THE CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING USED BY ENGLISH TEACHERS IN TEACHING LEARNING PROCESS FOR X GRADE AT

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THE CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDENT-CENTERED LEARNING USED BY ENGLISH TEACHERS IN TEACHING LEARNING PROCESS FOR X GRADE AT

SMA N 3 PADANG

Intan Ratna Sari Polem ¹), Siska S.S, M.Pd²), Mayuasti, M.Pd³⁾

1)English Department, STKIP PGRI Padang , Jalan Gajah Mada Gunung Pangilun polemintan.irsp@gmail.com

2)English Department, STKIP PGRI Padang, Jalan Gajah Mada Gunung Pangilun

@gmail.com

3)English Department, STKIP PGRI Padang, Jalan Gajah Mada Gunung Pangilun rikaafriyanti21@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This research explained about the characteristics of student-centered learning used by English teachers in teaching learning process. This research is phenomenological research where the participants are two English teachers for X grade at SMA N 3 Padang. The instruments of this research were observation checklist, field note nd video. The result of this research is the English teachers who teach the student for X grade at SMA N 3 Padang have some characteristics of student centered learning in teaching learning process.

ABSTRAK

Penelitian ini menjelaskan tentang karateristik Student Centered Learning yang digunakan guru di dalam proses belajar mengajar. Penelitian ini adalah penelitian phenomenological research, dimana partisipannya adalah guru Bahasa Inggris pada kelas X di SMA N 3 Padang sebanyak 2 orang Inggris. Instrumen penelitian ini adalah observasi lapangan, catatan, dan video. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukan bahwa guru bahasa Inggris di kelas X pada SMA N 3 Padang hanya memiliki beberapa karakteristik dari Student Centered Learning di dalam proses belajar mengajar.

Key Words: Student Centered Learning, teaching learning process

INTRODUCTION

Student Centered Learning is an approach that focus on student only that engages the student to be active in work together which is being discussed some issues and tried to resolve the problem. It is supported by Rogers in American Institutes for Research (1983:1), Student Centered Learning has been defined most simply as an approach to learning in which learners choose not only what to study but also how and why that topic might be of interested.

The students do activities such as discussion, work together, help and support to solve the problem.

Through this interaction helps the student motivates more, self-confidence, critical, and build the interpersonal relationship with other students. Even though the student as a focus in learning, it does not mean the teacher has no a responsibility in class. The teacher must have the characteristics in teaching process, but the teacher is not the only one a source in classroom.

2 The researcher has done pre-observation at SMA N 3 PADANG. The researcher was observing in class as long as three times. In class, the researcher saw that teacher has the characteristics of Student Centered Learning in teaching learning process. In general, Student Centered Learning focuses on the background, needs, and expectation of students to create a more effective, authentic, and focused language learning environment.

In class, the teacher gives them brainstorming about descriptive text. First, the teacher presents a picture. Then teacher asks to the student to describe a picture on slide. After that, some of students describe the picture start from face, and character. First, the students describe about the face whether the eyes, ears, lips, checks, eyebrow, nose, and so on. Next, the student describe the characteristic of the pictures such as whether the person is tall, fat, easy going, kind, and angry.

Then, the teacher shows an example in descriptive text and explains how to write descriptive text. Second, the teacher divides them into some groups to discuss and to write descriptive text, the topics are chosen by the students. If they have some difficulties or really do not understand, the teacher as a facilitator asks another student to answer and to solve the problem together. So, the teacher is only as a facilitator, a guide and instructor in class.

The researcher knows that there is a challenge from the teacher centered learning to student centered learning. In fact, there is some teachers still use the Teacher Centered Learning in teaching process. Thus, the researcher do this research because researcher wants to see in which the teachers at SMA N 3 Padang have the characteristics of Student Centered learning or not yet. Therefore, the researcher is interested in doing this research to

find the characteristics of Student-Centered Learning used by English teachers teaching learning process.

This research will be conducted at Senior High School 3 Padang. The participants in this research involve two English teachers for X grade at SMA N 3 Padang.

According to Harden and Crosby (2000:335) Student Centered Learning is as focusing on the students’ learning and what students do to achieve this, rather than what the teacher does. It means that, the students are more dominant rather than teacher.

They should find out the problem solving and find another source to support their explanation. Next, Jonassen in Pedersen (2003:57) defines that Student Centered Learning requires students to set their own goals for learning, and determine resources and activities that help them meet those goals. It means that, the student as a focus when in teaching learning.

All the activities focus on students only. They have a control in class and what will they learn without forgetting the teacher as their facilitator and instructor in classroom.

Based on the explanation above, it can be concluded that, Student Centered Learning is an approach that places the student in learning process.

This approach different from teacher centered learning that determine transfer on knowledge from teacher to student only.

Then, Burnand, as he interprets Rogers’s idea of Student Centered Learning as student might be not only chosen what to study, but how and why that topic might be an interesting one to study (1994:244). It means that, students do not become a passive learner. They have to know how and why to study a topic that given by teacher. After they know the goal both of student and teacher find the

3 interesting topics related what students’ need and they will discuss it together.

It is supported by Barbara (2014:1) Student Centered Learning is a broad teaching approach that encompasses replacing lectures with active learning, integrating self-paced learning programs and/or cooperative group situations, ultimately holding the student responsible for his own advances in education. It means that, from the passive student to active student in class, and they take a responsibility from the teacher. Then, the teacher as a facilitator give them a facilitate such as technology to support their material. It is not only that, after the teacher give them some instructions, and divide them into some groups to discuss the material that given by the teacher.

