Understanding Teacher’s Decision about Teaching and Learning
Approaches for an Economics Classroom
Leni Permana
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Setiabudhi 229 street, Bandung, Indonesia
Keywords: Teaching and learning approaches, Lesson plans, Economic subjects.
Abstract: Teachers have an important role in the classroom, which will affect student learning outcomes. Teachers
should be able to choose the appropriate teaching and learning approach in accordance with the characteristics
of subjects, characteristics of students, and the attainment of competence. Arends (2007) instructional
approaches consist of traditional/teacher-centered (lecture/presentation, direct instruction, concept teaching)
and constructivist/learner-centered (cooperative learning, problem based learning, and classroom discussion).
Unfortunately, teachers often have difficulty in determining the right approach to teaching and learning, thus
using the same teaching and learning approaches for different subject matter, and teachers who are more
active in learning. This preliminary study aims to understand the economics teacher’s decision about teaching
and learning approaches for effective instruction. This study employed qualitative approach utilizing focus
group discussion and analyzing lesson plans made by economics’ teachers. With a right decision about
teaching and learning approaches, learning process can be more effectively and improved the student learning
outcomes.
1 INTRODUCTION
Knowledge has increased rapidly. Increasing
knowledge creates new problems for all countries.
Because of this, many countries have changed their
curricula. The Indonesian Ministry of Education and
Culture declared the curriculum to develop students
have 21st century competence that is critical thinking
and problem solving, creative thinking and
innovative, a communication skill, and collaboration.
Four central 21st Century Skills, which are critical
thinking and problem solving, collaboration,
creativity, and the use of information technology
(Valli et al 2014). Thinking skills have four
components: creative thinking, decision making,
critical thinking, and problem solving (Costa 2001,
Hashim 2004).
A teacher is a person who plays the crucial role in
developing a student in all aspects (Gage 2009,
Arends 2007, Cruickshank et al 2006, Lang & Evans
2006). Teachers plays role as planner, organizer, and
evaluator. The success of teachers in carrying out its
role can be seen from the effectiveness of learning
that can affect the attainment of competence by
students.
In teaching 21st century competence, how you
teach is more important than what you teach (Hashim
2004, McGregor 2007). Therefore, teachers today
should be able to choose the appropriate teaching and
learning approach in accordance with the
characteristics of subjects, characteristics of students,
and the competence to be achieved. Unfortunately,
still many teaching in Indonesian classrooms is
strongly teacher-guided, text-oriented, and exercise-
based. Teachers often have difficulty in determining
the right approach to teaching and learning, thus using
the same teaching and learning approaches for
different subject matter, and teachers who are more
active in learning.
This preliminary study aims to understand the
economics teacher’s decision about teaching and
learning approaches for effective instruction.
Understanding their experiences and listening to their
opinions and suggestions will be able to reveal
appropriate teaching and learning approaches. With a
right decision about teaching and learning
approaches, learning process can be more effectively
and improved the student learning outcomes.
Permana, L.
Understanding Teacher’s Decision about Teaching and Learning Approaches for an Economics Classroom.
In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (ICEEE 2017), pages 383-388
ISBN: 978-989-758-308-7
Copyright © 2017 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
383

2 LITERATURE REVIEW
Lee Shulman (Arends 2007) organized the important
domains of knowledge for teachers into seven
categories: 1)Content knowledge, or knowledge of the
particular subjects to be taught such as Mathematics,
English, History; 2)Pedagogical content knowledge,
that is the special amalgam of content and pedagogy
that is uniquely the province of teachers; their own
special form of professional understanding;
3)Knowledge of learners, and their characteristics;
4)General pedagogical knowledge, with special
reference to those broad principles and strategies of
classroom management and organization that appear
to transcend subject matter; 5)Knowledge of
educational contexts, ranging from the working of the
group or classroom, to the governance and financing
of school districts, to the character of communities
and cultures; 6)Curriculum knowledge, with
particular grasp of the materials and programs that
serve as “tools of the trade” for teachers; and
7)Knowledge of educational ends, purposes, and
values and their philosophical and historical grounds.
