The Effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning With S
The Effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning With S
The Effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning With S
DOI 10.22460/infinity.v7i2.p97-108
Abstract
The objectives of the research are (1) to develop mathematics learning through Problem Based
Learning (PBL) with social media assistance in improving students’ understanding toward statistics
and (2) to find out the effectiveness of PBL with social media assistance. This research is a quasi-
research with cluster random sampling. The cluster random sampling was employed to determine a
control class and an experimental class. After treatment for each class, post-test was done. Then, the
post-test data was analyzed through a T-test. The result is the mean score of post-test in experimental
class was better than that in control class. It means PBL with social media assistance is more effective
than the conventional model to teach statistics. The result was supported by a questionnaire that
showed learning mathematics through PBL with social media assistance got a positive response from
the students.
Keywords: PBL, social media assistance, conventional method, understanding toward statistics.
Abstrak
Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk (1) mengembangkan model pembelajaran problem based learning
berbantuan media sosial dalam meningkatkan pemahaman mahasiswa terhadap statistika dan (2)
mengetahui efektivitas model pembelajaran problem based learning berbantuan media sosial. Dengan
teknik kluster random sampling dalam pemilihan sampel terpilih satu kelas kontrol dan satu kelas
eksperimen. Setelah diberikan perlakuan pada masing-masing kelas, diperoleh data post-test. Data
post-test ini dianalisis menggunakan uji t. Rerata hasil post-test menunjukkan bahwa kelas eksperimen
lebih tinggi dibandingkan rerata kelas kontrol. Dengan demikian berarti pembelajaran problem based
learning berbantuan media sosial lebih efektif daripada model konvensional. Disamping itu, melalui
angket menunjukkan bahwa pembelajaran problem based learning berbantuan media sosial ternyata
juga mendapatkan respon positif dari mahasiswa.
Kata Kunci: problem based learning, media sosial, metode konvensional, pemahaman statistis.
How to Cite: Yuliana, Y., & Firmansah, F. (2018). The Effectiveness of Problem-Based
Learning with Social Media Assistance to Improve Students’ Understanding Toward
Statistics. Infinity, 7(2), 97-108. doi:10.22460/infinity.v7i2.p97-108.
97
98 Yuliana, & Firmansah, The Effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning with Social Media …
INTRODUCTION
The development of technology and information grows fast nowadays. It is indicated through
the appearance of many social media (Gunduz, 2017), such as whatsapp, bbm, line, whechatt,
telegram, etc. This phenomenon contributes positive effect in educational development, such
as online learning via social media.
According to Stephenson (2001), online based learning has 4 main features, namely the use of
social media for dialog and learning material as well, the support of online technology,
students’ authority in handling the learning process through task, learning result, or
assessment. Online learning efficiency, effectiveness, and makes the students keep learning
(Mitcell & Honore, 2008).
Teaching and learning process will be easier to conduct. It can be conducted wherever and
whenever without any time and place burden. Online discussion will be the best learning type
since many people including college students use social media to communicate.
Unfortunately, they haven’t used social media to learn together including the students and the
lecturers of Widya Dharma University.
The use of technology and information system is highly needed in understanding lecture
material. For example, the existence of calculator, excel, and SPSS application really supports
applied statistics learning. The applications do not only help in calculating the data, but also
in displaying and analyzing the data.
In applied statistics, statistics methods are learnt. They are hypothesis test, analysis of
variance, analysis of regression, and analysis correlation. The students should master them
well especially when they are doing research. Therefore, applied statistics is a crucial subject
to understand by the students of mathematics education program (Sungkono, Yuliana, &
Syaifuddin, 2014).
Applied statistics subject is still problem for the students of mathematics education program.
It can be seen from the result of their applied statistics test in which there are more than 60%
of students haven’t passed the passing grade. Besides, the result of interview for the students
who are doing thesis indicates that the students haven’t mastered statistics material for their
research.
Moreover, the students said that statistics subject is not impressing subject for them. On the
other words, they cannot tell what they have learnt about. They couldn’t correlate statistics
with their daily life. Besides, their skill and understanding in using statistics is low. They
study statistics only from the lecturer without any further discussion with their friends. The
learning process is teacher-centered so the students feel uncomfortable to ask questions.
