Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol.7, No.2
Publication Date: Feb. 25, 2020
DoI:10.14738/assrj.72.7818.
Budiastra, A. A. K., Kusmawan, U., Wicaksono, I., & Kartimi. (2020). The Use Of Natural Sciences Kits In Distance Learning For Higher
Education Of Bachelor Of Elementary School Teacher Education Program. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 7(2) 147-
165.
Copyright © Society for Science and Education, United Kingdom 147
The Use Of Natural Sciences Kits In Distance Learning For
Higher Education Of Bachelor Of Elementary School Teacher
Education Program
A. A. Ketut Budiastra
Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia.
Udan Kusmawan
Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia.
Iwan Wicaksono
Universitas Jember, Indonesia.
Kartimi
IAIN Syekh Nurjati Cirebon, Indonesia.
ABSTRACT
The teaching and learning process of natural science cannot be separated from
practicum activities. Likewise, the practicum activities of natural science in bachelor of
Elementary School Teacher Education Program have their own characteristics. This
study aims at examining the use of Natural Science Kits in the implementation of the
practicum of natural sciences with the provisions contained in the practicum of natural
sciences college subject of bachelor of Elementary School Teacher Education Program,
Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Terbuka. This study is
categorized as a qualitative descriptive research. This study involved 177
undergraduate students of bachelor of Elementary School Teacher Education Program,
UT, which is spread across five (5) regional offices of UT, and it conducted from March
to December 2018. The results of this study showed that it can be concluded that the
practicum of natural science in elementary schools can be carried out using the Natural
Science Kits belonging to bachelor of Elementary School Teacher Education Program,
UT, although the Natural Science Kits and its management activities still needs to be
improved and refined.
Keywords: practicum, Natural Science KITS, Elementary School Teachers, distance learning
INTRODUCTION
One of the characteristics of Distance Education (DE) for Higher Education is that there is a
distance between educators and students. This distance has enormous implications for the
teaching-learning process, in which most of the process takes place remotely. The face-to-face
session is very minimal. Especially, with the advanced information technology, face-to-face
seems to be the last alternative. Under these circumstances, the facilitation provided by the
educators of DE plays a very important role. The quality and quantity of facilities must be able
to make students have a good interaction with various learning resources.
In the distance learning system as implemented at Universitas Terbuka (UT) Indonesia, the
perseverance in attending lectures can be transferred into the perseverance in utilizing the
learning resources available at UT and the tenacity in fulfilling and doing given individual
tasks. For this reason, the students of UT must organize and use a learning environment truly