Perception of Students on Active Learning
Sunaryanto, Dudung Ma’ruf Nuris
*
, Primasa Minerva Nagari, Hanjar Ikrima Nanda
Universitas Negeri Malang
Keywords: Student Perception, Active Learning
Abstract: This study aims to determine student perceptions of active learning in three departments at the Faculty of
Economics, Universitas Negeri Malang, especially in education study programs. Active learning is applied
in the form of case studies, problem-based learning, project-based learning, inquiry, discovery, and
discussion. The research method used is quantitative research with a descriptive approach. The sample used
was 399 students in three departments, namely accounting, management, and economics. The sampling
technique used is Stratified Random Sampling. Data collection techniques using questionnaires. Data
analysis techniques using descriptive analysis. The results showed that all educational study programs in
accounting, management, and economics more often used discussion methods than case study methods,
problem-based learning, project-based learning, inquiry, and discovery.
1 INTRODUCTION
Active learning is still the main choice in the world
of education. In active learning, students are
involved in several activities that can stimulate them
to think and interact with the information presented
so as to create their own understanding and
information through reflection. The learning
experience is obtained by students by interacting
with the teacher or with other students. Through
active learning, students are expected to be
responsible for their own understanding. Teachers
acting as facilitators in learning are obliged to
provide learning material, while students actively
learn. The study of active learning models is able to
facilitate the emergence of Life Skill behavior which
can be referred to as the forerunner of the
application of Life Based Learning that is designed
and developed by the Universitas Negeri Malang at
present. The application of Life Skill in practice is
still not optimally applied in the learning process, so
students only can master knowledge cognitively but
knowledge in affective and psychomotor is still
lacking. Life Skill ability is less trained in students,
as a result, many students are good at memorizing
but do not have life skills such as independence,
confidence, courage, responsibility, and leadership,
and environmental observation abilities.
Many previous studies have proven the success
of active learning in increasing student enthusiasm
and interest in learning rather than using traditional
methods such as lectures. Daouk (2015: 360) reveals
that positive perceptions of active learning strategies
and possible impacts can affect student performance
in learning. Positive perception will build a good
fortune for a person and will build a neural (neuro)
brain so that it behaves positively and good luck. At
the Faculty of Economics, Universitas Negeri
Malang, there are several educational study
programs which in the learning process are expected
to be able to stimulate student activity so that they
can realize the expected learning process. The role
of the lecturer as a facilitator in learning is expected
to be able to generate interest and motivation for
student learning.
The reliability of active learning in improving
learning outcomes has certainly been applied in
almost all elements of education, especially in the
Faculty of Economics. Students can choose one of
the study programs in the three departments in the
Faculty of Economics, namely the Department of
Accounting, the Department of Development
Economics, and the Department of Management.
The unique characteristics of the subjects presented
by each department are interesting to study because
to see what type of active learning method is often
used by lecturers to help students improve their
learning outcomes. Research by Coram (2005: 13)
shows that non-accounting majors have a positive
perception of their learning experience and their
Sunaryanto, ., Nuris, D., Nagari, P. and Nanda, H.
Perception of Students on Active Learning.
DOI: 10.5220/0008786700970101
In Proceedings of the 2nd International Research Conference on Economics and Business (IRCEB 2018), pages 97-101
ISBN: 978-989-758-428-2
Copyright
c
2020 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved
97
performance is better than the accounting
department when viewed from the assessment at the
end of the exam. Current research looks at the
perception of active learning from the side of
students involved in the learning process.
2 LITERATURE REVIEW
The term active learning has the connotation of
constructivism, which is learning actively and
constructed in a social context. Vasan (2018) active
learning is generally defined as an instructional
approach that engages students in the learning
process. In short, active learning requires students to
do meaningful learning activities and think about
what and how they are doing. This is based on
students getting understanding in learning through
interaction with their environment and students
involved in constructing their knowledge.
Constructivist groups emphasize learning oriented
on problem-solving so students actively do
something so that it can transform information into
knowledge. Epistemologically constructivism is a
philosophical explanation of how knowledge is
obtained. Constructivism leads to a humanistic
approach. The humanistic approach emphasizes the
three domains, namely cognitive, affective, and
conative. The Role of Educators is more as a
facilitator that is doing everything to help
individuals build their identity and concept. Ulla
(2015) the study of curriculum materials, textbooks
and other teaching resources is an essential element
in lesson and learning study. Students are involved
in the learning process by being given successful
experiences, acknowledged, accepted and valued.
