DEVELOPING A TEACHING FACTORY LEARNING MODEL TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION COMPETENCIES AMONG MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS IN A VOCATIONAL SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

The purpose of this study is to develop a learning model that can provide vocational senior high school students with an authentic industrial working experience in the manufacturing and production sector in the very same school that they are enrolled. An appropriate in-school industrial experience is expected to improve students’ competences and skills. A four stage research and development method was used, involving preliminary study, development, testing and model validation. The study uses both qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques to produce a six steps teaching factory learning model (TF-6M Model). Data was gathered from teachers (n= 8) of a school in Indonesia and students of class XI (n=132) who formed the experimental and the control groups in the model validation stage, and student of class XII for the preliminary study (n=35) and development test (n=98). The focus group discussion (FGD) reveals that the production teacher believes that the TF-6M model can be used to improve students’ competences. Data from students shows that TF-6M Model increases students’ competences, is preferred by students, increases their time spent at work, and improves their soft and hard skills, motivation, sense of responsibility and work ethics.