Lang & Evans (2006) needs to be concerned with
five growth areas: 1)Content knowledge, knowledge
of instructional and curriculum content, going beyond
the text, extending student knowledge of subject
matter, and restructuring knowledge; 2)Level of
conceptualization, ability to identify problem areas or
areas of improvement of one’s own teaching ability,
identifying alternate behaviors, applying theories and
ideas, and designing professional development plans;
3)Teaching process, capability in and appropriate use
of a variety of instructional and classroom
management skills, methods, and strategies;
4)Interpersonal communication, ability to
communicate with students, school staff and parents;
and 5)Ego, knowledge of oneself and willingness to
take responsibility for one’s own behavior, being
concerned for others, responding positively to
feedback, being objective and honest, facilitating
growth in others, developing a positive self-concept,
and increasing self-esteem.
The most important aspect of teachers’ work is
providing face-to-face instruction to students in
classrooms (Arends 2007). How teaching is
conducted has a large impact on students’ abilities to
educate themselves (Joyce et al 2003). Teacher needs
many approaches to meet their goals with a diverse
population of students. A single approach or method
is no longer adequate. With sufficient choices,
teachers can select the approach that best achieves a
particular objective and the approach that best suits a
particular class of students. Over the years, many
different teaching and learning approaches have been
created, developed, modified, and even combined.
Joyce et al (2003) identifies over twenty major
approaches to teaching such as structured inquiry,
positive interdependance, group investigation, role
playing, jurisprudential inquiry (social models);
inductive thinking, concept attainment, scientific
inquiry, inquiry training, mnemonics, synectics,
advance organizers (information-processing models);
nondirective teaching, enhancing self-esteem
(personal models); mastery learning and programmed
instruction, direct instruction, simulation (behavioral
models). Arends (2007) classify six of models of
teaching such as Lecture/presentation, direct
instruction, and concept teaching
(Traditional/Teacher-Centered); cooperative
learning, problem based learning, classroom
discussion (Constructivist/Learner-Centered). Lang
& Evans (2006) instructional approaches consist of
the direct instruction (lecture, tutorials, practice and
drill); individual study (brainstorming, activity
centers, CAI, journals); indirect instruction
(discovery, guided inquiry, unguided inquiry,
problem solving, decision making, concept mapping,
case studies); experimental (field trip, field survey,
field observation, model building, games, conducting
experiments, simulations) and interactive
(cooperative learning, buzz group, debates, panels).
Cruickshank et al (2006) identifies thirty-one
instructional alternatives for teaching such as
academic games or competitions, brainstroming,
cases, centers of interest and displays, colloquia,
constructivism, contracts, debates, demonstration,
direct instruction, discovery, discussion, drill and
practice, field observation, fieldwork, field trip,
independent study or supervised study, individualized
instruction, learning modules, mastery learning, oral
reports, presentation, problem solving, programmed
and CAI, project or activity method, protocols,
reciprocal teaching, recitation, role playing,
simulation games, simulations, student-team, pupil-
team, cooperative learning. There are some variations
on the theme of cooperative learning such as Student
Teams Achievement Divisions (STAD), Teams
Games Tournaments (TGT), Team-Assisted
Individualization and Team-Accelerated Instruction
(TAI), jigsaw, and Cooperative Integrated Reading
and Composition (CIRC). The Indonesian Ministry of
Education and Culture suggested science-based and
activity-based learning with instructional approaches
such as discovery, inquiry, problem based learning,
and project based learning. Baeten et al. (2016) most
students preferred teacher direction, cooperative
learning and knowledge construction and student-
ICEEE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Economic Education and Entrepreneurship
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centre-learning is identified to enable deep
understanding within students.
