26 if needed, the learners are going to realize that the knowledge which they
have got is the revision of their previous knowledge. The awareness of reflecting on things is important to help the learners to welcome new
knowledge. 7
Authentic assessment Authentic assessment is the main characteristic of CTL. It is a process of
collecting any kind of data which can give description or information about the development of the learners’ learning experiences. Those descriptions or
information should be known by the teachers to determine the validity of the learners’ learning process. Authentic assessment is intended to the process of
observing, analyzing, and interpreting the collected data or the learners’ learning process. It gives the learners a chance to develop self assessment and
peer assessment. The teachers are the constructive evaluators. In this study, the materials will be designed based on the principles of
CTL. The purposes are to help the students to: construct their understanding of information, encourage them to find out and know information, discover a
phenomenon, cooperate with other people, learn from some modeling, reflect what they have learned and assess their learning process.
c. The Strategies of Contextual Teaching and Learning
A number of strategies can be developed through Contextual Teaching and Learning. Muslich 2007 describes six strategies which can be used in CTL p.
49. Those strategies are described as follows:
27 1
Learning based on problem Before beginning the learning process, the learners are asked to observe a
phenomenon. Afterwards, they are asked to write down the problems which appear. The teacher has some responsibilities in guiding the learners to ask
question, proving an assumption, and listening to their different perspective. 2
Using the learner’s environment to gain the learning experience The teacher gives an assignment which can be done in various contexts such
as in school, family, and society. The assignment is given by the teacher to give the learners a chance to learn outside the class. The expectation is the
learners acquire experience based on what they are learning directly. 3
Giving a group activity This activity can broaden perspective and develop the interpersonal
capability. The teacher can arrange the group which consists of three, five or eleven students based on the difficulty level of the assignment.
4 Creating an independent learning activity
The learners are able to discover, analyze, and use the information with less or even without the teacher’s help. They need to pay attention to how they
process the information and use their knowledge. The experience of CTL requires a try out in the beginning; providing a sufficient time and arranging
reflection; also carrying on without teacher’s help in order to have an independent learning.
