The Effect of School Field Introduction (PLP) on the Development of Soft Skills and Hard Skills in Prospective Pre-service Teacher

Introduction to School Field is a mandatory activity for Information Technology Education students at Brawijaya University which is designed to provide practical experience in learning and managing education. This activity aims to develop students’ soft skills and hard skills as preparation for future careers. This study analyzes the effect of PLP on the soft skills and hard skills of students in the Information Technology Education Study Program at Brawijaya University. In this study, teacher competence is used as a measurement indicator. PLP is measured using basic competency indicators for school introduction and pedagogical competence. Soft skills are measured through personality and social competence, while hard skills are measured through professional competence. This study uses a quantitative approach with a survey method. Data were obtained from questionnaires distributed to 61 students of the 2021 intake who had completed PLP through regular programs and Kampus Mengajar. The results show that PLP has an influence on the development of students’ soft skills and hard skills. Specifically, PLP is able to explain 39% of the variation in social competence, 33.6% in personality competence, and 50.5% in professional competence. The results of this study emphasize the importance of PLP as a program in preparing students to become professional educators, not only through mastering hard skills but also through improving soft skills.