Ibrahim Bafadal

Learning Innovation in Strengthening Higher Order Thinking Skill in the Laboratory Elementary School

This study aims to: (1) describe the roles played by principals and teachers in conducting learning innovations to strengthen higher-order thinking skills; (2) describe learning innovations that have been successfully developed by Laboratory Elementary Schools of Universitas Negeri Malang (LES-UM) to strengthen higher-order thinking skills; and (3) describe the strategies of principals and teachers in conducting learning innovations to strengthen higher-order thinking skills. This study uses qualitative research with a phenomenological approach. This study also uses a case study design that attempts to analyze learning innovations in strengthening higher-order thinking skills at the LES-UM. Research findings, among others: (1) principals act as planners, implementers, and evaluating superior programs in the context of the successful implementation of facilitation of higher-order thinking skills of students; (2) three innovations developed by LES-UM, including: group acceleration, ICP, and Bilingual. Group acceleration program is the most dominant innovation; (3) the principal‟s strategy in facilitating the implementation of high-thinking skills-based learning innovations, including: (1) involving all teachers and staff in empowerment activities, especially in learning clinics that are fostered by the school development team; (2) intensification of supervision activities; (3) developing of bilingual textbooks independently; (4) establish intensive communication with parents of students, especially those related to the innovation of group acceleration programs; (5) conduct regular meetings in the beginning of the semester in preparing the semester program; (6) strengthen exemplary programs, both in the form of school attendance and the creation of a bilingual interaction climate; and (7) organizing a picket teacher program (co-teacher).

Principal Leadership and its Relationship with Student Learning Achievements: A Regression Analysis

Principal leadership is a variable that greatly influences school progress. Therefore, the principal has a duty to improve student learning achievement. This research was carried out with the aim to test the hypothesis: there is a significant influence on leadership learning and spiritual leadership on student learning achievement. The research method used is a quantitative approach. This research was carried out in Malang Raya which covers three regions, namely: Malang City, Batu City, and Malang Regency, in the East Java Province of Indonesia. The sample of this study was a teacher of 181 teachers in 18 schools as a research sample school. The sampling method used was cluster sampling technique, while determining the number of teacher samples using proportional random sampling formula. The data analysis technique used is multiple regression analysis. The results of the data analysis concluded that there was a significant influence of instructional leadership (X1) and spiritual leadership (X2) on student learning achievements (Y). The results of the calculation of the regression equation obtain a formula: Ŷ = 191.333 + 1.997X1 + 4.632X2.