The analysis of the implementation of RBL-STEM learning materials in improving student’s meta-literacy ability to solve wallpaper decoration problems using local antimagic graph coloring techniques

Abstract

The tessellation problem is interesting to study, especially when it is associated with mathematical concepts. In this study, a graph coloring technique will be applied to solve the problem of wallpaper tessellation decoration. The main objective of this study is to improve students' meta-literacy abilities when applying coloring techniques in completing tessellation wallpaper decorations in RBL-STEM learning. RBL is a learning model that stands for Research-Based Learning. This model is now becoming the focus of attention of learning practitioners, while the STEM approach is an approach that involves four studies in the field of science, namely science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The method used in this study is a mixed method, a combination of quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative methods were used to analyze the significant differences in the students' meta-literacy learning achievement between the control and experimental classes. In contrast, the qualitative method was used to analyze the results of in-depth interviews, a triangulation process from the quantitative research results. The results of this study indicate that there is a significant difference in meta-literacy ability between the control class (the class that applies RBL-STEM but without using the learning materials developed by the researcher) and the experimental class (the class that applies RBL-STEM using the learning materials developed by the researcher). The independent sample t-test on the post-test learning outcomes of meta-literacy abilities on Sig (2 Tailed) showed a significant difference of 0.013 < 0.05. Furthermore, the data on the meta-literacy ability of students showed that as much as 10% of students have the poor meta-literacy ability, 17% of students have fair meta-literacy ability, 26% of students have the good meta-literacy ability, 32% of students have very good meta-literacy ability and 15% of students have the excellent meta-literacy ability. Based on this research result, to improve the students' meta-literacy, we need to implement the learning method which fosters the research activity in the classroom and brings the real-life phenomenon in the classroom. The integration of RBL and STEM is one of the novel breakthroughs.