Strengthening Professional Competency on the Ability to Develop Learning Materials through Teacher Professional Education

Abstract

Graduates of teacher professional education are awarded a certificate of educator as a sign that they have become professional teachers. The present research focuses on the professional competency of teachers in terms of the ability to develop geography learning materials. In particular, the research aims to determine the abilities of: (1) analyzing learning materials; (2) creating strategies to develop learning materials; and (3) designing teaching materials. The research employed a descriptive method. The variable under research is developing learning materials, with the following indicators: analysis of learning material, strategies to develop learning materials, and design of teaching materials. The subjects of the research were 20 participants of the Teacher Professional Education of Post-SM3T (a program of Scholars Teaching at the Outermost, Disadvantaged, and Frontier Regions) Batch 4, in the field of geography. The instruments used were interview guides and documentary study. Data were analyzed descriptive-qualitatively. The results of the study show that: (1) analysis of learning materials is based on content standards, basic competence, and syllabus. Learning materials are determined based on the objectives or indicators of competence attainment; (2) learning materials are developed through identification and selection of learning resources for teaching materials and supporting information sources; and (3) teaching materials are systematically designed, consisting of core and supporting components. The ability to develop geography learning materials is evidenced by documents of teaching materials produced in the Subject Specific Pedagogy Workshop.