gives an improvement in the quality of student learning, especially in exhibition subject. Jacobs (2003) states that: “…student may also gain a deeper appreciation for and understanding of the importance of this type of meaningful learning. they will have experience firsthand a constructivist approach to learning when they can take ownership and responsibility in constructing their own learning with their peers and instructor…”.

The statement above shows that students also gain a deeper appreciation for gaining an understanding about the importance of meaningful learning. They will have direct experience with the constructivist approach to learning, when they can gain a sense of ownership and responsibility in the work, they can build their own knowledge with friends and instructors in this case a lecturer for the exhibition.

Conclusion

Based on the above results and discussion, it can be concluded that a procedure or mechanism for implementation of the project method: Educating Golden Generation for Conservation Nation on Exhibition Subjects is done through cycles with its stages of actions and observations. The results showed at the beginning of the first cycle obtained an average of student ability in this activity amounted to 59. 25% and increased in the second cycle reaching 93. 08%. It shows that by using the project method, it is very effective to improve the quality of learning and knowledge for students, as well as the understanding of conservation values in early childhood.