Describing Plant Morphology Through Forest Prototype in Biology Learning

The mastery of the ability to identify and describe plant morphology is an essential aspect of studying biology. The skill of describing plants can be developed through diverse learning resources, including textbooks and contextual materials. Therefore, this study aims to determine students’ ability to describe the morphology of plants using a forest prototype and textbook. The study procedures were carried out using a posttest-only control group design. The sample population was students in plant morphology courses, which were divided into two groups. The first group described morphology assisted by forest prototype, while the second used a textbook. Data were analyzed using an independent t-test at a significance level of 0.05. The results showed that using a forest prototype as a learning resource could help students describe plant morphology. Students supported by the forest prototype learning resources obtained a score that was 12.01% higher than those assisted by a textbook. Furthermore, this study found that learning assisted by contextual media was more successful than the use of textbooks. This material helped lecturers to implement appropriate learning strategies to enhance students’ ability to describe plant morphology. Based on these findings, teachers and lecturers are advised to carry out teaching with the use of contextual learning media.