A Contextual Teaching and Learning Experience through Insects Species Collection Program

Abstract

This study investigated if there was significant difference in the appreciation and awareness of insects among the trainee students before and after the insects’ species collection program. It also evaluated if contextual teaching and learning approach in the insects’ species collection program assisted trainee students to learn insects. Respondents were 53 first-degree trainee students from mathematics option and science option. They learnt about insects through hands-on and minds-on activities, using contextual teaching and learning approach in the program. The study employed entrance survey, exit survey and program evaluation survey as the instruments. The entrance and exit survey consisted of 17 items with 5-point Likert-scale, where 10 items examined respondents’ appreciation and seven items examined respondents’ awareness on insects. The program evaluation survey consisted of nine items adapted from LAM-PUS03-03, the quality and procedure control manual of MS ISO 9001-2008. Open-ended item collected suggestions and comments. Data from the entrance and exit survey were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences Software to check on the Cronbach’s Alpha reliability coefficients and normality. Wilcoxon test showed that there was significant differences in the appreciation and awareness of insects among the trainee students before and after the insects’ species collection program. Findings from the program evaluation survey showed that the program was successful (N= 53, mean = 4.84).