Consequently, their understanding is just partial and they couldn’t apply statistics in their
research well.
Nowadays, there are many innovative and active teaching methods. Innovative teaching
methods can effectively improve students’ learning achievement (Yuliana, Tasari, &
Wijayanti, 2017; Sethi, Sethi, & Jeyaraj, 2017). The methods can be implemented
appropriately based on the need of the class. Besides, the development of technology and
information grows fast. It can be used to support student learning process. Learning doesn’t
absolutely need a meeting in a room. But, it can be conducted in different places.
Volume 7, No. 2, September 2018 pp 97-108 99
Many college students use gadgets even they follow the trend. This phenomenon is a kind of
benefit in learning process (Nawi, Hamzah, Ren, & Tamuri, 2015). The students will learn
better if they learn something near to them. Learning method that is based on the problem will
engage them to think critically. The technology–based learning and problem-based learning
will well collaborated in learning process. Research about the use of latest information
technology was done by Naidoo & Kopung (2016). It used social media whatsapp to develop
mathematics learning. Moreover, Yuwono & Syaifuddin (2017) collaborated PBL and
smartphone media to teach mathematics.
Problem Based Learning is a learning method that involves students to solve the problem. The
steps of this method (Rubiah, 2016) are (1) appearing a problem and ensuring that the
problem is contextual; (2) organizing the subject toward the problem; (3) giving the students
responsibility to conduct the learning process; (4) making small groups; (5) asking the
students to present what they have learnt. Problem Based Learning (PBL) has a crucial role
for the students in the process of exploring important and meaningful questions, investigating
a problem solution, and developing a deep-integrated understanding of content and process
(Frank, Lavy, & Elata, 2003; Hmelo-Silver, 2004).
In this research, researcher is interested to combine PBL with social media whatsapp in
teaching mathematics. The teaching steps are (1) the lecturer makes a whatsapp grup
discussion. The member is all students. (2) The use of whatsapp eases the lecturer to deliver
the learning objectives and lesson plan to the students. (3) The students then can explore the
learning materials from any references. (4) To motivate the students, some materials are
shared in the group by the lecturer. (5) The lecturer also gives some tasks to accomplish. (6)
Then, the students discuss in the group. The role of lecturer here is helping the students in
organizing the task, motivating the students to collect related information, testing, and solving
the problem. Moreover, the lecturer helps the students in preparing their findings report. (7)
Later on, the result is presented in front of the class.
Social media that is used in the research is whatsapp. It is collaborated with Problem Based
Learning (Hmelo-Silver & Borrow, 2006). The students make a group discussion by
whatsapp. They can get information about lesson plan, learning material, and problem
discussion. The discussion can be conducted everywhere and every time. They don’t need to
wait until class meeting. Problem Based Learning with social media assistance emphasizes on
the process of learning. It is reflected by keeping the students active. In accordance with
Ningsih & Rohana (2016), learning which accentuates more on the process is meaningful for
learner.
The reality of the students’ condition about their understanding toward statistics subject and
the technology and information development motivates the teacher to do research about how
to find the most effective way of teaching to improve students’ understanding toward
statistics material by PBL with social media assistance. The understanding toward the
material can be identified through the learning result after joining the class.
METHOD
Students of mathematics education program are the subject of this research. By employing
cluster random sampling, control and experimental class are determined. Control class is 21
students taught using conventional method, while experimental class is 18 students treated
100 Yuliana, & Firmansah, The Effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning with Social Media …
using problem based learning with social media assistance. The illustration of PBL learning
steps with social media assistance can be seen as follows:
Sharing the lesson
Sharing
Making a plan, learning Organizing the
contextual
groups objectives, and problem
problem
discussion learning (via (via Whatsapp)
via WA sources/references Whatsapp)
(via Whatsapp )
Figure 1. The illustration of PBL learning steps with social media assistance
The research uses documentation method, questionnaire method, and test method to collect
the data. The documentation method is used to identify the problem. The questionnaire
method is used to know students’ responses toward the learning process. The questionnaire
method is used to measure the validity of the instrument as well. The statement of
questionnaire consists of two alternative answers: yes and no (Yogesh, 2006).
