Implementation of Simulation Software on Vocational High School Students in Programming and Arduino Microcontroller Subject

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine students’ learning performance who underwent simulation software class on theProgramming and Arduino Microcontroller Subject. Aquasi-experimentalstudy, with pretest and posttest designwas implemented. Thesubject involved 74 vocational high school students (37in the control group and 37in the experimental group) have undergone eight weeks of treatment, using conventional and Proteus simulation software. Students’ performance was measuredusing achievement test; involved cognitive, psychomotor, and affective aspect, which was based on the Bloom’s Taxonomy. The resultindicated thatstudentsin the experimental group have outperformed their counterpart in the control group in cognitive aspect(81.4vs 76.24), affective aspect (81.83vs 76.34)andpsychomotor aspect(79.04vs 70.37). Further analysis using independent t-test, result indicated that the experimental group’s performance has significantly difference from the control group’s performance at all aspects [t(72) = 3.068, p= .004]. In conclusion,simulation software using Proteus has a significant contribution to increase students’ performance in learning.The implication is that, teaching difficult subject involves programming of microcontroller should use simulation software, so that students become more enthusiast, have many choices in experimenting and capable of nurturing creativity.Future study suggested to focus onthe effect of simulation software on nurturing specific creativity skills.