THE EFFECT OF USING BRUNER’S COGNITIVE THEORY AND PREVIOUS KNOWLEGDE TOWARD THE SECOND YEAR STUDENTS’ LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT IN BIOLOGY AT SMA NEGERI 5 PEKANBARU

Abstract

Based on the observation which was done by the researcher at SMA Negeri 5 Pekanbaru, it was found that students’ learning achievement in biology was not satisfied yet. Methods and learning models which were used before did not help much in improving students’ leraning achievement in biology. Therefore, the researcher tried to solve this problem by applying Bruner’s cognitive theory in teaching and learning process. This research was aimed to reveal whether the use Of Bruner’s cognitive theory could improve students’ leraning achievement better than the use Of conventional method and to see whether there was any interaction between Bruner’s cognitive theory and students’ previous knowledge. The population of this research was the second year students in natural science classes at SMA Negeri 5 Pekanbaru. There were 6 classes. Then by using purposive random sampling, the researcher chose class XI IPA 6 (second year students in natural science class group 6) as experimental class and class XI IPA 1 (second year students in natural science class group 1) as control class. This was quasi experimental research. The data was collected by administering an objective test to both experimental and control class, and then the data was analyzed by using ANAVA. The result of the research showed that, (1) learning achievement of the students who were taught by using Bruner’s cognitive theory was higher than those who were taught by using conventional method, (2) learning achievement of the students who had high previous knowledge and were taught by using Bruner’s cognitive theory was higher than those who also had high previous knowledge but were taught by using conventional method, and (3) there was no interaction between the use of Bruner’s cognitive theory and students’ previous knowledge toward students’ learning achievement in biology