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5 International Seminar on Science Education

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Bandung, Nov 12 2011

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ENHANCHING OF STUDENT SCIENCE LITERACY AT PROTISTS TOPIC BY

ENHANCHING INQUIRY APPROACH BASED LESSON STUDY
Agus Muji Santoso, Elly Setyowati, Mumun Nurmilawati, & Sulistiono
Nusantara PGRI Kediri of University
agusmujisantoso@gmail.com

Abstract
Science learning will be given meaningful to the students if it be found by intensive process by
student. Based on previous study, the teachers were done protists topic by conventional practice
and paper oriented only, because there were teachers ability limitations. Lesson study has used
to solve this issue. This research was aimed to know the implementation of the improvement
inquiry learning based on scientific method. The improvement of assessment instrument was
done not only paper oriented but also to student ability when they were doing observation. This
research started January-February 2011 at one of Kediri private senior high school and lesson
study was done at three cycles. Data were analyzed by descriptive. The findings of this research
st
rd
from 1 step up to 3 lesson study step shown that the student ability to: (1) formulate the
problem and hypothesis tended to increase (59%, 88%, 87%); (2) design the experiment tended
to increase (63%, 84%, 90%); (3) do the experiment (how to use and prepare the tools and the
materials correctly) tended to increase (65%, 88%, 97%); (4) arrange the paper based on their
observation tended to increase (60%, 91%, 96%).
Key words: student science literacy, protist topic, inquiry, lesson study
INTRODUCTION
Today, there is strategic issue in education i.e. how to enhance and to keep teacher
professional (Moore, 2000; Stainer, 1997) included how to keep the Biology teacher professional
in private senior high school. Most of the teachers in private senior high school have a little
occasion to improve their ability in leaching and learning. Beside that occasion to keep their
professional had been main problem in school limitation, such us the teaching and learning
facilities and the special community to improve the teacher ability as the professional worker.
Lesson study is one of the teaching cooperation between teachers to teachers that
accommodate teachers potential (Susilo, 2010; Santoso et al, 2011). Lesson study can be used to
enhance teaching and learning ability (Hendayana, 2010; Susilo, 2010; Cerbin and Kopp, 2006).
There are a lot of finding by previous study showed that lesson study can improve the quality
teaching and learning on the class (Cerbin and Kopp, 2006).
Protist topic is one of basic science that speaking about the kind, characteristics, and their use
full to our life. In senior high school, the teachers were done this topic conventionally. Most of
teachers always do assessment about this topic by paper oriented i.e. using the final report of
student experiment and using multiple choice or/ and essay test to the student. This is supported
previous study by Khan et al. (2011) that most of the teaching and learning process will be done
by conventionally if there are many support capacity to do it. Those method that used by
teachers is not enough to support the student science literacy. Most of the teacher said that
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there were teacher and school limitation if they would like to improve their teaching and
learning. For examples are limitation the material and tools laboratory, teachers have time
limitation, most of the students in private senior high school have low motivation to study.
A teaching and learning process by teacher should integrate (Nola and Gurol, 2005; Stainer,
1997) and accommodate the characteristic subject (topic that will be given to the student),
student, support capacity of school (Gough, 2003), and local excellence (Santoso et al, 2011).
Inquiry approach can be used by teachers to help the student get their competences standard
(Wenning, 2011; Mao and Chang, 1993). The basic of inquiry approach implementation can be
done by improving the lesson plan (Khan et al, 2011; Mao and Chang, 1993) by accommodate
their potential (Nola and Gurol, 2005), such us local material as local excellence (Santoso et al,
2011). Lesson study is suitable way to help the teachers who would like to improve their teaching
and learning process by using inquiry approach in order to keep their competences.
According to the laws of teacher and lecturer of Republic Indonesia, the teacher is
professional worker who should full fill some specific requirements or competences (pedagogy,
professional, social, and personality competence) (Susilo, 2010; Hendayana, 2010). Most of the
teacher who wants to enhance their competence will have some obstacles (Khan et al, 2011).
That obstacle is limitation of teaching time in particularly who wants to get certificate program.
This condition can not to support the teacher optimally, especially who wants to improve
teaching and learning ability by collaborative to the other teachers. The real impact is the teacher
who got the certificate program has not enough time to improve their competence optimally.
Based on that description, this study was aimed to know the impact of enhancing inquiry
approach to protist topic by using lesson study as one of strategy to keep the teacher
competences in limitation of capacity is interesting to investigate by comprehensive.

