A Needs Analysis for Vertebrate Zoology Materials Development

Abstract

Referring to its objectives, vertebrate zoology plays a crucial role in preparing students to get involved in an education community. The materials, therefore, are obviously essential to achieve the goal. This study was conducted as a needs analysis prior to vertebrate zoology materials development. This analysis was based on empirical data collected from university students who were majoring in biology education at Universitas Siliwangi Tasikmalaya. Data obtained from 32 questionnaires revealed differences among students based on their experiences. The descriptive statistical analysis showed 93,8% of the students liked the vertebrate zoology subject, 50% of the students recognized the content being learned, 18,8% of the students thought that the materials were abstract, and only 28,1% of the students realized the importance of the subject. Related to the teaching materials, 53,1% of the students stated that it was difficult to find references related to the competences, 65,6% of the students admitted that they needed to apply certain strategies to comprehend the materials, and 100 % of the students liked to get involved in the practical training in labs, but during the process, 81,3% of the students experienced hardship in doing some experiments. Thus, it could be concluded that the subject had no