The Effect of STEM Aprroach in Problem-Based Learning for Increasing Students^ Problem Solving Ability in the Topic of Environmental Pollution
Parno (a*), Novida Pratiwi (b), Faizza Amaliah Putri (b), and Marlina Ali (c)

a)Physics Education, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia
*parno.fmipa[at]um.ac.id
b)Science Education, Universitas Negeri Malang, Indonesia
c)School Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia

Abstract

Environmental pollution is a manifestation of the interaction between living things and their environment. However, students still have low problem solving ability (PSA) in this topic. Meanwhile, the implementation of STEM approach in Problem-Based Learning (PBL-STEM) to grow students^ PSA is still rarely used. This study aims to improve students^ PSA through the implementation of STEM aprroach in PBL in the environmental pollution topic. This quasi-experimental research uses a pre- and post-test design. The subjects of this study were 64 seventh grade students, which equally distributed in the experimental class (PBL-STEM), and the comparison class (PBL). In completing the worksheet during learning, the experimental class students are required to be more active and think than the comparison class students. This study uses the environmental pollution problem solving ability test instrument, which consists of 13 essay items with a Cronbach alpha reliability of 0.785. Pre- and post-test data were analyzed using independent t-test, N-gain, and d-effect size. The results showed that students who studied through PBL with STEM approach had significantly better PSA than students who studied through PBL. Also, the experimental class students had a higher N-gain increase than the comparison class, both in total topics and subtopics of environment pollution. Even in the subtopic of noise pollution, the experimental class students had an increase in PSA one level higher than the comparison class students. Both classes have the same increase in succession from large to small, namely, water, soil, air, and sound pollutions. The practical implementation of the research resulted in a d-effect of 0.782 medium category. Therefore, the STEM approach in PBL has an effect on increasing students^ PSA on the topic of environmental pollution. In future research, it is recommended to add ^Religious^ and ^Art^ aspects of STEM, and be equipped with formative assessment in the whole learning

Keywords: Problem Solving Ability, STEM, PBL, Environmental Pollution

Topic: STEM Education