To know the students’ response toward the use of Problem Based Learning with social media
assitance, questionairre is distributed in experimental class. There are 16 statements that have
been validated by 3 validators. The result of validity test from the three validators state that
the questionairre could be used for the research.
By three collecting data techniques above, data is gotten. Then, they are classified as
qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative data involves lesson plan, teaching material, test
items, and questionnaire. Meanwhile, quantitative data is the score of pre-test and post-test.
The result of pre-test is used to know the early condition before treatment for both control and
experimental class. The students’ understanding after treatment is measured through post-test.
The result of pre-test and post-test is analyzed by using T-test with significant α = 0.05 and
95% confidence interval (Keselman, Othman, Wilcox, & Fradette, 2004). Lilliefors method is
used to do normality test as prerequisite test of T-test (Usman, 2016). Meanwhile,
homogeneity test uses comparison of 2 variances is F-test (Yuan & Bentler, 1999). All
computation in the analysis was done through SPSS for windows computer application
(Chatfield, 1995; Pallant, 2010).
Before treatment, each class was given pre-test. The result of pre-test can be seen in Table 2
as follows.
Table 2. The Students’ Pre-test Data
Experiment Class Control Class
The students 18 21
Maximum 88 85
Minimum 30 49
Mean 62.61 65.05
Standard deviation 15.996 10.45
The score more than 60 55.56% 66.67%
Based on the pre-test data, maximum score and average score are high. Nevetheless, the
percentage of students in both experimental and control class which is more than 60 is
55.56% and 66.67%.
Pre-test data on Table 1 is analyzed its homogeneity and normality. The result of F-test is p
value = 0.054. It is more than significant (α) 0.05. It means that the data is homogenious.
Meanwhile, the result of test is p value 0.146 for experimental class and 0.20 for control
class. The P value from eachclass is more than significant 0.05. It means, each class is normal.
Two prerequisite tests are fullfilled. Therefore, T-test can be conducted. The result can be
seen on Table 3.
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The result of test is p value 0.572 more than significant 0.05. It means, both classes have same
capability before treatment.
Having identified the early condition of control class and experimental class, both classes
were given treatment. Each class was given 10 meetings. Then, both classes were measured
its capability using test. The data description of post-test is shown in Table 4.
Based on the data on Table 2 and Table 4, the average score of pre-test is higher than the
average score of post test. The coverage material of pre-test and post-test is a little bit
different. The material of post-test is wider than that of pre-test. It is the factor why the
average score of pre-test is higher than the average score of post-test. In experimental class,
the students who get score more than 60 is 72.22%. It is categorized as high improvement. It
contras, It is only 19.05% who get more than 60 in control class.
Based on the result of pre-test and post-test, there isi decrease for the mean score in both
experimental class and control class. However, there is an increase 16.66% for the students
who get more than 60 in experimental class. If the score 60 is used as passing grade so there
are 13 students who can pass it and only 5 students who get under it. In contrast, there only 4
students can pass the passing grade and 17 students fail to achieve it. It shows there is a
decrease for control class. The data describes the result of post-test in experimental class
better than the result fo pre-test. Moreover, the post test score in experimental class is better
than that in control class.
Post-test data in Table 4 is analyzed its homogeneity and normality. The result of F test is p
value = 0.161. It is more than significant (α) 0.05. It means that the data has the same variance
or the data is homogeneous. Meanwhile, the result of Lilliefors test is p value 0.096 for
experimental class and 0.200 for control class. P value for both classes is more than
significant 0.05. It means both class are normal.
Volume 7, No. 2, September 2018 pp 97-108 103
The prerequisite test has been fulfilled. Then, to identify the efectiveness of teaching method,
T-test two tails is carried out. The result of T-test is p value 0.019 and the mean score
different between control class and experimental class is 12.5. P value is less than significant
0.05. It mean there is difference between the students taught using Problem Based Learning
with social media assistance and those who are taught using conventional method. The value
of difference is positive. It means the learning result of experimental class is better than
control class. In summary, Problem Based Learning with social media assistance is more
effective to teach statistics than conventional method. The result can be seen in Table 5.