METHOD
This research was started January-February 2011 at one of Kediri private senior high school
and lesson study was done at three cycles. Plan step was done by three Biology teachers to
prepare the learning instruments based protist topic, such us improving the instrument to
observe and measure students abilities. Method model that used in this research followed steps
scientific method, such us how to compile problems and hypothesis until how to present the
findings. The design improvement consist of how ability of student to formulate the problem and
hypothesis (called the first evaluation or EV1); design the experiment (called the second
evaluation or EV2); do the experiment (how to use and prepare the tools and the materials
correctly) (called the third evaluation or EV3); and arrange the paper based on their observation
(called the fourth evaluation or EV4). Do steps was done by a teacher model and the others have
been being the observer. How the students using the material and tools laboratory correctly
being focus of observer. At the first cycle, the teachers agree to use protist like plant (algae) as

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main topic. At the second and third cycle will be used protist like animal (protozoan) and protist
like fungal as basic topic. Every topic will be done by using lesson study and will be hold the kind
four evaluations as well as mentioned previously.
Reflection was done by team to discuss the findings for they were observing their student to
each cycle for three times. Data were analyzed by descriptive (using percentage) to know the
impact of inquiry approach was used. The scope of inquiry approach that was enhanced by lesson
study is focused in process of science literacy.

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

In order to improving the instrument, lesson study team was done plan step to compile some
preparation such us lesson plan, including the specific criteria that will be used to measure
abilities students. Some the important things that should be considered to compile those
instrument were topic characteristic and the instrument which will be used by student to design
their research. Included ability to choose and use local material in their design research.
120%
100%

Percentage

80%
LS I

60%

LS II
40%

LS III

20%
0%
EV 1

EV 2

EV 3

EV 4

Kind of Evaluation
Figure1. Completeness of each evaluation (EV1, EV2, EV3,
and EV4) in first until third cycle of lesson study.
Based on the graph, this research showed that first evaluation (EV1) (to evaluate students
abilities to formulate problem and hypothesis) tended to increase. At the first lesson study cycle,
mastering learning (in percentage) of this evaluation was 59% (well-marked blue). Furthermore,
it is increased up to 83% (red) and 87% (green) for second and third lesson study cycles. This
finding was interesting to discuss. When the students were trying to formulate problem and
hypothesis, most of them will be found many difficult things. For example how to arrange
problem sentence although their teacher has given the righ example. According the observer and

