Meningkatkan kualitas guru melalui pendidikan dan pelatihan di SMP Swasta PTPN. IV Dolok Hilir

Abstrak

Education in private plantation-based schools often faces limitations in access to effective and contextually adaptive professional development. Meanwhile, the need to improve teachers’ quality—particularly in pedagogical, professional, and reflective competence—is increasingly urgent. Therefore, this study aims to develop and evaluate a microlearning-based training model integrated with critical reflection, designed to be brief, flexible, yet systematic for teachers in plantation school contexts. The main objectives of the study are: (1). To design a microlearning and critical reflection training model tailored to private plantation school settings; (2). To implement and evaluate the effectiveness of the model in enhancing teachers’ pedagogical, professional, and reflective competencies; (3). To identify participants’ subjective experiences to inform further model refinement. The novelty of this research lies in the integration of two approaches—digital microlearning and critical reflection—into a unified training model targeted at private plantation school teachers. To date, literature on teacher training seldom addresses the plantation school context or combines these two approaches in field-based interventions. The methodology employed a qualitative case-study design with mixed methods, involving 15 teachers from SMP Swasta PTPN IV Dolok Hilir, North Sumatra. Data were collected via observation, pre?post test questionnaires, reflection journals, and semi?structured interviews; then analyzed using thematic analysis and paired sample t?tests. Results indicate that the training model significantly enhanced pedagogical competence by 26.2%, professional competence by 30.4%, and reflective skills by 38.2%. Thematic reflection analysis revealed dominant themes such as increased student engagement, use of simple digital media, HOTS?based evaluation, post?lesson reflection, and contextual tailoring of content aligned with local values. In conclusion, this training model is effective and contextually relevant for private plantation schools. Short-duration, flexible training that emphasizes critical reflection provides substantial benefits for improving teacher quality. The model is recommended for broader application in similar school settings, with adjustments to content and duration to suit local conditions.