Herbarium Making Training as a Biology Learning Medium at SMPN 2 Sungguminasa

Abstract

Biology education at the junior high school level requires concrete and contextual learning media to enable students to understand biodiversity concepts optimally. One such medium is the herbarium, a collection of preserved plant specimens accompanied by scientific descriptions. However, the utilization of herbaria in school biology lessons remains limited due to a lack of knowledge and skills among both students and teachers regarding the preservation process. This community service activity aims to enhance the understanding and skills of students at SMPN 2 Sungguminasa in creating herbaria as a biology learning tool. The implementation methods included socialization, material delivery on plant diversity and herbarium-making techniques, hands-on practice, and activity evaluation. The results demonstrate that this training improved students' knowledge of plant classification and their practical skills in collecting, preserving, and mounting herbarium specimens. Furthermore, students showed high enthusiasm and active engagement throughout the activity. Consequently, herbarium-making training can serve as an effective, low-cost, and easily applicable alternative for biology learning media in schools to support practice-based and environment-oriented learning.