SBM ITB held a doctoral defense of Zulfikar Alumuddin with a thesis entitled “Reinforcing Exam Learning with Knowledge Creation to Improve Pedagogical Content Knowledge Among School Teachers,” Wednesday (16/6/2021). This thesis aims to help teachers improve their awareness and knowledge as they tend to forget what they share or learn. It also aims to support teachers with references so they can teach effectively.
Zulfikar, the Director of Global Islamic Boarding School (GIBS), observed that most students ignored teachers because the lessons are not engaging. Students were either busy with themselves, sleeping, or daydreaming because teachers do not provide activities for them. Besides, teachers tended to have limited interaction with one student at a time because of their limited ability to handle groups. Also, the teacher kept repeating the same explanation for the same questions proposed by students due to their inability to explore the problems that students have and other in-class circumstances.
Zulfikar’s research applied a conceptual model by action learning using Watkins and Marsick Continuous Learning Model and knowledge creation using SECI (Socialization, Externalization, Combination, and Internalization), the framework of Nonaka and Takeuchi, and Nonaka and Toyama. The analysis is conducted with the discussion focused on two aspects: teachers’ knowledge and teachers’ awareness.
Results show that action learning and knowledge creation are effective as a framework for teacher training concerning pedagogical content knowledge. Furthermore, knowledge creation reinforced with action learning is also effective in improving teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge. However, there are no significant differences between the three methods.
Before closing his presentation of the doctoral defense led by Professor Sudrajati Ratnaningtiyas, Zulfikar concluded that each method (action learning, knowledge creation, and knowledge creation reinforced with action learning) is significantly effective to improve teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge. In addition, reflection and structured knowledge sharing are necessary to support teacher’s pedagogical content knowledge.
It is recommended that future study should reconsider comparing the implementation of the frameworks using different implementation models depending on the context of the study. In addition, it is recommended that future studies involve teachers from different institutions and create a group with teachers from mixed institutions for knowledge creation sessions. Dr. Zulfikar also provides other recommendations for the government to enhance better learning in school by teachers for a better outcome for students.
Written by Student Reporter (Tjia Alphani, Entrepreneurship 2022)