Teacher planning is a complex process. Planning
interacts with all other aspects of teaching and is
influenced by many factors. Arends (2007) There are
three phases of teacher planning and decision making:
1)Before instruction: choosing content, choosing
approach, allocating time and space, determining
structures, and determining motivation; 2)During
instruction: presenting, questioning, assisting,
providing for practice, making transitions, managing
and disciplining ; and 3) After instruction: checking
for understanding, providing feedback, praising and
criticizing, testing, grading, and reporting.
Cruickshank et al (2006) when planning instruction,
important decisions must be made regarding what to
teach, how to teach it, and how learning will be
assessed. Teachers needs to take decisions about how
to teach it (instructional approaches). Wasley and her
colleagues (Cruickshank et al 2006) Students seems
to benefit when teachers use a variety of instructional
strategies. They reached this conclusion after
following high school students for three years and
finding that students whose teachers’ use
instructional variety are more interested in school and
more likely to invest their time in academics. Lang
& Evans (2006) consistently uses a variety of
teaching strategies and methods appropriate for the
content and students; experiments with a variety of
ways of teaching. The Indonesian government stated
to choose the appropriate teaching and learning
approach in accordance with the characteristics of
subjects and learners, also the attainment of
competence.
3 METHODS
This preliminary study employed qualitative
approach utilizing focus group discussion. The
method is used to understand teachers' decision about
teaching and learning approaches, so that can be
identified approaches to teaching and learning
appropriate to each subject matter by taking into
account the characteristics of students and
competencies to be achieved. The focus group
comprised of twenty-four (24) economic teachers in
public and private senior high school in Bandung,
Indonesia. The focus group was formed based on their
tenure as economic teachers, as they represent their
experiences in making lesson plans, which include
choosing a teaching and learning approach. Teachers
were asked to notify the problems that they faced
during choosing a teaching and learning approach.
Researcher was analyzing lesson plans in XI grade made
by economic teachers. Qualitative information
collected during this study was coded and analysed
using Microsoft Excel because it enable the
researcher to analyse the data in the original language.
4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Profile of teachers whose participated in this
preliminary study can seen at Table 1. Economic
teachers in Bandung, Indonesia dominated by female
teachers. In general, female who more professions as
a teacher in Indonesia. Most of them have been
teachers for more than 20 years, so they have
experience in making lesson plans, although there
have been several changes in the curriculum. The
lesson plan in it requires the teacher to make decisions
about the teaching and learning approach that will be
used on each subject matter.
Table 1: Profile of teachers participated in the study.
Gender
School Status
Experience (years)
Public
Private
0-5
6-10
11-15
16-20
>20
Male
Female
3
14
2
5
-
5
1
2
-
3
1
3
3
6
17
7
5
3
3
4
9
4.1 Characteristics of Economic Subjects
Economics is very broad, there is the study of micro
economy and macro economy. Economic subjects are
given to senior high-school students. Economic
subjects focus on economic empirical phenomena
that exist around among the students, so that learners
can understand the economic activity, cultivate,
analyze, apply, and presenting observation results.
In curricula for XI grade, students learning about
national income, economic growth and economic
development, labor and unemployment, price index
and inflation, money, monetary policy and fiscal
Understanding Teacher’s Decision about Teaching and Learning Approaches for an Economics Classroom
385

policy, state budget, taxation, international trade, and
international economic cooperation.
The types of subject matter are facts, concepts,
principles, and procedures. In determining the
approach to teaching and learning, teachers are still
less attention to the type of subject matter. This is due
to the limited knowledge of teachers about the types
of subject matter, even though teachers understand
the subject matter very well. 11 teachers expressed
difficulty in choosing an approach appropriate to the
characteristics of economic subjects.
“I faced difficulties in determine the approach of
teaching learning is in line with the characteristics of
economic subjects”.
[Translated Transcript: Participant: XXX- 554]
Summarized from the teacher-made lesson plan to
understand teachers' decision about teaching and
learning approaches, on the same subject matter,
between teachers apply different teaching and
learning approaches.
Table 2: Teaching and learning approaches.
Subject Matter: National Income
Participant
Discovery
Inquiry
PBL
Project
Cooperative
Learning
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
√
“To teach about national income, i only used
problem-based learning”.
