The Importance of Laboratory Practicum Learning Methods in Chemistry Learning in Arousing Students' Curiosity

Chemistry has the potential to improve learners' creativity and thinking skills, which makes it a very important subject to teach. However, this is not as easy as one might imagine, because in reality many students still dislike chemistry or have difficulty understanding it. Students' difficulty in understanding chemistry arises because the abstract and complex concepts in chemistry require deep understanding. Chemistry is a subject that most learners do not enjoy, because it is boring and very hard for some learners to understand. What makes chemistry so difficult for learners is that they do not know how to study it, they have trouble connecting one concept with another, and chemistry requires skills in logic, mathematics and language. In addition, students also tend to become lazy about studying chemistry because they have already convinced themselves that chemistry is difficult. This is what leads these students to dislike the subject. Therefore, a chemistry teaching method that can win back learners' attention is needed, one of which is the laboratory practicum method.

Chemistry is a science that studies the distinctive phenomena that occur in matter and everything related to matter, such as composition, structure, properties, change, dynamics, energy and so on, from the micro to the macro scale in the environment around us. In chemistry, two things are interrelated: chemistry as a product, a body of knowledge consisting of facts, principles, concepts, theories and laws of chemistry, and chemistry as a process, accompanied by the skills and attitudes that scientists have in order to obtain and expand their chemical knowledge. Chemistry is a compulsory subject in senior high school. Subagia (2014) stated that although chemistry learning is not yet fully based on a scientific approach involving the scientific method, scientific attitude and scientific skills, the teaching and learning of chemistry in secondary schools still relies on memorising the names of chemicals and theoretical, highly textual chemical formulas. This is because some chemistry teachers only provide information on the material, examples of the material and practice questions, so that the focus of chemistry learning is on average on chemical calculations rather than on learning chemical concepts. In addition, chemistry is a science based on theory and experiment. Therefore, in evaluating and studying chemistry one must be careful to pay attention to the properties of chemistry as both a product and a process.  Given these characteristics of chemistry, the laboratory cannot be separated from chemistry learning. If chemistry learning focuses only on theory without practice, it tends to be boring and unengaging, and in the end students will consider learning chemistry difficult (Anggraini, Nurhamidah, & Rohiat, 2022). Therefore, theory and practice need to be synchronised in learning, especially in high school chemistry classes.

By its nature, a laboratory practicum is a form of teaching and learning process that aims to improve understanding of the material being taught. Through guided independent activities and the maximal, comprehensive use of the practicum room within the practicum system, the learning objectives are expected to be achieved well (Sadjati & Pepi, 2013). Direct practicum activities can influence students' success in learning chemistry because of the direct observation of chemical phenomena or processes; this trains students' scientific thinking and allows their scientific attitude to be instilled and developed. Direct practicum activities make it easier for learners to understand concepts and remember what they have learned. This can be used as a way to develop process skills and scientific attitudes. Direct practicum activities can motivate students to learn chemistry. Through laboratory activities, students have the opportunity to satisfy their curiosity and their desire to know. This principle helps students discover information through inquiry. In practice, students are trained to develop experimental skills. By carrying out experiments, students are trained to observe carefully, measure accurately with measuring instruments, handle and use equipment safely, and plan, carry out and interpret experiments. Practice is a means of learning with a scientific approach.

Based on a study (Jannah & Refelita, 2023), in which they used experimental classes, namely classes XI MIPA 3 – MIPA 5, to see the effect of the practicum learning model on students' practicum skills in the colloid topic. Before the practicum, they first gave a pre-test used to measure how far students understood the colloid material. After the pre-test, the average pre-test result for class XI MIPA 3 was 33.01; for class XI MIPA 4 it was 36.03; while for class XI MIPA 5 the average was 37.06. These average scores were still considered low in terms of ability in the colloid topic. After the teaching and learning process using the practicum method on the colloid topic, the students were given a post-test and the average score of students' ability in the colloid topic was 72.54 for class XI MIPA 3; 71.43 for XI MIPA 4; and 72.7 for XI MIPA 5. Based on these data, it can be concluded that the practicum method in learning chemistry is very important for creating a classroom atmosphere that is not boring and for enabling students to learn happily, so that students can absorb the learning material well.

The teacher's role here is essential in chemistry learning, which aims to make students willing to learn chemistry happily. Teachers should not only deliver material in the classroom through lectures; they must also think about how to create an enjoyable class so that students learn with enthusiasm. One way is the practicum method, with which more students understand the material. This can reduce students' dislike of chemistry, which is found in everyday life. There is a mutually reinforcing relationship between practicum and chemistry material that can improve understanding, knowledge and skills, so that the students' belief that chemistry is difficult is wrong. Therefore, this learning method can improve learning motivation, critical thinking skills, creative thinking skills and student learning outcomes. In addition, students will be trained to work scientifically like a scientist. In this way the knowledge gained will last longer. Students can also master the stages that have been set.