A Virtual Lab Activity Combined with a Prediction-Observation-Explanation Model to Improve Students Learning Outcomes in Direct Current Circuit

Abstract

Abstract Laboratory activities are very important in the process of teaching and learning physics in schools. Limited laboratory facilities in schools are enough to hinder direct laboratory activities. The combination of predict-observe-explain (POE) learning with virtual laboratory activities can be an alternative to developing a more active, interesting, and meaningful physics learning process and overcome the limitations of equipment in the laboratory. This study aims to describe virtual lab activities with POE learning on student cognitive learning outcomes in direct current circuit topics. Participants were taken from senior high school students in the 12th grade in Palangka Raya, Indonesia. It includes 30 students who have not yet studied direct current circuits. A pre-experimental research method with a one-group pre and post-test design was used. The finding indicates that students cognitive learning outcomes were increased with a medium category (N-Gain score 0.69). Specifically, the increase was found in the subtopics electric current and potential difference (N-Gain score 0.66), simple direct current circuits (N-Gain score 0.68), electrical circuits series and parallel (N-Gain score 0.73), and Ohm's Law (N-Gain score 0.70). Based on this research, virtual-lab activity with POE learning could be considered an alternative to conducting a meaningful learning activity, especially in physics learning.        

Keywords crocodile physics, direct current, physics, POE learning model, virtual lab.

Abstrak Kegiatan laboratorium sangat penting dalam mendukung keberhasilan proses belajar mengajar fisika di sekolah. Namun, keterbatasan fasilitas laboratorium di sekolah cukup menganggu aktivitas-aktivitas laboratorium. Kombinasi antara pembelajaran predict-observe-explain (POE) dengan kegiatan laboratorium virtual dapat menjadi salah satu alternatif untuk mewujudkan proses pembelajaran fisika yang lebih aktif, menarik, dan bermakna serta mengatasi keterbatasan peralatan di laboratorium. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan dampak kegiatan virtual lab dengan pembelajaran POE terhadap hasil belajar peserta didik pada topik rangkaian arus searah. Peserta merupakan peserta didik kelas XII di salah satu SMA di Kota Palangka Raya, yang terdiri dari 30 peserta didik yang belum mempelajari rangkaian arus searah. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian pra-eksperimen dengan desain one-group pre and post-test. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa hasil belajar peserta didik meningkat dengan kategori sedang (diperoleh skor N-Gain 0,695). Secara spesifik, peningkatan tersebut ditemukan pada subtopik-subtopik arus dan tegangan listrik, rangkaian listrik sederhana, rangkaian listrik seri dan paralel, dan Hukum Ohm. Berdasarkan penelitian ini, kegiatan virtual lab dengan pembelajaran POE dapat dipertimbangkan sebagai salah satu alternatif untuk melakukan kegiatan pembelajaran yang bermakna, khususnya dalam pembelajaran fisika.

Kata kunci crocodile physics, arus searah, fisika, model pembelajaran POE, lab virtual.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23960/jpmipa/v24i1.pp309-320