[Translated Transcript: Participant: XXX- 1452]
“I used inquiry-based learning, problem-based
learning and project-based learning to teach about
national income. Inquiry-based learning I use to
teach the definition, benefits, and components of
national income. Problem-based learning to teach
per capita income and national income distribution,
and project-based learning to learn about the method
of national income”.
[Translated Transcript: Participant: XXX- 1461]
4.2 Characteristics of Students
Every human individual is unique. In support of
previous literatures (Arends 2007, Cruickshank et al
2006, Lang & Evans 2006) every teacher should be
able to accommodate different characteristics of
student, in order to create effective teaching.
Undeniable, students play important roles in learning
process. As good as any teaching and learning
approach planned by the teacher, if the students are
passive in the learning process, then the desired goal
will be difficult to achieve.
Participants have tried to consider the
characteristics of students in determining teaching-
learning approaches. However, as it is known, in
ICEEE 2017 - 2nd International Conference on Economic Education and Entrepreneurship
386

Indonesia's students study in large classes with more
than 30 students per class. One participant mentioned
that with large class, she had difficulties in applying
the teaching-learning approach that has been planned,
so the process is not maximal, such as not all students
play an active role in the learning process, which
impact on student learning outcomes.
“I have difficulties in choosing the approach which
are appropriate to the characteristics of learners,
which gives students the opportunity to experience
themselves”.
[Translated Transcript: Participant: XXX- 549]
4.3 Competency on Economic Subject
Economic subjects’ competency as well as
characteristics of subject and characteristic of
students have to consider for choosing teaching-
learning approaches. On the economic subjects of XI
grade, The Indonesian Ministry of Education and
Culture have determined nine basic competencies to
be achieved. In the cognitive, includes students able
to describe the concepts and methods of national
income, describe the concept of economic growth and
economic development as well as problems and how
to overcome them, analyze employment problems in
economic development, analyze price indexes and
inflation, analyze monetary policy and fiscal policy,
analyze state budget in economic development,
analyze taxation in development, analyze trade
concepts and policies, and describe international
economic cooperation.
These competencies show that students are
required to have higher-order thinking skills (HOTS).
Thus the learning presented should be able to
motivate learners to think critically, logically, and
systematically in accordance with the characteristics
of Economics, and have higher-order thinking skills.
Anderson categorizes the level of thinking into
remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, and
create.
During this learning process requires only low-
level thinking skills, so that teachers have not been
trained to apply higher-order thinking skills both in
the learning process and assessment. As well as
students faced problems to using high-order thinking
skills.
“I have difficulties in choosing the approach which
are in accordance with competence demands, which
can motivate learners to think critically, and can
encourage learners to have higher-order thinking
skills”.
[Translated Transcript: Participant: XXX- 517]
5 CONCLUSIONS
Both of teachers and students plays an important role
in learning process. Teachers who use the right
approach to teaching and learning, if not supported by
the characteristics of students it will be difficult to
achieve goals. Students who are qualified, but do not
get a good learning process with appropriate
teaching and learning approach, then the expected
competencies are difficult to achieve.
Most of the teachers do not demonstrate
instructional variation because they have limited
images of good teaching and have not learned a
variety of instructional strategies or had the
opportunity to practice them.
Teachers should be able to choose the appropriate
teaching and learning approach in accordance with
the characteristics of subjects, characteristics of
students, and the attainment of competence could
influence students learning process positively or even
negatively. Becoming a truly accomplished teacher
takes a long time, fueled by an attitude that learning
to teach is a lifelong process.
However, since this study is at its preliminary
stage and limited to a specific time scope more
participants are considered to be necessary for future
research.
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environments: an investigation into student teachers’
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Costa, L. A., 2001. Developing minds: A resource book for
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Cruickshank, D.R., Jenkins, D.B., & Metcalf, K.K., 2006.
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Hashim, H., 2004. Malaysian teachers’ attitudes,
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Intellectual Discourse, 11(1), 27-50.
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