Implementation of a Problem-Based Learning Model Incorporating the Ethnoscience of Embun Upas to Improve Students’ Science Literacy Skills at MTS Ma’arif Garung

Abstrak

One of the causes of low science literacy among students in Indonesia is the prevalence of traditional pedagogical approaches in science education, which fail to connect the material to real-world contexts. This study aims to improve students’ science literacy skills through the application of a Problem-Based Learning model incorporating the ethoscience of “embun upas” in the topic of changes in the states of matter. This quantitative study employed a quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group. Instruction was conducted over four sessions spanning two weeks, during which the experimental class received instruction using the Problem-Based Learning model grounded in the ethnoscience of “embun upas,” while the control class received conventional instruction. Data collection involved two methods: observation to monitor the implementation of the learning process and a test to evaluate students’ science literacy competencies. The research instruments were assessed based on validity, reliability, difficulty level, and discriminative power. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Preliminary tests included normality and homogeneity tests, while hypothesis testing utilized the independent samples t-test and the N-Gain test. The observation results showed that the implementation rate of the learning process reached 85%, indicating that the learning model was implemented effectively. The experimental class had an average posttest score of 76.36, exceeding the control class’s average score of 62. The independent-samples t-test yielded a significance value of 0.000 < 0.05, indicating a significant difference in science literacy skills between the two classes. The N-Gain analysis results showed that the experimental class achieved a score of 0.5918, falling into the moderate category, while the control class achieved a score of 0.2995, falling into the low category. The research findings indicate that the application of Problem-Based Learning that integrates the ethoscience of embun upas effectively enhances students’ science literacy skills through more contextual, engaging, and relevant learning.