Preparing Modules as Learning Materials in Strengthening Students Comprehension of the Given Subjects

Jozef Bambang Tri Joga Politeknik Negeri Semarang Abstract: To make his teaching activities fruitful with students comprehension of the matter being taught, a teacher should understand the capacities students should achieve which are stated in educational institute. The ideal things found in curriculum are broken down into units by the curriculum designers. The teacher will considerably put the right materials into every unit and teaches them using the right approach in his teaching process. To help students understand the materials and make them study individually, there are instruments such as LKS (students working sheet, module or video cassette containing the instructional material. They go hand in hand with classroom materials and function as the enhancement for the students comprehension. The students can read the review, do the exercises, and perform the tasks to show their understanding of the special segment of the subjects. This article helps teacher prepare the instructional instruments. Key words: curriculum, module, instructional material

INTRODUCTION
A teacher should realize that being experienced and professional in the knowledge of the teaching material is not enough. To be an effective teacher means much more than becoming a more skillful and knowledgeable classroom practitioner. It means learning how to develop and adapt materials, to plan and evaluate courses, to adapt teaching to students needs, and to function within an institutional setting. It becomes clear that effective teaching is dependent on understanding the context for teaching, the needs of teachers and learners, the careful planning of courses and materials, as well as the monitoring of teaching and learning (Richards, 2001).

THE MATERIAL
The teaching materials are the realization of the ideal things that the institution wants to achieve, or what mastery the learners should have. In a global sphere, there are elements that constitute the ideal context that the institution will achieve to. Childrens needs, societys aspiration, science together with phylosophy, psychology and sociology will blend to become the goals of the education and then from the educational goals, the experts formulate the curriculum. Diagram 1 clarifies the concepts. We, then, have ideal things stated in the curriculum, the capacities that the educational institution aims to achieve. In achieving the ideal things, the curriculum designers have broken down the target into smaller units. The teacher considerately has to put the right materials into the units and teaches them using the right approach in the teaching-learning process. The materials used in the teaching-learning activities consist of teaching materials, and learning materials. The teaching materials are used by teacher to teach the subject to the students, while the learning materials are the ones used by students to learn the subject being taught to them. The teaching and learning materials are information, tools, and texts 26 Preparing Modules as Learning Materials in Strengthening Students Comprehension of the Given Subjects (Jozef Bambang Tri Joga)

which are used to design and analyze the implementation of the teaching and learning process. Those can be in either written or unwritten forms which are used by teacher/ instructor and learners to carry out teaching and learning process in the classroom (National Center for Competency Based Training). The materials are arranged systematically to create the atmosphere and environment enabling the teaching and learning process take place well. Childrens Needs Societys Aspiration Science

Philosophy

Psychology

Sociology

Educational Goals

CURRICULUM Diagram 1: Factors that influence curriculum (Priyono, 2006) At present, English curriculum for schools (Elementary, Junior High, and Senior High Schools) requires that local content be inserted in the curriculum. The National Standardization Board for education has stated that local content should be implemented at every level of schools. It means that teaching English should be done with a sociocultural approach. In the broader sense, students need to accommodate everything that happens in their surroundings, and all those will appear in the present curriculum. A communicative curriculum is condensed from three different aspects: those are views on the nature of language based on its sociocultural environment, views on the nature of language learning based on the cognition, and humanistic views on education. The following diagram shows the influencing factors in an idealized communicative curriculum. Diagram 2 shows that the communicative curriculum is mostly influenced from sociocultural views on the nature of the language, in this case English, views on the nature of language learning based on the cognition, and humanistic views of education. The forms of the teaching and learning materials are: The printed forms which consist hand out, book, module, working sheet, brochure, leaflet, wall chart. Non-printed forms which consist of Audio visual (e.g. video/film, VCD), Audio (e.g. radio, cassette, audio CD, PH), Visual (e.g. photos, pictures, models), Multimedia (e.g. interactive CD, computer based programs, internet). In addition, materials which are not for instructional uses such as magazines, newspapers, and TV materials may also play a role in the curriculum. Cunningsworth (1995:7) summarizes the role of materials (particularly course books) in language teaching as: A resource for presentation materials (spoken and written) A source of activities for learner practice and communicative interaction A reference source for learners on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc. A source of stimulation and ideas for classroom activities 27

