Batik Making as Student Stimulus in the Learning Process

The learning process is a process of interaction between educators and students in a learning environment, whether a school or another educational institution. Learning is a bridge that connects educators in transferring the knowledge they have to their students. Through learning, students can gain knowledge, master hard skills, and acquire non-technical skills or soft skills.

When talking about education, there is no end to the many problems that must be reflected upon. Moreover, education in Indonesia is a daily issue closely related to improving the quality of competent human resources. This is already reflected in the nation's ideals in the fourth paragraph of the 1945 Constitution, namely "to educate the life of the nation." Therefore, efforts must be made to realise the nation's ideal of educating the life of the nation. One example is by holding an effective learning process that is able to build student stimulus

To produce effective learning, teachers must have a strategy to manage the class well and to the fullest. Setting relevant and appropriate strategies can build student stimulus, thereby creating quality and active learning conditions. In addition, learning can foster learners to think independently, creatively, and at the same time adaptively towards various situations that occur. (Asrori, 2013)

Behaviourist learning theory explains changes in student behaviour that occur through stimuli that can give rise to responses from students. According to one of the originators of behaviourist learning theory, Edward Lee Thorndike, in his view the results of learning orientation can be measured and observed through observational study of students' responses, or actions taken because of the stimulus given. The stimulus itself can be material given by the teacher, while the response can be students' replies or reactions in dealing with the teacher's stimulus.

Learning with this behaviourist theory also applies the law of contiguity, whereby stimuli that accompany a movement will tend to be followed by that movement repeatedly. Repetition accompanied by practice can become the desired behaviour in the form of a habit. A good habit certainly produces good behaviour as well. Especially when accompanied by the cultivation of the seeds of a good personality from the family. It is like an orchid that is watered routinely every day: over time it will grow and produce flowers that bloom perfectly.

In fact, the relationship between stimulus and response is temporary; students are not always focused during learning. Problems in learning that students often encounter relate to low concentration. Yet to form a good stimulus and response, students must be focused and understand the material being explained so that stimulation can occur.  What if the student's mind is not in the class, and all that is in the student's mind is wanting the lesson to end soon so they can go home? This becomes a homework assignment of its own for the teacher: creating classroom conditions so that stimulus-response can truly be applied.

Looking at learning today, students are required to keep concentrating until the end of the lesson. In fact, according to health data published by the Brain Balance Center, a child's ideal concentration span is two to three minutes multiplied by their age. For example, for a 2-year-old child, the ideal concentration span is 4 to 6 minutes; for a child aged four, up to 8 to 12 minutes; at 6 years old, 12 to 18 minutes; and at 8 years old, 16 to 24 minutes.

According to Engkoswara (Aprilia, et al., 2014), there are indicators of student concentration in learning. First, the presence of acceptance of or attention to the subject matter. When an educator or teacher first enters the class, the first thing that must be done is to attract the students' attention. Usually a teacher who is close to students finds it easier to attract their attention, which makes students more active in learning. Students' activeness with the teacher will increase their concentration and, of course, the stimulus will proceed well.    

Second, students give a response to the material taught. The result of giving a stimulus is a response. There are several kinds of responses that occur in learning. The first kind is the perceptual response. Perception is giving meaning to sensory stimuli, namely sight, hearing, touch, and smell. The result of students' perception can be seen in how students understand the discourse delivered by the teacher. The second response is the emotional one, shown in a change in behaviour as the classroom atmosphere goes from not conducive to calm, grounded in a love for the learning material. The last response is the behavioural response. A change in behaviour is the result of the learning process. A step that can be taken to find this out is to assess learners as they are about to enter learning (Fatmawati, 2021). For example, before starting learning, science-track high school students study the material on atoms, molecules, and the arrangement of the periodic table of elements.

Third, the presence of appropriate bodily movements in line with the teacher's instructions. After the teacher gives a stimulus, students are also expected to make a response in the form of concrete action. For example, in group work the teacher instructs students to form groups of 4-5 members to discuss the material on solutions. At that moment the students immediately act by forming groups, quickly start discussing, and exchange their opinions. After that, students can present the results of their discussion in front of the class.

The last indicator is that students are able to apply the knowledge they have gained. This indicator is one of the keys to determining whether or not the teacher succeeds in learning. After students understand the lesson, then respond to the material given accompanied by bodily movement or concrete activity, the knowledge that has been given must be put to use by applying it in daily life. That way the results of the learning process are not wasted.

The title chosen by the author, "Batik-ing Student Stimulus in Learning," has a meaning of its own. Making batik here is used as a philosophical image of drawing a pattern for how a teacher or educator builds consistency in stimulating students in learning. With learning strategies in harmony with, and adjusted to, students' needs, a good stimulus and response can be created so that the goals of learning can be achieved.  

Batik-ing student stimulus can be done in several ways, as explained above. Teachers can apply effective learning strategies, for which a teacher must first manage the class well and to the fullest. In addition, to stimulate students, the teacher should first train students' concentration, because when students have a high level of concentration, the stimulus occurs more quickly. However, if in the middle of the lesson students' concentration drops, the teacher must stimulate them again so that they regain their focus on the lesson. For example, the teacher gives questions or exercises and also holds group work so that students do not feel bored.

Training student stimulus must be made a continuous habit. Teachers must never tire of monitoring the development of students' abilities and must track students' progress, so that the results of learning are the best. In giving assessments, teachers can give rewards to students who succeed and are able to meet the minimum mastery criteria. As for students who have not yet met mastery, teachers can give extra guidance so that students do not feel left behind. That way, in the next lesson, students' stimulus and response will not fade, and students will also be more enthusiastic about learning.