Training Students’ Thinking Skills using Problem-based Learning

Integrated with Virtual Mobile Learning

Insar Damopolii

, I. Iwan and Bayu Kurniadi

Biology Education Department, Universitas Papua, West Papua, Indonesia

Keywords: Thinking skill, Problem-based learning, virtual, mobile learning, STEM

Abstract: Learning based on science, technology, engineering and mathematic (STEM) in the 2013 curriculum can be

implemented through the application of a combination of problem-based learning and virtual mobile learning.

This research aimed to train thinking skills of students in SMA Negeri 01 Manokwari through the application

of problem-based learning combined with virtual mobile learning. One-shot case study was operative in this

research. A total of 126 students in the XI

MIA

class of SMA Negeri 01 Manokwari were involved as research

subjects. Data collection techniques include learning achievement tests and thinking skill rubrics based on

SOLO Taxonomy. Data analysis were in the form of percentage of achieving thinking skill and inferential

analysis used Kruskal-Wallis. The results indicate that the students’ level of thinking skills has reached

relational level or level 4, and the highest percentage of thinking skill levels achieved by students was at level

3 or multistructural level. The significant values of the five treatment groups were 0.120 > 0.05, indicating

that there was no differences in the achievement of thinking skills among five treatment groups. The study

has concluded that problem-based learning combined with virtual mobile learning can be deployed to foster

students’ thinking skills.

1 INTRODUCTION

Problem-based learning is a recommended learning

strategy in the 21st century class. The application of

effective learning models in the classroom is expected

to improve students’ learning outcomes and empower

their potential. Teaching is not based on the teacher's

preference, but needs to be determined based on the

students’ competence as well (Damopolii, Nunaki, &

Supriyadi, 2018). Teachers in problem-based

learning (PBL) classes facilitate the learning process

by monitoring their students’ progress and asking

questions to encourage them to excel in problem

solving process (Major & Palmer, 2001). In fact,

students consider problem-based learning effective

learning (Hallinger & Lu, 2011).

Several previous studies show that there is an

influence of learning models based on students'

learning achievement problems on students’

achievement (Demirel & Dağyar, 2016; Günter,

Akkuzu, & Alpat, 2017; Taşoğlu & Bakaç, 2014).

The implementation of PBL empowers students’

critical thinking skills (EL-Shaer & Gaber, 2014;

Gholami et al., 2016; Zabit, 2010), creative thinking

skills (Birgili, 2015; Ersoy & Başer, 2014; Murni &

Anggraini, 2016), problem solving skills (Darma,

2018; Nasution, Yerizon, & Gusmiyanti, 2018;

Sihaloho, Sahyar, & Ginting, 2017), and levels of

structuring concepts (Inel & Balim, 2010). Research

students in the Department of Biology Education in

Universitas Papua have found that there is no

significant effect of PBL implementation on students’

learning achievement (Sogen, Damopolii, &

Kilmaskossu, 2018; Zannah, Iwan, & Damopolii

2018), and fair influence is evident on student attitude

in Science (Batdı, 2014). Some studies acknowledge

the effect of PBL on achieving student learning

objectives, but on the other hand some studies claim

that there is no significant effect. The author also

found that there was no measurement of thinking

skills based on SOLO taxonomy of students in

learning to implement PBL integrated with

technology. As such, it is necessary to deploy a

technology to help students achieve SOLO taxonomy,

where the technology must comply with the demands

of STEM-based curriculum in Indonesia and student

development.

Based on the results of direct observation and

interviews, the researcher has found that SMA Negeri

01 Manokwari is a school with fairly complete ICT

584

Damopolii, I., Iwan, I. and Kurniadi, B.

Training Students’ Thinking Skills using Problem-based Learning Integrated with Virtual Mobile Learning.

DOI: 10.5220/0010025100002917

In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Social Sciences, Laws, Arts and Humanities (BINUS-JIC 2018), pages 584-589

ISBN: 978-989-758-515-9

facility and competent human resources. This can be

seen from the ability of teachers and students who are

skilled enough to operate ICT facilities such as

Infocus, computers, laptops, and smartphones. Of the

331 students in class XIMIA of SMA Negeri 01

Manokwari, there are 302 students or 91% of students

who use Android-powered smartphones. The data

shows that Android-based smartphones are a type of

mobile device that is very popular and most sought

after by the students of class XIMIA SMA Negeri 1

Manokwari. These conditions should strongly

support more innovative learning by utilizing the

available ICT facilities. However, the availability of

fine ICT facilities and competent human resources in

the school has yet to accrue optimal biology learning.

The utilization of ICT in learning is known as e-

learning. The newest branch or part of e-learning is

mobile-based learning or mobile learning (Georgieva,

Smrikarov, & Georgiev, 2005) Mobile learning is

flexible because it can be changed or updated at any

time, particularly if there are changes in material,

especially in the field of science that has improved

with respect to its theory. In principle, mobile

learning aims to facilitate learners anywhere and

anytime according to their place (Wilson & Bolliger,

2013). Mobile learning is virtually accessible from

anywhere, by providing access to various learning

materials.

