Instructional Model of Natural Science in Junior High Schools, Batu - Malang

Abstract

The instruction of Natural Science subject in junior high schools, as regulated by 2013 Curriculum, is to be taught in an integrated way, combining Biology, Physics, and Chemistry subjects. The assessment of which is called authentic assessment. This current study described the instructional system especially the assessment system of Natural Science subject in Batu City. This study was conducted by employing descriptive-qualitative design, recruiting teachers and students as the subjects of the investigation. The data were collected by means of interview, observation, documentation, and triangulation; the researchers were the instruments themselves. The collected data were analyzed descriptively-qualitatively. The yielded results were as follows: 1) There was no teacher with relevant study discipline, bachelor in Natural Science Education, teaching the subject. Most of them were holding degree in Biology, Physics, and Chemistry Educations, as well as Industrial Engineering and Building Engineering; 2) 76.5% of the class was taught by a single teacher; while 17.6% of which was taught by means of team teaching; 3) The investigated schools were implementing 2016 school-based curriculum; 5 hours within a week were allocated for Natural Science subject: 2 hours for Biology, 3 hours for Physics, and Chemistry was taught by any available teachers. For the schools implementing 2013 Curriculum, the materials have been integrated and composed into teachers’ book, but Chemistry materials were included into Biology/Physics, or even taught separately; 4) The final score of Natural Science subject was taken from the average scores of Biology, Physics, and Chemistry; the standard of assessment depended on the teachers; 5) Assessment techniques varied considerably but they have not developed meta-cognition, such as: not evaluating article analysis, study journal, self-assessment, nor student-made tests; 6) The teachers mostly assessed the aspects of C1, C2, and C3; while aspects of C4, C5, and C6 (Evaluation and Creativity), affective and psychomotor assessments were rarely administered. The other challenges were the teachers still found it hard to administer those assessments properly; this was also applicable for remedial and reinforcement.

Keywords: Natural Science, authentic assessment, meta-cognition