Here educators treat students as human beings with
all their needs through four approaches namely self-
esteem approach, creative approach, clarification,
and moral development values approach and multi-
talent approach.
Active learning that will be seen in this study
emphasizes concept analysis models, creative
thinking models, experiential learning models, and
group research models (Bank, 1981). In the first
model, this concept analysis model gives students
systematic teaching about how to process
information. This model is based on the assumption
that students must learn to be able to conceptualize
objects and make an understanding of their
environment, and they must be given direct practice
to improve the ability to do classification and
discrimination. In this study, creative thinking
models can be seen in the application of case
studies. Meanwhile, in this second model, the
creative thinking model, this model is designed to
improve fluency, flexibility, and originality when
students interact with objects, events, concepts, and
feelings. Creative thinking models are based on the
assumption that students can and must be taught
techniques that can stimulate their creativity.
Creative thinking is often needed to solve the
problems of everyday life. In this study, creative
thinking models can be seen in the application of
problem-based learning and project-based learning.
In the third model emphasizes experiential
learning models, this learning model provides
opportunities for students to move around with their
surroundings and in one way like this students
acquire thinking skills that are not related to any
subject matter. Seth (2015) The experiential learning
breaks learning model into processes as opposed to
outcomes and contains four discrete phases: concrete
experience, reflective observation, abstract
conceptualization, and active experimentation. This
learning model has based on Piaget's discovery that
cognitive development occurs when children interact
with environmental aspects that seem contradictory
and ambiguous. In this study, creative thinking
models can be seen in the application of discovery
and inquiry. The fourth model is a group research
model, in this model trains students to learn in
groups to examine complex topics. This model
assumes that the ability to follow and complete tasks
in group settings is important, both in and outside
the classroom. In this study, the group research
model can be seen in the application of discussions
in each study program at the Faculty of Economics,
Universitas Negeri Malang. According to Jason
(2012) active learning techniques, when combining
with access and reliable resources of core
sustainability research, can in time move learners
away from dependence on educators and towards a
personal responsibility approach. The statement
emphasized that active learning must be supported
by other learning resources so that students obtain
maximum learning outcomes and are free from
teacher dependence.
3 METHODS
The type of research used in this study is
quantitative research with a descriptive approach.
Questionnaires with closed questions were
distributed to 399 students in three departments,
especially education study programs at the Faculty
of Economics, Universitas Negeri Malang. These
IRCEB 2018 - 2nd INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS 2018
98
three majors are Accounting, Development
Economics and Management. Calculation of
samples using the Slovin formula (figure 1) is
expected to represent the sample population of 546
students of education study programs in the Faculty
of Economics. The sampling technique used is the
Stratified Random Sampling with details in table 1.
Figure1: Slovin formula
Table 1: Sample
No
Attitude
Score
1
Strongly Disagree
1
2
Disagree
2
3
Doubtful
3
4
Agree
4
5
Strongly Agree
5
The questionnaire is intended to determine
whether active learning methods are a case study,
discussion, problem-based learning, project-based
learning, discovery, or inquiry which are often used
in educational study programs at Faculty of
Economics. Quantitative data analysis of the
questionnaire was carried out by giving a score on
the respondent's answer, using a Likert scale, with
details in table 2.
Table 2 : Questionnaire Measurement
Majors
Undergraduate
Program
No. of
Student
No. of
Samples
Accoun-
ting
Accounting
Education
73
61
Manage
ment
Commerce
Education
158
113
Office
Administration
153
110
Econo-
mics
Economic
Education
162
115
Total
546
399
Scoring results are calculated using the formula in
Figure 2. Furthermore, the results of scoring
between departments will be compared and
described to find out the students' perceptions of
what active learning methods are often used by each
department.
Figure 2: Calculation of Scoring Result
4 RESULTS
Analysis of questionnaire data with descriptive
analysis of the accounting education study program
is shown in Figure 3. Active discussion type
discussion method is most often used in the learning
process by accounting education study programs
with a percentage of 84.75%. Another method that is
often used is Problem Based Learning (PBL) of
80.50% followed by Case Study of 78.25%,
Discovery of 77.88%, Project Based Learning of
77.88% and Inquiry of 75.50 %.
