WHY SCIENTIFIC APPROACH IS THE BEST TEACHING METHOD

by
Febriana Dian Yusniati, NIM: A320120178
email: febriana178@gmail.com
English Department,Faculty of Teacher Training and Education,
Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta
ABSTRACT
Scientific approach is the best teaching method in this
era. Scientific approach considered to provide the
answer to the 21st century challenge because this
approach integrated with technology into curriculum to
transform learning.
In Indonesia, it is implemented as the 2013 curriculum.
The 2013 curriculum means of integrating values
systems, knowledge, and skills, has orientation on
developing the learners competencies. This study aim is
to explain why scientific approach is the best teaching
method.
Key words: Scientific approach, teaching, method,
integrated, knowledge.
A. Introduction
Science is derived from Latin word scientia which means knowledge. It is a
systemic and logical approach through testing and analysis to discover how things
in universe work. Science is based on fact not opinion or preferences. Scientific
approach that is believed to provide the answer to the challenge of the 21 st
century education. Most educators are in agreement around the idea that students
nowadays need 21st century skills, such skills include critical thinking and problem
solving skills, creativity and collaboration, communication and collaboration, visual
literacy, etc. As a result, educators need to integrate technology into their
curriculum to transform learning and to meet the goals of the 21 st century. This
approach includes effective teaching procedure that promotes students
involvement in thinking deeply about the subject at an appropriate level.
Meanwhile teachers monitor that thinking process and guide them to be more
scientist-like. Trough this process, they learn more than discreet science concepts
and skills. They learn a practical, useful approach to solve problems and answer
questions scientifically. Some methods allied with this approach are Inquiry Based
Language Learning, Project Based Language Learning, Problem Based Language
Learning, Discovery Learning, and Task Based Learning (Fauziati, 2014). In
Indonesia, scientific approach implemented as the 2013 curriculum.

B. Discussions and Findings

Scientific approach can be implemented in education and is often referred to
as scientific teaching. According t o Handelsman scientific teaching approach is a
pedagogical approach used in classroom whereby teaching is approached with
the same rigor as science at its best and it involves active learning strategies to
engage students in the process of science and teaching method that have been
systematically tested and shown to reach diverse students. There are three major
principles that underlie its pedagogical practice in classroom, namely: Active
leaning (a process in which students are actively engaged in learning,
Assessment (tools for measuring progress toward and achievement of the
learning goals), and Diversity (include everything in the classroom). (Handelsman
in Fauziati, 2014).
There are five main steps of classroom techniques: observing: this includes
activities such as reading, listening, scrutinizing, and watching. Questioning
raising questions about the information the students do not understand from what
is observed. Experimenting: this include doing experiments, reading references
other than textbooks, observing object or event. Associating: processing
information that already gathered from the previous steps. Communicating:
delivering the observations or presenting the conclusion. The steps purposes are
to encourage learners to be curious about the world around them, to improve skills
and exhibit more positive attitudes toward science, to improve their oral
communication and critical thinking. The characteristic of scientific approach is
integration of technology into their curriculum to transform learning. Scientific
approach considered to provide the answer to the 21 st century challenge because
this approach integrated with technology into curriculum to transform learning.
In Indonesia, scientific approach implemented as the 2013 curriculum. The
2013 curriculum means of integrating values systems, knowledge, and skills, has
orientation on developing the learners competencies, the changing of teaching
learning methodology towards teaching learning process which gives priorities on
the learning experiences through observing, inquiring, associating, and
communicating so as to enhance the values of competitiveness and build prime
characters (Kemendikbud, 2012:10). The 2013 curriculum replaced the previous
one, that is the competency-based school level curriculum based on national
standard of education. With this new curriculum, it is expected that Indonesia can
promote its national education. The 2013 curriculum is intended to empower
teachers to develop down to earth learning activities to the learners need, based
on actual condition of the school, and the necessity to link it to the environment.
Teaching learning processes in the education unit should maintain interactive,
inspiring, fun, challenging, motivating learners to actively participate. It also
provides enough space for initiative, creative, self-reliance, talents, interest, and
physical and psychological development of the students. The learning process is
entirely directed at the development of the three domains of attitudes, knowledge,
and skills.

C. Conclusion
From the description above, the writer may conclude that scientific approach
is the best teaching method in this era. Because scientific approach considered
providing the answer to the 21st century challenge because this approach
integrated with technology into curriculum to transform learning. This approach
have five steps (observing, questioning, experimenting, associating, and
communicating) that the purposes to encourage learners to be curious about the
world around them, to improve skills and exhibit more positive attitudes toward
science, to improve their oral communication and critical thinking.

REFERENCES
Fauziati, Endang. 2014. Methods of Teaching English as A Foreign Language
(TEFL). Surakarta: Era Pustaka Utama.
Fauziati, Endang, dkk. 2013. English language Teaching and Learning: Theory and
Practice. Kemendikbud.