Building the pre-service biology teachers’ capability through the reconstruction of life-based learning curriculum

Abstract

The 21st-century education is a medium of transformation through which learners are encouraged to become a creative thinker, lifelong learner, and leader of change. The curriculum of biology education program should be developed in line with the goal of national education, the direction of the 21st-century education, and the core concepts and core competencis of biology. The national education goal which is similar to the demands of the 21st century learning has become the foundation for the development of Indonesian future generations who are expected to honor the ideology of Pancasila and morality, to be healthy, knowledgeable, capable, creative, independent, democratic, and responsible as a citizen. Biology education program contains lessons that can prepare future generations to take role in sustainable development and in solving global social problems. The curriculum of biology teacher training program can be developed through the redefinition of the 21st-century education goal that is to equip biology teachers with four competencies and capability features by integrating mastery content, attitudes, characters, values, managerial skills, problem-solving practices and research skills. However, the reconstruction of learning and assessment procedures is still a major issue in curriculum development. Therefore, life-based learning curriculum can an alternative to embed learning to a meaningful real world context where students are required to study authentic issues, solve realistic problems or do a project with a set of practical goals.