Figure 3: Active learning methods in accounting education
Analysis of questionnaire data with the descriptive
analysis in the management department (office
administration education and commerce education)
is shown in Figure 4. Active learning methods of
discussion type are most often used in the learning
process by the management department with a
percentage of 82.50%. Another method that is often
used is Problem Based Learning (PBL) of 80.25%
followed by Case Study at 79.25%, Discovery at
77.61%, Inquiry at 76.80%, and Project Based
Learning at 75.75 %.
Perception of Students on Active Learning
99
Figure 4 Active learning methods in management
Analysis of questionnaire data with descriptive
analysis of the economic education study program is
shown in Figure 5. Active discussion type discussion
method is most often used in the learning process by
the economic education study program with a
percentage of 81.75%. Another method that is often
used is 76.50% Case Study, Problem Based
Learning (PBL) of 76.25% followed by Discovery
of 74.84%, Inquiry of 75.50%, Project Based
Learning of 77.88%.
Figure 5 Active learning methods in economic education
The three research results show that all
educational study programs in the three departments
use discussion methods more often than other
methods, with an average of 80%. The discussion
method is the interaction of students with students,
between teachers and students. The discussion is
indeed an activity that is used in almost all active
learning methods, because by entering the discussion
process, whether intentionally formed or formed by
itself, is expected to be able to support the success of
other active learning methods. The Handbook from
Florida State University shows that the use of
discussion in active learning makes students have
the opportunity to express the subject matter and
receive classroom feedback from the teacher about
how well they understand the material.
5 DISCUSSION
In accounting education, economic education and
management majors (trade administration education
and office administration education), it can be seen
that active learning methods that are widely used are
discussion methods. This method is a conventional
method where before various kinds of learning
methods appear, discussion methods have been
applied for a long time. The discussion method is
almost inherent in all forms of emerging learning
methods, but there are fundamental differences with
the original discussion method. According to
Rahman (2011), the discussion method will foster
student activity and the interaction between students
one with other students. The method of discussion
will foster the social spirit of the child and will
indirectly foster an active, creative, analytical,
critical, and responsible attitude. Methods other than
discussion also play an important role in forming
more independent and responsible students, so that it
can be said that all learning methods can be applied
in all subjects by looking at the characteristics of
students in the classroom. According to Lobo
(2017), The overall goal of this strategy is to get
higher levels of cognitive processes and the main
method employed to access these is learning by
doing. From this statement, it can be interpreted that
whatever learning method is used by the teacher, the
main goal is to bring students towards higher level
thinking which is in accordance with the curriculum
of the Universitas Negeri Malang that implements
Life Based Learning.
Another method which consists of a case study,
problem-based learning, project-based learning,
discovery, and inquiry also has a positive impact on
classroom learning, although the method is not
dominantly applied in every study program in the
economics faculty. The method is still able to make
students become more active when following the
teaching and learning process in class. Conor (2012)
emphasizes that many studies have shown students
to have evolved from passive recipients into active
learners. The change from passive behavior in the
classroom to being active is one of the effects of
applying one active learning method. The difference
in the percentage of use of learning methods in each
IRCEB 2018 - 2nd INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH CONFERENCE ON ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS 2018
100
study program is the variation in the learning
process. This can occur because the use of learning
methods applied by lecturers in the classroom
depends on the learning material presented. The
application of various types of active learning
methods can foster student learning experiences
from one method to another. Joanna (2017) the
introduction of an active learning assignment has
been a multi-layered experience. From these
statements indicate that active learning can generate
experiences from various things.
6 CONCLUSION
All departments in the education study program at
the Faculty of Economics, Universitas Negeri
Malang have implemented active learning with
methods that are more often used, namely discussion
methods rather than other methods. Accounting,
management, and economics departments have a
high percentage of discussion activities followed by
case studies in economics and problem based
learning in management and accounting majors. This
shows that discussion activities in learning are still
the main choice, although other methods can be
applied. The discussion is the parent of other
learning methods based on student activities, so this
method shows a high percentage compared to other
methods that have been applied in the classroom.
The discussion method emphasizes teamwork and
collaboration between students and other students,
so the discussion method is superior and widely used
than the other methods. Suggestions for further
research, researchers are expected to be able to
compare methods of discussion with new methods
that emerge due to the development of the times and
the progress of technology, information and
communication is very rapid.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The research for this paper is Universitas Negeri
Malang. This research was funded with a source of
non-tax state revenue from the Universitas Negeri
Malang. Therefore, we would like to thank the Dean,
Chair of the study program, and the entire research
team who have struggled to complete this research.
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