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 A syllabus (where they reflect learning objectives that have already been determined) A support for less experienced teachers who have yet to gain confidence

Sociocultural views on the nature of language

Cognitively based views on the nature of language learning Idealized Communicative Curriculum

Humanistic views of education

Diagram 2: An Idealized Communicative Curriculum and the theoretical views which influence it (Dubin, 1986:68) Module Module is one of various learning material which is arranged systematically and is used by teacher or students. In classroom use beside module, the other types of learning materials are information sheet, jobsheet, worksheet, handout. Textbook A text book is information source which is arranged according to the structure and in accordance with certain field of science. Module versus Textbook The following table (Table 1) enables us to learn their further differences
Module Reading interest Written and designed for students Provide the instructional objectives Arranged to suit the flexible learning pattern The structure suit the needs of the students to achieve the final competence Give students chances to practice Accommodate the difficulties on students side Provide a review Written communicatively in semi-formal way The condense based on students needs Textbook Based on the assumption of readers interest Written for the readers (teachers) Not provided with the instructional objectives Arranged linearly Structure based on science logics Not always provide exercises Doesnt anticipate the learning difficulties of student Doesnt always provide a review Written narrative but not communicatively Very condensed Doesnt have feedback mechanism from

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Preparing Modules as Learning Materials in Strengthening Students Comprehension of the Given Subjects (Jozef Bambang Tri Joga)

Have mechanism to get feedback from students Show the way to learn the material

readers Designed to be marketed widely

Table 1: The difference between Modules and Textbooks Structuring Learning Material Map Standard Competence
Students are able to introduce himself and others in simple and easy English

Basic Competence
Learn how to ask and answers questions on names and condition of himself and others

Learning Material/Title of topics

1. Self introduction and others 2. Asking somebodys names 3. Answering questions on names 4. Giving greetings 5. Asking condition of the third singular person

To be able to design the topics of the learning materials, a teacher has to start from the standard competence that has to be achieved by the learners. The standard competence has to be concreted into achievable and measurable actions. He can then go on with the real topics that students have to practice in order to master the standard competence. The Flow of Analysis of Learning Material Construction
Standard Competence Basic Competence Indicator

1. Able to communicate both oral and written using varied types of language accordingly, accurately and fluently in instructional discourse or monologue especially concerning with narrative, recount report and news item discourses.

1.1 Able to understand transactional and interpersonal discourse in report formula.

1. Identify the group of adjective 2. etc.

Learning Material 1. 2. 3. 4. LKS Modul Cassette Some other form

Teaching Activity 1. Discus the presented report text 2. Identify adj phrase

Teaching Material

1. Report Text 2. Adjective Phrase

The above flowchart shows in what kind of forms learning materials teacher can construct them. It also starts from the standard competence, then basic competence, teaching material, teaching activity and then to the forms of learning material, such as LKS, module, cassette, etc. The learning materials cover: Ragam Jurnal Pengembangan Humaniora, Volume 10 Nomor 1, April 2010 29

Title, Learning Materials, Standard Competence, Basic Competence, Indicators, Places Learning guidance The objectives Supporting information Exercises Working guidance Evaluation

To make LKS (students working sheet), module or cassette containing the instructional material, we have to start from the competence standard which is, then, developed into basic competence. We, then, pinpoint the indicator as the guideline to construct teaching material and teaching activity. Based on that, we construct or design the learning material. In this paper what we will set up is a module. Definition of module Module is learning material which has been designed sistematically, step by step with much information to help students comprehend the intended substance, therefore, the module will be provided with learning guidance, the objectives, supporting information, exercises, working guidance and evaluation. All is there to help students achieve the competence which is expected in the level of complexity. Module can exist as the supporting materials for the given subject by the classroom teacher. It goes hand in hand with classroom materials and functions as the enhancement for the comprehension of certain subject as the students can read a review of the given subject, do the exercises, and perform the tasks to show their understanding upon the special segment of the subjects. Module can also stand alone and structured in a way concerning with content, method and evaluation. It is read and studied by the learners by themselves, as the module of the Open University (Universitas Terbuka). The characteristics of such module are: structured spirally from the easy, simple material toward harder, complex one applied self-study method according to each individuals learning speed dependent materials as module can stand alone learners or users friendly, help the easiness of the learners or users to respond or access able to give lesson to the learners the intermediate and final objectives must be stated clearly and measurably structured in smaller units and complete, examples, clear illustrations are available availability of exercises and tasks and the kinds up to dated and contextual materials easy to understand and use communicative language provided with instructional reviews availability of evaluation instrument which enables the learners to do self assessment able to measure the self of mastery over the materials provided by feedback availability of reference for material enrichment (Tomlinson, 1998)

