THE USE OF CONSTRUCTIVISM-BASED ONLINE LEARNING TO ENHANCE STUDENTS’ LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT

Abstract

The aim of this study is to elaborate the use of constructivism based on online learning program. The learners’ interaction with learning resources intensively is believed as one of the factors that will facilitate them to attain the course learning goals. There are various online learning resources that can be used by the students to construct learned course substance. Universitas Terbuka (UT), a state higher education that implements open and distant learning system, has to find a better learning approach that can be used to increase students level of interaction with online learning resources. One of the learning approaches that has potential to enhance students learning interaction is constructivism learning theory. Constructivism is defined as a theory that says learners construct knowledge rather than just passively take in information. Learners experience the world and reflect upon those experiences. They build their own representations and incorporate new information into their pre- existing schemas. The use of constructivism learning has the following consequences: 1) Students learn best when engaged in learning experiences rather passively receiving information, 2) Learning is inherently a social process because it is embedded within a social context as students and teachers work together to build knowledge, 3) Because knowledge cannot be directly imparted to students, the goal of teaching is to provide experiences that facilitate the construction of knowledge. This present study involve 35 respondents and used  the one group pre-test and post-test experimental design. The result of the study indicated that there was significant difference between pre and post-test scores of the respondents. The use of constructictivism learning theory improved students learning achievement in online learning.