Curriculum changes in Indonesia: Teacher constraints and students of prospective teachers’ readiness in the implementation of thematic learning at low grade primary school

Abstract

This study aimed at (1) describing the teachers’ constraints in thematic learning at low levelelementary school, (2) describing the readiness of prospective elementary school teachers in theimplementation of thematic learning. The research used a qualitative design in which the source of thedata were 60 elementary school teachers in Bali Province and 305 students of semester VI majoring inelementary school teacher education at Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha. The results of the researchindicated that (1) the teachers constraints were the lack understanding on the nature and the objectives ofthematic learning, the lack of supporting learning factors such as facilities and infrastructure, difficultiesin enhancing teaching material and connecting one material to another, difficulties in designing evaluationinstruments and how to apply them. (2) The students of prospective primary school teacher felt ready inimplementing thematic learning because they already have adequate understanding about thematiclearning.