Mobile devices that can be used for the

development of learning media are smartphones

(smartphones) (Squire, 2009). The use of this

smartphone is put in experiment by Dewanti to

connect smartphone usage with students' learning

achievements, the results of which show that there is

a significant correlation between smartphone usage

and students' learning achievement, where the use of

smartphones positively affects students' learning

achievement, with higher smartphone usage resulting

in higher students’ learning achievement (Dewanti,

Widada, & Triyono, 2016). Good achievement results

from their good thinking skills. One of the thinking

skills is SOLO taxonomy level of thinking skill.

Today, SOLO taxonomy has been used to measure

students' thinking skills (Seiter, 2015). The level of

SOLO taxonomy is divided into five stages, namely

prastructural, unistructural, multistructural, relational

and extended abstract (Wells, 2015), each of which is

used in various subjects (Biggs & Collis, 1982),

including biology (Minogue & Jones, 2009).

A study by Uzunboylu, Cavus & Ercag suggests

the use of mobile learning in large-scale study

(Uzunboylu, Cavus, & Ercag, 2009), In addition, it is

suggested to delve into the more implementation of

PBL in the future (EL-Shaer & Gaber, 2014), and

PBL improvements to previous research. As such,

study focusing on use of mobile-assisted virtual PBL

is expected to accrue good effect in training thinking

skills based on SOLO taxonomy.

2 METHOD

This research was an experimental study using a one-

shot case study. The subjects in the study were

students of XIMIA class at SMA Negeri 01

Manokwari. Five classes were involved as treatment

classes, namely XIMIA3 with 29 students (group 1),

XIMIA5 with 29 students (group 2), XIMIA6 with 20

students (group 3), XIMIA7 with 24 students (group

4), and XIMIA8 with 24 students (group 5). As such,

a total of 126 students were involved in the study. The

research was carried out in the even semester of

2017/2018 school year, starting from March 27 2018

to May 18, 2018.

Learning instruments used in the study included

lesson plan, student worksheets, achievement tests,

and Android-based virtual mobile learning. Learning

instrument was adapted to the 2013 curriculum

applied by SMA Negeri 01 Manokwari. Lesson plan

was constructed and arranged in the form of HOTS

lesson plan (High-Order Thinking Skills Lesson

Plan). Android-based mobile learning media and

student worksheets were implemented in the form of

the syntax of Problem Based Learning (PBL)

activities. Tests of learning outcomes included five

items. This learning instruments were used to assist

the learning process in order to achieve the learning

objectives. To measure thinking skills, a five-level

rubric was used, which comprised of prastructural,

unistructural, mutistructural, relational and extended

abstract.

The production phase of mobile learning

commenced with preparing instrument and materials

used in the process of making Android-based mobile

learning media. The equipment used by researchers

were PC hardware, ACER ASPIRE E5-471-30Q8,

appypie website and Android smartphone OPPO E37.

Materials needed in the process of making android-

based mobile learning media was a good WIFI signal

so that the learning process ran smoothly, Youtube

video URL related to the material of the human

reproductive system, images of human reproductive

system material, various material summaries in the

form of Microsoft Word , and multiple choice quiz

questions in Microsoft Word format. After preparing

the necessary instrument and materials, the researcher

made a storyboard or general description that showed

the storyline and the process of using the instructional

Training Students’ Thinking Skills using Problem-based Learning Integrated with Virtual Mobile Learning

585

media. Storyboard was made in the form of

smartphone display slides. Each slide had different

functions and views with different button as well as

settings, background and animation effects.

Storyboards that had been created were then

processed online at www.appypie.com.

Validity of research data was obtained from the

validation instrument sheet. This validation

instrument sheet applied 1-5 Likert scale with

alternative answers comprising of 1) irrelevant, 2)

less relevant, 3) quite relevant, 4) relevant and 5) very

relevant. Validation sheets were filled in by three

validators, including media expert, material expert

and biology learning practitioner. Validation results

showed that lesson plan, student worksheet,

achievement test, and virtual mobile learning were

valid and applicable for learning process.

Data analysis, in the form of achievement

percentage of each thinking skill level and inferential

analysis using the Kruskal-Wallis test was made

operative to find out any significant differences

among classes and its effect on tinking skill.

3 RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Based on the results of the study applying problem-

based learning assisted by virtual mobile learning in

five treatment groups, crucial data have been

garnered in the form of achievement percentage of

each thinking skill level and the analysis of

differences in thinking skills using Kruskal-Wallis.

The following is the data from the analysis:

Figure 1: Students’ achievement with to thinking skills based on SOLO taxonomy

Figure 2 demonstrates that each group has different

thinking skill achievements. In all treatment groups,

achieving the thinking skill level is at the relational

level. In groups 1, 2 and 3, the highest level of

thinking skill from students reaches the multistuctural

level, while groups 4 and 5 reaching the highest

achievement at the relational level. The prestige level

in group 3 reaches 5%, while the other groups have

yet to reach this level. Unistructural levels in group 1

reach 3.45% and group 4 reach 4.17%, while the other

groups have not reached the same level. In all groups,

no students have reached the extended abstract level.

