Nowdays Indonesia as one of the develompment countries is developing the encouragement of education by increasing educational budget 20%. It is a good first step which is done by the government, in spite of there are many damaged schools and drop out students. Our education world has good name in International world, a few international olympiads such as Mathematics, Psysics, Computer, Astronomy, etc. The young students of Indonesia have succedeed to reach Gold Medals, Silver Medals, and Bronze Medals as the proper proudness, we achieved to compete with andvance countries that has good education.
Competed subjects in some olympiads are familiar for us because the such subjects existed in our curricullum. But, a subject that especially found in the college is Astronomy. Because if we review on the elementary and high schools, we will find many things related to Astronomy in the subjects such as Pysics and IPBA material. This causes only some students who are able to understand Astronomy and become so odd for a few students.
IPBA material is part of Pysics which study material structure and the fenomena of Earth and space. IPBA material in curricullum 2004 for Senior High School comprise two parts, (i) Studying about geology including into Geography which stress on memorizing, (ii) Studying about outer space knowledge including into Pysics.
In its studying process, IPBA is more served in delivery fact form without comprehending process, only Reading without involving the students to think actively. This condition caused IPBA losing the color of its psyics, therefore; it is not interesting for students and teachers especially in the Senior High School level. Besides, there are no practical Works like exploration of the daily natural symptoms causing the students do not the real condition from taught IPBA material. It is placed the blame on by teachers in conducting the learning and teaching process so that in conducting the study only by using the speech method, whereas; the laboratory of Geology and outer space knowledge is our environment.
I have observed two schools SMA Negeri 14 Bandung and SMA Kartika Siliwangi I Bandung, we got some informations that the material about outer space knowledge on Pysics in curricullum 2004 which should be given in the first semester, not sufficient time given in the class by the teachers but gained by the students through Reading task. Meanwhile, the material about geology on the geological subject has been given on the begining of the first semester.
IPBA material is ignored, especially on part of outer space knowledge, it is done for covering various factors which often faced on learning process, like the lack ability in comprehending subject material of IPBA because of generally they do not get IPBA material when they were studying education and teacher in Lembaga Pendidikan Tenaga Keguruan IKIP or UPI, IPBA material on curricullum 2004 are theoretical and informatical, the issues of IPBA material in the final national test at least, less or without a sufficient model tools, and etc.
The condition above caused the students getting the lack of IPBA material optimally. IPBA is interesting part of Pysics belong to the difficult category, become not interesting anymore, so that it makes the lack of students interest to the subject that the understanding of IPBA is low. Although geology insight and outer space knowledge systematically are needed through formal education. The aims are to develop their interest, to enrich their knowledge, to encourage their will to study geology and outer space knowledge further that is developed science through observational science. Through IPBA we can introduce the surrounding nature to the students, by understanding the nature fenomena and how to face it constituting the way to encourage them in belonging to its surrounding environment and becoming them to be contempelative and thanks to God.
According to Mahasena (2005), teacher staff of ITB Astronomy Departement, the IPBA material is not related to the reality of human being in their daily life, ignoring in education curricullum especially on elementary and high school level. IPBA material was used to stand alone but now it has been changed, its material has been integrated to IPA subjects with minimun portion. Even some material of geology are included partially into geography which olny focus on memory aspects, meanwhile; outer space knowledge is included into Pysics subject. Whereas, in epistemology of IPBA education, it cannot be separated.
There are the view mistakes from a large number of educational pratitioner of science about IPA laboratory activities that considering it as to prove the theory of discussed IPA in the class by teachers having made the students keeping away from the real subjects of IPA itself, therefore; the process and the product is not suitable with the hope. Although according to the real view point, the laboratory activities constitute a real IPA learning process through inquiry approach, where the students can build their knowledge through observing, analyzing, managing data activity, and making summary.
Recently all educational practitioners, both in Indonesia and in the other countries, have changed their view points in learning, besides UNESCO has suggested the curricullum plan with competency base, that is curricullum program in which its learning is tied by 4 competency known as 4 pillar of learning comprise: Learning to know, learning to do, learning to be, and learning to live together in peace and harmony.
Education is a system so that many educational components which determine the way of a educational process, it summarizes three main elements, comprise: input element, process element and the result of output element, the third elements can be described as follows:
Figure 2.2. Education as a system
Input of educational effort is the students with its various borrowed characteristics of the students themselves (talent, interest, ability, and physical). In educational process related to various things such as teaching, curriculum, school buildings, books, teaching method/approach etc. Yet, educational result comprises the learning result
Although Astronomy is not included into elementary and high educational curriculum yet in Indonesia, a system of Astronomy education has been formed naturally in society. Begun with Talent and Interest of society toward Astronomy in Indonesia, it has growth in the last years. The enthusiasm of society and media can be seen when the phenomena of sky rarely happen like Mars opposition (2003), Venus transit (2004), eclipse of moon (2007), eclipse of ring sun (2009) and others. Educational process is begun by forming Association of Astronomy lovers started from students, students college, teacher, and public society, besides; educational media in cybernetics such as e-mail, website, discussion forum and many blogs consisted of Astronomy info. It is very important for many people, especially the Astronomy knowledge grow up fast, it makes the scientific and responsibility attitude and widens the skills in Astronomy field. It mainly can reduce the dull-witted society of Indonesian.
Somehow Astronomy will grow up very fast if it is supported by government in disseminating Astronomy. That is by providing facilities (Planetarium and Observatory), learning media, sufficient training and communication, and willingness of government to support research budget or this scientific activity. Moreover it is supported by Astronomy curriculum from elementary school until high school.
NB : Requirements Paper for Bandung International Summer Scholl in Astronomy 2009
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