Contextualization of Earth and Life Science Lessons: Implications to Science Education

Abstract

Introduction

Teaching and learning by contextual approach is an instructional innovation that was developed at the turn of the 21st century. Contextual means something related to the local environment, such as home, community, or workplace; contextualizing means creating a connection between the lessons taught in the classroom and what is happening in the real world outside. In this approach, the students are given an "experience" on the lesson, not just pure thinking and imagination while seated in the classroom. Thus, students are expected to easily relate to the lesson, understand it better, and remember it more.

Methods

An experimental research design was utilized. The design included both pre-test and post-test data gathering on two samples to make it an independent sample design. The experimental group infused Contextual Teaching and Learning while the traditional method for the control group.Before the application of Contextual Teaching and Learning a pre-observation was conducted for both groups with the same checklist questionnaire. The pre-observation served as baseline data. After the application of Contextual Teaching and Learning the post-observation was conducted to both experimental and control groups with the same instrument used during the pre-observation. The results of the post-observation served as the end line of the data.

Results

They are sometimes interested during the opening of the class, respond to topic enthusiastically, follow the teacher’s instruction, pay attention to the teacher’s explanation, respond to the teacher’s questions, actively present the results of group discussion in front of the class, and do the speaking task. They are always interested during the opening of the class, respond to topic enthusiastically, follow the teacher’s instruction, pay attention to the teacher’s explanation, respond to the teacher’s questions, follow teacher’s modeling enthusiastically, actively present the results of group discussion in front of the class, involved in doing what have been learned, and do the speaking task.

Discussions

The result of the study implies that there is a need for the teacher to apply Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL) in teaching Earth and Life Science to improve students' interaction and involvement. This may be applied in the curriculum of teacher's education to formally train teachers of Earth and Life Science the rudiments of Contextual Teaching and Learning on how to integrate into the school curriculum for learning.