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model teacher notes, most of them were confused how to formulate a good problem. This can be
caused it is first time experience for the students who at grade 10 in senior high school.
According student paper report, the students were decided their problem sentence
experiment by not using interrogative sentences. Based on problem and hypothesis sentence
which had made by students showed (firstly) there was no correlation between one variable and
to the other variables. Secondly, the problem and hypothesis that made can not identified the
kind variable clearly. After the teacher model give the true answer and how to make a good
problem and hypothesis, the student has a great motivation and has a good opportunity to look
for the aspects that were be wrong. This condition has been being support to the student to try
on and on to formulate problem and hypothesis for the next meeting. This research was showed
that mastering learning to the first evaluation tended increasing in the next cycle.
The student ability to design their experiment (EV2) at the first cycle was 63% (well-marked
blue). The completeness of this ability was increased in second and third cycle up to 84% (red)
and 90% (green). The finding in this evaluation was showed that most of their procedure was not
compiled correctly at first time. For examples: (1) they were written focusing method of
microscope after taking specimen from local material, (2) the students still not using local
material when they compiled their experiment design. The impact most of the material which
student needed should be bought. This is not suitable with one of local excellence that has
accommodated by the team of lesson study who had improved inquiry approach.
The third evaluation (EV3) showed that the student ability to do their experiment tended
increase from 65%, up to 88%, and up to 97% for they were doing three cycles. At first time, the
students never looking their design experiment when they were doing experiment. This condition
made learning and teaching process more crowded. Most of them were confused what they
should do at first time if they would like to do experiment although they have experiment
guidance as the result of their duties. For example there was student who take object glass and
take sample of Spyrogira sp then observe it by using microscope before set up (prepare his
microscope before). He was done like it although he has right experiment guidance as his duties.
The number of student who was done like it up to 60% at the first lesson study. This issue was
solved in the second and third cycle by giving the true instruction to all of student.
When the class was doing lesson study at protist topic for three times, the student ability to
arrange the paper based on their finding for were doing experiment (EV4) tended increase. This
condition has proved that their ability from the first cycle was 60%. This completeness was
increased up to 91% (for second cycle) and 96% (for third cycle). This means that the student
ability to arrange their report can be enhanced by lesson study continuously. Based on observer
notes showed that at fist time (first cycle), most of students did not recorded their experiment
result by manual (drawing in their book or by digital camera), such us the picture of Spirogyra sp,
Euglena viridis, and the other of protist like animal or fungal members. So, they will choose to

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take the good protist picture from internet or from their reference books than using original
picture based on their experiment. They are not confident with their experiment result. This issue
will be serious problem. The students will be unconfident leaner (Sobur, 2003). This condition
needs intensive and a great guidance continuously by a teacher (Staver, 2007). The teacher
should be able to give brightness about the characteristics of scientific method.
Based on the graph, the completeness pattern (from EV1 until EV4) for three cycles of lesson
study is interesting. The percentage of EV1 (the student ability to formulate problem and
hypothesis) at first cycle lesson study is comparable with the student ability to design their
experiment (EV2). Then ability to design their experiment will given linear impact to the student
when they were doing experiment (EV3). The result in report paper will describe the student
ability to do their experiment, if they are prepare and do the procedure carefully they will got
optimum result in their paper.
In order to increase their achievement, the students were using the previous report to help
them to arrange the next duties (Khan, 2011; Nola and Gurol, 2005) and most of this issue will be
found in the teaching and learning that using inquiry approach (Mao and Chang, 1993). According
the observer notes, the students used the first report paper which has correction by the model
teacher to arrange: problem and hypothesis, design experiment, do experiment correctly, until
arrange report paper to present their result experiment. This way can help students to enhance
their competence in protist topic.
According Khan et al (2011) that improvement of lesson study will be support to enhance
student mastering to the topic learning. When the teachers were doing at first cycle there were
many addition that should be discuss (Susilo, 2010) and solved quickly. This is has showed in this
research. When the teacher find the standard mastering of the first until fourth evaluation was
not good, the teacher can solve it collaborative (Cerbin, 2006). May will consuming time (Cerbin,
2006), but if knowing the factor they will do it sooner, so that can help student to get
achievement (Halloun, 2006; Johnson, 2002).

CONCLUTION
Based on this research can be concluded that the student literacy about protist topic can be
enhanced by using lesson study. This was proved that student ability to formulate the problem
and hypothesis, design the experiment, do the experiment (how to use and prepare the tools and
the materials correctly), and arrange the paper based on their observation tended to increase
from first step until third step of lesson study.
One of the advise note, it is better if the instrument that used by Biology lesson study team
should be improved, specially about the limitation or score range. It is has important value in

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order to increase of their view (model teacher and observer) when they were doing assessment
to their students.

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