Worked examples and collaborative learning have both been shown to facilitate learning. However, the testing of both strategies almost exclusively has been conducted independently of each other. The main aim of the current study was to examine interactions between these 2 strategies. Two experiments (N = 182 and N = 122) were conducted with Grade-7 Indonesian students, comparing learning to solve algebra problems, with higher and lower levels of complexity, collaboratively or individually. Results from both experiments indicated that individual learning was superior to collaborative learning when using worked examples. In contrast, in Experiment 2, when learning from problem solving using problem-solving search, collaboration was more effective than individual learning. However, again in Experiment 2, studying worked examples was overall superior to learning from solving problems, particularly for more complex problems. It can be concluded that while collaboration could be beneficial when learning under problem solving conditions, it may be counterproductive when studying worked examples.

No abstract

Cognitive load theory was used to hypothesize that the effectiveness of collaborative learning is moderated by the completeness of the prerequisite knowledge bases of group members. It was predicted that when group members have gaps in their knowledge base that can be filled by other group members, collaborative is superior to individual learning. In contrast, if group members have no prerequisite knowledge gaps, then collaborative learning is redundant and as a consequence inferior to individual learning. To test these, 58 grade 7 Indonesian students were randomly assigned to work collaboratively or individually on intermediate mathematics problems, with either full knowledge or gaps in their knowledge base. The results indicated that with gaps, collaboration led to superior learning. However, with a more complete knowledge, individual learning was superior to collaborative learning due to redundancy effects. The results suggest that collaboration does not always lead to superior learning compared with individual study. KEYWORDScognitive load theory, collaborative learning, impact of knowledge base

Pada penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeskripsikan dan membandingkan efektivitas strategi pembelajaran worked example dan problem solving dengan strategi pengelompokan siswa (kolaboratif dan individual) ditinjau dari kemampuan pemecahan masalah dan cognitive load. Penelitian ini melibatkan 64 siswa kelas 8 sebagai partisipan penelitian yang dibagi menjadi empat kelompok secara acak dengan menggunakan desain eksperimen 2 × 2 (worked example vs. problem solving) × kolaboratif vs. individual). Hasil penelitian ini mengindikasikan bahwa tidak terdapat perbedaan signifikan penerapan strategi worked example dengan pengelompokan kolaboratif dan individual ditinjau dari kemampuan pemecahan masalah. Ditinjau dari cognitive load, strategi worked example efektif ketika siswa belajar individual, namun tidak efektif ketika siswa belajar secara kolaboratif. Ketika siswa belajar secara individual, strategi worked example dapat mengaktifkan cognitive load lebih rendah daripada strategi problem solving, sedangkan ketika siswa belajar secara kolaboratif, strategi worked example dan problem solving tidak berbeda dalam mereduksi cognitive load. The effectiveness of worked example with students’ grouping strategy viewed from problem-solving abilities and cognitive load AbstractThe study aimed to describe and compare the effectiveness of learning strategies (worked example and problem-solving) with the strategy of grouping students (collaborative and individual) viewed from problem-solving abilities and cognitive load. There were 64 of 8th-grade students as study participants divided into four groups randomly using experimental design 2 × 2 (worked example vs. problem-solving × collaborative vs. individual). The results of the study indicate that there is no significant difference implementation of worked example strategy between the collaborative strategies and individuals viewed from problem-solving abilities. Viewed from the cognitive load, the worked example strategy was effective when students learn individually, but it was not effective when students learn collaboratively. When students learn individually, worked example strategies could activate cognitive load lower than problem-solving strategies, whereas when students learn collaboratively, worked example strategies and problem-solving were no different in reducing cognitive load.

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menghasilkan bahan ajar geometri SMP berbasis Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) serta mendeskripsikan kualitas kevalidan, kepraktisan dan keefektifan bahan ajar tersebut. Bahan ajar yang dikembangkan berupa buku pengayaan geometri untuk SMP kelas VII dan VIII sesuai dengan Kurikulum 2006. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian kualitatif dengan menggunakan model penelitian desain dari Plomp yang terdiri atas tiga tahap: preliminary research, prototyping phase, dan assessment phase. Subjek coba terdiri dari 32 siswa kelas VII dan 32 siswa kelas VIII dari dua SMP Negeri di Kabupaten Wonosobo, beserta masing-masing satu guru matematika dari sekolah tersebut. Subjek coba yang menggunakan bahan ajar ini telah menguasai kompetensi dasar pembelajaran. Penelitian ini menghasilkan bahan ajar geometri SMP berbasis CLT yang memenuhi aspek kevalidan, kepraktisan dan keefektifan. Hasil evaluasi formatif 1 menyatakan bahwa bahan ajar yang dikembangkan memenuhi kriteria valid. Hasil evaluasi formatif 2 dan evaluasi sumatif menyatakan bahwa bahan ajar memenuhi kriteria praktis. Keefektifan bahan ajar terlihat dari hasil penilaian prestasi belajar yang menunjukkan bahwa persentase siswa kelas VII yang mencapai KKM adalah 78% dengan rata-rata nilai klasikal 78 dan persentase siswa kelas VIII yang mencapai KKM adalah 75% dengan rata-rata nilai klasikal 80. Secara keseluruhan, hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa bahan ajar yang dikembangkan layak digunakan.Kata Kunci: bahan ajar, pengayaan, geometri SMP, Cognitive Load Theory.  Developing Geometry Learning Materials for Junior High School Based on Cognitive Load Theory with Regard to Student’s Achievement AbstractThis study was aimed to develop a geometry learning materials for junior high school based on Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) and to describe the quality with respect to the validity, practicality, and effectiveness of the developed learning materials consisting of advanced geometry for seventh and eighth graders referring to the Curriculum of 2006. The research was a qualitative study using design research model suggested by Plomp, involving three phases: preliminary research, prototyping, and assessment. Research participants were 32 seventh and 32 eighth grade students at two public junior high schools in Wonosobo, as well as their mathematics teachers. These students had acquired minimum competencies to use the learning materials. This research resulted in junior high school geometry learning materials based on CLT, which satisfies the validity, practicality, and effectiveness aspects. The result of first formative evaluation informed that learning materials were categorized valid. The results of second formative evaluation and summative evaluation revealed that the learning materials were categorized practical. The effectiveness of learning materials could be seen from the results of the achievement test which showed that the percentage of seventh graders who passed the minimum criteria was 78%, with an average test score was 78; and the percentage of eighth graders who passed the minimum criteria was 75%, with an average test score was 80. Overall, the results showed that the developed learning materials can be used widely.Keywords: learning materials, advance, geometry SMP, Cognitive Load Theory.