The Effect of Project-Based Collaborative Learning on Concept Mastery of Mushroom: The Case of Senior High School Students in Indonesia

Abstract

Biology learning is highly recommended to be presented contextually following daily experience and phenomena. This study, a quasi-experimental research using a pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design, aimed to understand the effect of project-based collaborative learning towards the concept mastery of mushrooms. The subjects of the study were 75 tenth grade of high school students in Surakarta City, Indonesia, divided into two classes: 38 students in the experimental class 37 in the control class. In the experimental class, the students were treated with project-based collaborative learning strategies. In project-based collaborative learning strategy, students were challenged to create a project on oyster mushroom cultivation (Pleurotus ostreatus) With the media garden waste such as sawdust. In the control class, the students were treated with direct instruction. The instrument used was a multiple-choice test and essay developed by researchers to measure students' concept mastery towards mushrooms. Research data were analyzed by independent sample t-test. The results found that the average n-gain score for the experimental and the control classes were 63.09% and 45.73%, respectively. Moreover, all indicators of mushroom concept mastery showed the n-gain scores for the experimental class higher than the control class. Analysis of independent sample t-test proved that the significant differences existed between direct instruction and project-based collaborative learning in improving the concept mastery of mushroom. Finally, This research concluded that project-based collaborative learning is more effective in enriching the concept mastery than direct instruction.

Project-based Collaborative Learning on Student Concept-Application with Different Prior Knowledge

“…This learning is conducted by considering PjBL phase in the context of work groups through cooperative or collaborative approach. Sukmawati, et al, (2020) emphasize that when project-based learning is implemented by the teacher in a stand-alone way, students' ability to collaborate is reducing. Thus, collaborative learning is importantly required in carrying out tasks in project-based learning.…”