Interactive Courseware for Supporting Learners Competency in Practical Skills

This study is carried out to develop an interactive multimedia learning aid that increases students’ competency in practicing electrical motor installation. Students of Public Vocational High School in Langkat, Indonesia involve in this study. The Research and Development (R&D) methodology by Borg and Gall (1998) is adapted in this study, in which the steps include understanding the problem, gathering information, design and development, validation, product improvement, product testing, product revision, installation, design improvement, and product distribution. In terms of pedagogy, ASSURE learning model (that consists of Analyze, State Objective, Select Methods, Utilize, Requirement, and Evaluate) is incorporated in the product. When data were tested, the results prove that generally, respondents believe that the developed learning aid is highly qualified to be used. More ever, all parties highly believe that the developed learning aid is able to increase the students’ competency in electrical motor installation. INTRODUCTION Education is a process that people go through for continuous improvement. Also, education is important to assist people to expand their potentials. In Indonesia, every individual is guaranteed with similar right to receive similar education in improving the quality of life. The 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia Section 31 Sentence (1) states that each citizen is eligible to get access to education. Further, Sentence (3) urges that the government designs and maintains a national education system that upgrades faith and god-fearing as well as moral in up-lifting the life of the nation. In terms of the advantages of media, Asyar (2011) believes that besides teachers’ creativity, instructional considerations is also one of the determining factors. In most cases, teachers have not optimized learning media appropriately, in which they use the aids without considering the efficiency and effectiveness aspects (Churcill, 2011; Zulaiha & Mutalib, 2015a). The use of media is very much related to the quality of teaching and learning. Beyond that, the teaching and learning could contribute to the meaningful learning experience; facilitate interactions between students and teachers and among students regardless of locations, which enriches learning experience (Aziz & Mutalib, 2016; Norshahila, Fatimah, & A'fza, 2014). It is believed to be an agent that twists passive learning environments (Hoon, Chong, Ngah, & Kee, 2009; Chinn, 2012; Aziz, Mutalib, & Sarifi, 2014). In an active environment, students dynamically discuss and search for learning resources, while teachers facilitate the learning process. The availability of various learning media and technology assists learners to flexibly achieve their learning outcomes (Hanim & Fatimah, 2011; Aziz & Mutalib, 2016). The development of interactive media is very important in overcoming the drawbacks in the available conventional learning aids. When learning media is selfdeveloped by respective teachers, they feel more confident with the contents (Aziz, Eshak, & Mutalib, 2011). Besides, it increases their credibility and professionalism (Schittek, Mattheos, Lyon, & Attström, 2001; Aziz, Hazwani, Shiela, & Mutalib, 2010). On top of that, it is better for the students’ knowledge acquisition. In Indonesia, vocational high school is one educational stream that significantly develops human capital in technical aspects, as outlined by the curriculum development unit. Indonesian government regulation no. 19 The year 2005 on national education standards article 26 point (3) states that vocational education aims at increasing intelligence, knowledge, personality, and moral as well as skills to be independent. Further, it also provides opportunities for students to further extend their studies in their respective technical intelligence. TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology – July 2017, volume 16 issue 3 Copyright © The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology 89 Although the government is aware of the importance of skill development among learners, realizing it is a puzzle. Records (details are confidential) prove that the achievement by learners in vocational high school is continuously low. Generally, learners score below the average. This is a mismatch because something important is not well-achieved. At the same time, efforts in establishing and running a vocational high school are huge. This study believes that the establishment of the vocational high school is not a wrong decision, but the teaching and learning practice needs to be revisited. It is the symptom that alerts this study. Accordingly, a close observation was arranged. This study went to the vocational high school and spent tens days to understand the scenario. It was focused on understanding the teaching and learning practice, and learners behavior while learning. After tens days observing, this study gathers a significant answer to the symptom. It This study found that teachers use conservative techniques and materials like boards, books, chalks in their classroom. The classroom is very teacher centered, leaving learners passively listen to the explanation. Books show static pictures with a wordy explanation. With such limitations, books are not able to demonstrate a process. It contradicts with the philosophy of skill development, which requires learners to digest processes. When that happens, learners do not focus on their learning. Hence, this study noticed that most of them do not focus on the learning contents. Further, to better understand the scenario, this study interviewed the teachers and learners. Altogether, this study interviewed five teachers and tens learners, one at a time, separately. Based on the interviews, teachers are not happy to use textbooks in teaching the skill-based subject, particularly the electrical motor. They feel very difficult to impart knowledge into learners because the textbooks are not able to visualize the process. As a result, learners are not happy and are not engaged in the learning process. It is commonly seen that learners do something else during the class sessions, like playing games and chatting with peers. They believe that the delivery should be altered to suit the current scenario. While learners are exposed to technologies, their learning experience should also acknowledge that. Otherwise, it creates a conflict that leads to learning gap. When learners were asked about the experience, they also agree with their teachers. Although one learner does not really concern about the delivery technique and materials, the other four learners really concern about it. For them, they prefer something that could visualize processes for them. It is highly appropriate because they learn about processes in an electrical motor. Furthermore, most of them are very exposed to technologies at home. Based on the observation and interviews, this study asked them whether they prefer if an appropriate interactive learning material (courseware) is available for them in their learning activity. The teachers responded positively. For them, courseware could help a lot. For learners, they really expect for the courseware. They believe, courseware could enable them to learn on their own. While teachers as human are tired of repeating for them, courseware can repeat as many times as they want. Also, the combination of various media could enrich the knowledge delivery. Based on the findings from the observation and interviews, this study discovers the gap in skill development among learners in vocational high school, particularly in the electrical motor subject. While the contents in the subject are mostly skill-based, the delivery should support its needs. Hence, the current conservative teaching delivery and materials should be transformed into something more appropriate for current development. Thus, this study proposes to use interactive learning material in supports for skill development in Vocational High School. Based on the gap as discussed in the previous paragraph, this study aims at accomplishing the following objectives: (1) to design and develop an interactive learning material for an electrical motor subject, and (2) to test the interactive learning material through expert and users.