Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory Application in Home-based Laboratory Activities of Science Major Students in Microbiology

Abstract

Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory Application in Home-based Laboratory Activities of Science Major Students in Microbiology. Objectives: This paper describes the experiences of science major students in doing their home-based laboratory activities in microbiology during the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is framed on Kolb’s experiential learning theory. Methods: Using criterion sampling, nine BSEd Science major participants were interviewed face-to-face to describe their experiences using phenomenological hermeneutics. Kolb’s theoretical constructs were used to thematically analyze the participants’ responses. Findings: It revealed that students prefer doing laboratory experiments at school than at home due to the availability of laboratory materials. Students experience difficulty in doing home-based laboratory activities due to the difficulty of providing alternative laboratory materials to complete the laboratory tasks at home. Nevertheless, students gain self-development skills such as communication skills and resourcefulness. Conclusion: Science major students in microbiology have developed skills in adapting to the changes brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, thereby, they developed flexibility and resourcefulness in accomplishing their home-based laboratory activities. Keywords: experiential learning theory, home-based laboratory activities, microbiology, phenomenology, science majors. Abstrak: Penerapan Teori Kolb Experiential Learning dalam Aktivitas Laboratorium Berbasis Rumah bagi Mahasiswa Jurusan Sains Mikrobiologi. Tujuan: Makalah ini memaparkan pengalaman mahasiswa jurusan sains dalam melakukan kegiatan laboratorium mikrobiologi di rumah selama pandemi COVID-19. Pembelajaran menerapkan teori Kolb experiential learning. Metode: Dengan menggunakan sampel kriteria, sembilan peserta utama BSEd Science diwawancarai secara tatap muka untuk menggambarkan pengalaman mereka menggunakan hermeneutika fenomenologis. Konstruksi teoretis Kolb digunakan untuk menganalisis respons peserta secara tematis. Temuan: Terungkap bahwa siswa lebih suka melakukan percobaan laboratorium di sekolah daripada di rumah karena ketersediaan bahan laboratorium. Siswa mengalami kesulitan dalam melakukan kegiatan laboratorium di rumah karena sulitnya menyediakan bahan laboratorium alternatif untuk menyelesaikan tugas laboratorium di rumah. Namun demikian, siswa memperoleh keterampilan pengembangan diri seperti keterampilan komunikasi dan kecerdikan siswa. Kesimpulan: Mahasiswa jurusan sains mikrobiologi telah mengembangkan keterampilan dalam beradaptasi dengan perubahan yang akibat pandemi COVID-19, sehingga mereka mengembangkan fleksibilitas dan kecerdikan siswa dalam menyelesaikan kegiatan laboratorium berbasis rumah mereka. Kata kunci: experiential learning theory, aktivitas laboratorium berbasis rumah, microbiology, fenomenologi, jurusan sains. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23960/jpp.v13.i2.202333