PROFIL PENGETAHUAN AWAL (PRIOR KNOWLEDGE) SISWA SMP TENTANG KONSEP KEMAGNETAN

Abstract

According to constructivist point of view, learning outcomes depend not only on the learning environment but also on the prior knowledge of the learner. Learning involves the construction of meaning. Construction of meaning is to a large extent influenced by our prior knowledge.The purpose of this research is to recognize the junior highschool students prior knowledge on magnetism concept. The subject of this research are eight graders student at one of the state junior highschool in Bandung.Purposive non-random sampling is the technique of this research sampling. Students prior knowledge derived by interview about instances and interview about events technique. The result of interview in the form of audio recording and field notes were analyze and concluded in narration form of three different topic, which is magnetism, electromagnetism, and electromagnetism induction. Students prior knowledge on magnetic vary in aspect of compliance towards scientific concepts also the speciousnes and deepens  of the knowledge which they will learn formally in school. The level of conformity of students prior knowledge could be in the different stage, which is close to right or relatively same, may be not in the proper understanding, or even in the stage of scientifically out of context. Furthermore, students knowledge speciousnes and deepens which will learn by student preceded by unawareness, doubtfulness, limited knowledge, and fully knowing. In conclusion, student prior knowledge information showed that is important to know how is our students level of knowledge before the teaching and learning process, so that we can planning the learning process as an active process of student knowledge  construction, which teacher as a learning mediator and facilitator. 

Keywords : learning outcomes, prior knowledge,  construction of meaning