Class Discussions to Improve Students’ Active Participation in A Christian School During Online Learning

Abstract

The research was inspired by the facts found in online class observations of primary students of Grade V in Tangerang. Some students did not participate in class discussions actively. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to explain the steps of class discussions to help Grade V students to participate more actively in online learning and to explain the impacts of class discussions on students' participation during online learning. This is classroom action research. The data was collected from 23 Grade V students of a Christian school in Tangerang from July 12, 2021, until August 18, 2021, during online learning. The instruments used were the observation form, lesson plan, affective journal checklist, and reflection. The results were class discussions improved students’ responsibility to participate actively, do the assignments, and participate verbally by answering and questioning in class discussions. Another result was there were six steps of class discussions, i.e., dividing the students into small groups, explaining the steps of good discussion, giving the topic or problem to be discussed by each group, facilitating the discussion and guiding the students, listening to groups’ presentation and giving each group feedback, as well as assisting the students to conclude. The conclusion was the class discussions that were prepared well by Christian teachers would improve primary students' active participation during online learning.