The aim of this action research is to know whether there is an improvement in learning activity and achievement of grade IV students in learning three dimension shapesthrough the implementation of realistic approach. This research was conducted in Primary school 9 Sesetan in the academic year 2011/2012. The subjects of this study were 45 students of grade IV Primary school 9 Sesetan. The data collected in this research covered: students’ learning activity which was collected from observation, and students’ achievement data which was collected through some achievements test in form of objective and essay. This research was conducted in two cycles. The result of this study shows that the students’ learning activity in cycle one was quite active, and in cycle two the students’ learning activity was categorized as active. From the achievement of the students it was found that the average score, learning capacity, and learning outcome from the pre-cycle, cycle 1, and cycle 2 consecutively are: 4.98, 49.80% and 26.67%; 6.66, 66.60% and 53.30%; then 8.20, 82% and 91.10%. From the result of data analysis and discussion, then it can be concluded that there is an improvement in terms of students’ learning activity and achievement of IV grade students of Primary school 9 Sesetan in the academic year 2011/2012 in learning three dimension shapes through the use of realistic approach.

This study examines the content of constructivist learning paradigms in the textbook and students' understanding of the Introduction to Education course. Data collection methods are the textbook, student answer documentation, focused review session and assignment of student resume. The textbook analysis found five substances of constructivist learning paradigm, namely the nature of human, lifelong education, learning independence, the role of information technology, and the integration of educational benchmarks, which are parts of the textbook chapters. Analysis of the answers to the tasks, quizzes and student exams indicates that the students' understanding of the substance of this material is still medium or partial but has increased significantly after a focused review session was held, i.e. 75% or more students have a good and complete understanding. From the results of this study, it is suggested that (1) the textbook of Introduction to Education is rewritten, to put the five substances of constructivist learning paradigm as separate chapters so as to obtain their broader and deeper study portion; and (2) the materials not yet understood well by the students should be reviewed through a focused review session.

This article reports on teacher trainees’ ability in doing a critical analysis of an extract of English teaching materials from a gender perspective. The critical ability was prompted using a textbook extract that generated two gender issues, namely woman-man relationship and the position of women in occupational discourse. The participants were 38 trainees enrolled in textbook analysis subject in the English Department of a college in regional Indonesia. The research data were the trainees’ results of the mid-term test, designed with explicit instruction to ascertain the afore-mentioned critical elements, and their results of the final exam with implied instruction to discern the same critical elements. The data were analysed qualitatively by interpreting the participants’ responses based on their degree of criticality. The mid-term test results show that more than half of them were critical about woman-man relationship, while only 18% were critical about women position at work. The trainees’ results in the final test demonstrate a significant downturn of their critical thinking performances. Only 15% criticized woman-man relationship and 13% problematized women position at work. These findings raise concerns about the trainees’ level of criticality and so systematic efforts to sharpen trainees’ critical analytical ability should be further attempted.