When a total of 126 students are taken into

account; 55.56% of students reach the multistructural

level; 42.06% of students reach relational level;

1.59% of students reach an unistructural level; 0.79%

of students reach prestructural level; and 0% of

students reach extended abstract level. These data

conclude that PBL assisted virtual mobile learning

can foster students’ thinking skills to reach relational

levels. The highest percentage of achieving thinking

skills is at the multistructural level.

0,00%

10,00%

20,00%

30,00%

40,00%

50,00%

60,00%

70,00%

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5

0,00% 0,00%

5,00%

0,00%

3,45%

0,00%

4,17%

65,52%

68,97%

55,00%

37,50%

45,83%

31,03% 31,03%

40,00%

62,50%

50,00%

0,00% 0,00% 0,00% 0,00% 0,00%

Prestructural Unistructural Multistructural Relational Extended Abstract

BINUS-JIC 2018 - BINUS Joint International Conference

586

Table 1: Analysis results of Kruskal-Wallis on thinking skills based on SOLO taxonomy

Group N Mean Rank Chi-Square df

Asymop.

Sig.

Thinking

Skills

29 56.34 7.238 4 0.120

29 57.59

20 61.23

24 76.94

24 67.75

Total 126

Table 1 indicates that there is no difference in the

achievement of SOLO taxonomy level of thinking

skills in the five treatment groups. This shows that the

achievement of SOLO taxonomy level of thinking

skill in each group taught using the problem based

learning model assisted by mobile learning is similar.

Good thinking habits raise questions to direct

students’ learning, by taking into account various and

varied kinds of problems, finding out how to solve

problems through various types of inquiry, and

thinking independently (Chin & Chia, 2006).

Students have positive opinions in learning using

PBL models. This is indicated by their interest in the

problems given by the teacher. Because the problems

given are related to the phenomena of everyday life,

students can be empowered to develop lifelong

learning (Günter et al., 2017; Tseng, Chiang, & Hsu,

2008). Mobile learning is the opposite of learning that

occurs in conventional classes, where it is not just a

machine, but an inseparable instrument (Jinlong,

Zhaolei, & Yawei, 2012; Woodill, 2011).

The combination of problem-based learning with

virtual mobile learning makes learning process better.

The results are found to improve previous research

that indicate influence at medium extent (Batdı,

2014), and some other studies which reveal no effect

of problem-based learning in student learning

achievement (Sogen et al., 2018; Zannah et al., 2018).

With the use of PBL combined with virtual mobile,

students become active and thus can observe objects

of biological learning through pictures and videos

presented in mobile learning. This can also overcome

the limitations in learning due to insufficient

laboratory facilities in schools, support efficient use

of budget, and provide practicality and flexibility for

students. Students can study at home because mobile-

learning that has been designed is stored on their

smartphone. In mobile learning, today’s students are

always connected to the internet. According to Shen

et al., 95% of students are interested in taking distance

learning through internet (Shen, Wang, Gao, Novak,

& Tang, 2009). In mobile learning, there is also a

consultation section if students want to ask questions

about the concept related to a material.

Learning with the use of PBL requires students to

solve problems collaboratively in groups. Mobile

learning is there to help students find the information

they need, because mobile learning is connected to

the internet. In real-world situations, students

individually use mobile learning to support their

learning and increase their understanding, especially

because it is connected to a computer system using

wifi (Ahmed & Parsons, 2013; Chu, Hwang, Tsai, &

Tseng, 2010). Wifi has a great effect on learning

(Roschelle, 2003), which supports learning activities

(Vogel, Spikol, Kurti, & Milrad, 2010).

In the learning process under investigation,

students find it easier to obtain information, because

they do not need to carry heavy textbooks provided

by school libraries. Rather, they can simply use

smartphones for more positive purposes. As a result,

the learning process becomes more enjoyable and

suits the demands of today's generation, and at the

same time reduces the adverse effect of smartphones

being laden with negative content or game related

apps. Survey conducted by Shen et al reveals that

9.5% of mobile phones are used for learning (Shen et

al., 2009). With the innovation allowing instructional

purpose of mobile phone, smartphone becomes even

more useful.

4 CONCLUSIONS

Based on the research results, it can be concluded that

problem-based learning assisted by virtual mobile

learning can foster students’ thinking skills based on

SOLO taxonomy. The students’ achievement with

regard to thinking skill level reaches the relational

level (level 4), and the highest percentage of

achieving SOLO taxonomy level of thinking skills is

at the multistructural level (level 3). Future research

can apply particular learning strategy to excel

student’ thinking skills to reach the extended abstract

level (level 5). It can delve into the relationship

between achieving particular SOLO level of thinking

skill and students’ learning achievement.

Training Students’ Thinking Skills using Problem-based Learning Integrated with Virtual Mobile Learning

587

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author would express his gratitude to the

developer of online application Appypie

(https://www.appypie.com/) for the free features

provided to create a virtual mobile learning

application.

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