The Objective of Writing Module Below are the benefits that teacher wants to achieve in writing module: 1. Clarify and enable the presentation of the information, lessen the verbal of the given information. 2. Overcome the lack of time, space, and sense, both students or teacher/instructor 30 Preparing Modules as Learning Materials in Strengthening Students Comprehension of the Given Subjects (Jozef Bambang Tri Joga)

3. Can be used rightly and variedly, as to: increase the motivation and spirit of learning for students and the courses participants develop students ability in direct interaction with the environment and other learning sources enable students or courses participants according to the ability and interest enable students or courses participants to self measure or evaluate their learning achievement

Frame of Module Writing

print

Guideline of Writing Module

Module Frame of Module Development

Interactive Multimedia

Guideline of Interactive Module Development

Requirement of Module Writing When a teacher wants to write a module on the instructional materials, he needs to consider some factors which are illustrated in the diagram above. The teacher has to consider some guidelines of module writing as follows: a. Characteristics of Module The teacher should consider things that construct good modules. The characteristics of module are: (1) Self instructional. Students of courses participants are able to self study, not dependant upon other parties. (2) Self Contained. All the instructional materials of one unit competence or subcompetence exist in one complete module. (3) Stand alone. Module or multimedia is not dependent on other media or used by other media. (4) Adaptive. Module has high adaptability to developing science and technology. (5) User friendly. Module should be user friendly. (6) Consistency. We have to take care of the consistency in using: font, space, and layout. Choose the font and size that is easy to read. The title and subtitle use the proportional size and avoid using all texts with capital letters. (7) Format. With the format, use either single or multi-column format, vertical or horizontal paper format, and use icon which is easy to catch. b. Organization To produce good module we have to: Ragam Jurnal Pengembangan Humaniora, Volume 10 Nomor 1, April 2010 31

 present chart or map that shows us the position of every level with the containing instructional materials. arange the content in a systematic placement. place text, illustration, picture in good way. put chapters, units and paragraphs in a way that they will be easy to understand. put title, subtitle, and explanation in such a way that they will be easy to understand. c. Attractiveness To make the module attractive apply the following things interestingly: Combine colours, illustrations, fonts and size of the letters well. Place pictures or illustrations, pinted bold letter, italics, underlines, or colours well. Practice and exercises are set up attractively. d. The Format of Module A good module has the following format: Cover page Francis page Preface Content Map of modules position Glosary

Inside the module to enable students to practice in their own time, there will be: I. Introduction A. Description B. Requirement C. Guideline using the module 1. Explanation for students/courses participants 2. Role of teacher D. Final Objective E. Competence F. Skill Cheque II. Instructional activity A. The Plan of study of students or courses participants B. Learning activity 1. Learning Activity 1 a. The objective of learning activity b. The explanation of the materials c. Reviews d. Task e. Formative Test f. Formative Answers Key g. Working Sheet 2. Learning Activity 2 3. Learning Activity n III. Evaluation A. B. C. D. 32 Cognitive Skill Psychomotor Skill Attitude Skill Product/working object as standard criterion Preparing Modules as Learning Materials in Strengthening Students Comprehension of the Given Subjects (Jozef Bambang Tri Joga)

E. The decided time limitation F. Answer Key IV. Closing Bibliography

CONCLUSION
It is worth knowing for teacher to make a module that can help students increase the motivation of learning, develop studentss ability to interact with other learning sources, enable studets to increase their comprehension to the teaching materials and make their own measure or evaluate on their achievement.

REFERENCES
Cunningsworth, A. 1995. Choosing Your Coursebook. Oxford: Heinemann. Dubin, J. 1986. An Idealized Communicative Curriculum, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Priyono, A. 2006. Power Points Presentation on Development of Instructional Materials for RSBI SMP Teachers. Richards, J. C. 2001. Curriculum Development in Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Tomlinson, B. (ed.) 1998. Materials Development in Language Teaching. New York: Cambridge University Press.

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