Based on the result of T-test, p value is 0.017. The difference mean of post-test score between
experimental class and control class is 12.429. The result of p value is less than significant (α)
0.05. It means, there is difference of learning achievement for the class that is taught using
Problem Based Learning with social media assistance and that is taught using conventional
method. The mean difference of learning achievement between experimental class and control
class is positive so the learning achievement of experimental class is better than control class.
Based on the pre-test score, the students’ ability in both classes is in the same level. Later on,
the experimental class was taught by Problem Based Learning with Social Media Assistance.
The post-test score of experimental class shows that the students’ understanding toward
statistics is better than that of control class. It is supported by the percentage of minimal
passsing grade on the data in Table 4. The percentage of minimal passing grade score in
experimental class is better than that in control class. Based pre-test data and post-test data
means that Problem Based Learning with social media assistance is more effective to teach
statistics than conventional method. This statement is supported by students’s reponse result
throught questionairre.
The questionnaire has been stated valid and reliable so it is ready to use in the research. The
result is 61% items get positive response from the students. The percentage of each item is
more than 80%. It means Problem Based Learning with social media assistance can improve
students’ interest in joining lecture.
Discussion
In experimental class, the students are taught using PBL with social media assistance. First,
whatsapp group discussion is made. This group will encourage the students to intensively
communicate with other students and the students with the lecturer as well (Hrastinski, 2009).
Communication between the students in experimental class runs better than that in control
class. Besides, the use of whatsapp lets the students efficiently communicate in sharing
knowledge and information (Hamzah, 2015; Kartikawati & Pratama, 2017; Bouhnik &
Deshen, 2014). The material that is distributed by the lecturer and the students through
whatsapp can be received fast by the students without any time and place burden. This kind of
104 Yuliana, & Firmansah, The Effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning with Social Media …
knowledge sharing is better than in control class. Control class receives knowledge and
information just in lecture time.
In experimental class, the students are divided into some small groups so that the lecturer can
focus on the learning management (Nicholl & Lou, 2012). PBL with social media assistance
method lets the students study in small groups that takes place outside in the classroom. Each
group discusses to solve problem. The researcher modify the learning process of PBL to avoid
boredom. In line with Lee & Bae (2008) state the one of factors that determines the success of
PBL is modifying it.
The conclusion of the research is in line with the research that was done by Padmavathy &
Mareesh (2013). It is the implementation of Problem Based Learning with social media
assistance to increase students’ motivation and interest to learn statistics. So the students have
better understanding toward statistics.
The role of teacher in class tends to be facilitator in which he/she just ensures that the students
learn something and help the students when they need it. The teacher gives some real life
problems (Botty et al, 2016) through questions, teamwork, and how to come to its answer.
Students work in small groups of three or four people. In the group, the students present their
discussion result. The students also learn how to make a conceptual knowledge not only
theory memorization (Mustaffa et al, 2014). It makes statistics more impressing for the
students. As the consequence, their understanding is better. It can be seen from the result of
their statistics test.
Volume 7, No. 2, September 2018 pp 97-108 105
The benefits of Problem Based Learning with social media assistance to teach statistics show
that this method is more effective than conventional method. The same conclusion is written
by Kazemi & Ghoraishi (2012). It can be seen from the result of post test with T-test analysis.
The result of T-test two tails is p value equals to 0.019, while the mean difference of post test
in experimental class and control class is 12.5. P value is less than significant 0.05. It means
there is difference learning result between experimental class and control class. Because the
difference value is positive, the conclusion the learning result of experimental class is better
than control class. It is similar with research conclusion carried out by Kazemi & Ghoraishi
(2012).
CONCLUSION
In line with the validation result, Problem Based Learning with social media assistance that is
developed by the researcher is implemented like how it is stated in lesson plan. The learning
method also got positive response from the students. It can be seen by the result of
questionnaire. In addition, the result of T-test shows that Problem Based Learning with social
media assistance is more effective to teach statistics than conventional method.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The research could be well accomplished because the support of Widya Dharma University.
The research was funded by Technology Research and High Education Ministry in 2017
budgeting. The researcher thanks so much for the fund and support.
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