Moreover, Abbott (2014) Student Centered Learning refers to a wide variety of educational programs, learning experiences, instructional approaches, and academic support strategies that are intended to address the distinct learning needs, interests, aspirations, or cultural backgrounds of individual students and groups of students. It means that, the student centered learning focuses on the needs and expectations of students to create more effective, authentic, and focused language learning environment.

The Characteristics of Student-Centered Learning According Weimer (2002) states that Student Centered Learning has five characteristics include:

1) Student Centered Learning shifts the balance of classroom power from teacher to student; between teacher and student should give a

feedback in learning process,

student chooses the topic that will be learned.

2) Student Centered Learning enables critical thinking of students; students give an argument, identify, and problem based on what they are learning, student can give an understanding that rational and universal.

3) Student Centered Learning situates the teacher as facilitator and contributor;

teacher only as facilitator to provide the media and help student when something happen in class.

4) Student Centered Learning returns the responsibility for learning to the students;

students are able to discover their strengths and weaknesses and take part in directing their own knowledge gain

.

5) Student Centered Learning employs effective assessment to promote learning and inform future practice; both of teacher and student together assess the task, assignment and score of the group discussion and the material can be practice out the class

In addition,

S

tein (2015:4) explains that there are some characteristics of student-centered learning include:

1) Making active learning. It means that, the teacher should create an active environment in learning process and motivate them to do more the activities for themselves.

2) Making activities authentic. It means that, the teacher gives authentic material which the content and context to make the subject concrete and relevant in their daily life.

3) Developing student metacognition. It means that how the teacher develop their

4 metacognition. Metacognition is ability to understand how the students are learning and critical to effective lifelong learning.

When the teacher develops the student metacognition, it is hoped that it helps student improve their abilities on their own.

4) Increasing responsibility. It means that the teacher as a facilitator and instructor should know and create student responsibility in learning process. When teacher increases student responsibility, it is hoped that students are able to discover their strengths and weakness and take part in directing their own knowledge gain.

RESEARCH METHOD

The design of this research was descriptive that described the phonomenon that happened in the field. It is supported by Gay and Airasian (2000:275) says that a descriptive research determines and describes the way things are. Typical descriptive researches are concerned with the assessment of attitudes, opinions, preferences, demographics, and procedures.

In this research, the researcher involved two English teacher for X grade as the participant .

The researcher needs the instrument as facilitated to collect the data. Gay and Airasian (2000:145) explain that instrument is a tool or something that is used to collect the data. In this research, the researcher used some instruments, they were observation, field note and video recorder.

RESEARCH FINDINGS

As well stated on previous chapter, there were some characteristics of Student Centered Learning. They are; first is Student Centered Learning shifts the balance of classroom power from

teacher to student, Student Centered Learning enables critical thinking of students, Student Centered Learning situates the teacher as mediator and contributor, Student Centered Learning returns the responsibility for learning to the students, Student Centered Learning employs effective assessment to promote learning and inform future practice.

As the result, by using observation checklist, field note and video recording, the researcher could gather the data that needed optimally. From the result of the observation checklist, it could be seen that the participants have some characteristics in teaching learning process. There were some items of characteristics of Student Centered Learning that teacher A and B did not do.

The result of the research finding proved that the participants for X grade at SMA N 3 Padang had all indicators, just some activities missed by them. It means that, the participants did not have several items from five indicators in characteristics of student centered learning used by English teacher in teaching learning process.

INTERPRETATION

From the research finding above, it can be interpreted that the English teachers at SMA 3 Padang did not have some characteristics of student centered learning optimally yet. The teacher should have all of the characteristics of student centered learning because if the teachers did not have one of the characteristic of student centered learning, the teacher could not get success in student centered learning in learning process. In student centered learning, it makes students active, creative, solve the problem in learning process. By group discussion the students can share their idea, their opinion, increase their critical thinking, and their argument.

5 CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

By the characteristics of Student Centered Learning in learning process, the teacher is not a centre in learning process. Teacher did not teach all the material. Also, by the characteristics of Student Centered Learning in learning process the teacher tells student a goal of learning process that student will achieve that, teacher gives a help and contribution to the student and gives a motivation. By the characteristic of Student Centered Learning, the student can be more active and creative in learning process because students share their idea, share their opinion.

By the characteristic of Student Centered Learning, the teacher can make the student active, creative in learning process and develop their skill and their critical thinking. Then, the teacher should has and know the characteristics of Student Centered Learning and use the approach because it is important before the teacher begins the class, by having and knowing the characteristics of student centered learning, the teacher can get success to apply the approach itself.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

To complete his thesis, the researcher has obtained a plentiful guidance, help, advices, and constructive critics from many people. In this occasion, the researcher would have to extend his special gratitude and very special thanks and appreciation are given from the deepest of his heart to the advisors, Siska S.S, M.Pd and Mayuasti, M.Pd who have been kinds and willing to give their times, opinions, and supports in completing this thesis.

REFERENCES

Abbot, S. 2014. Student Centered Learning. Glossary of Education. http://edglossary.org/hidden- curriculum

Nanney, Barbara. 2004. Student Centered Learning.

http:/www2.gsu.edu/~mstswh/courses/it7000.

papers/student-.htm

Weimer, M. 2002. Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice: San Fransisco:

Jossey-Bass Publisher.

Gay, L.R and Peter, Airasian. 2000. Educational Research Competence for Analysis and Apllication. New Jersey: Prantice-Hall Company. Print.

Stein, Jared. 2015. Four Essential Elements of Sudent-Centered Learning.

http://learning.instructure.com/2015/06/four- essential-elements-of-student-centered-learning/

Dynamic Flight. 2003. Learning Process:

http://www.dynamicflight.com/avcfibook/learni ng_process/

Estes Chery A. 2004. Promoting Student-Centered Learning in Experiential Education. Journal of Experiential Education: pp. 224-260