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Effects of Outdoor Mathematics on the Learning Achievement of Students at SLTP YPI Tunas Bangsa Palembang-Indonesia
Thesis Abstract:
This study was conducted to determine whether or not the outdoor mathematics method could be effectively applied in the teaching and learning processes in order to improve the motivation and learning achievement of the students at a junior high school SLTP YPI Tunas Bangsa Palembang-Indonesia.
The respondents consisted of 80 students, half of which was in the experimental group and the other half was composed of the control group. However, only the data from 32 students from each experimental and control group were analyzed.
Four important types of data were gathered in this study: (1) data on perceptions of students about outdoor mathematics method in teaching and learning processes, (2) data on students’ motivation to learn mathematics, (3) data on students’ perceptions about the mathematics lesson and teaching methods at the school before and after using outdoor mathematics method, and (4) data on the students’ learning achievement in mathematics.
The analysis of data used the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Wilcoxon signed ranks test, Spearman rank correlation (ρ = rho), and Mann-Whitney test. All statistical tests were processed in a personal computer using the software programs Excel 1997 and SPSS 9.0.
Analysis of perceptions of students about outdoor mathematics in the teaching and learning processes showed that most students (87.7%) perceived outdoor
mathematics to be very useful and should be applied in the teaching and learning processes.
Results of this study also showed that the students’ motivation to learn mathematics improved after using the method. This result was supported by the observation in the pre-test that only an average of 15.63 percent of respondents showed high motivation to learn mathematics, while post-test results showed that on the average, 83.03 percent of respondents exhibited high motivation. This implied that outdoor mathematics method can improve the students’ motivation to learn the subject.
A comparison of students’ perceptions about the mathematics lessons and teaching methods at school before and after using outdoor mathematics method showed that outdoor mathematics changed significantly the students’ perceptions about the mathematics lessons and teaching methods at school.
Data analysis on the students’ learning achievement in mathematics showed that there was a moderately significant positive correlation between the students’ motivation and their learning achievement after using outdoor mathematics.
Data analysis based on the post-test also showed that there was a significant difference (at α = 1%) between learning achievement in mathematics of students from experimental group and control group.
Based on the above results, some empirical conclusions may be drawn as follows: (1) the learning achievement of students who learn mathematics with the use of outdoor mathematics will be better than the learning achievement of students who learn mathematics without using the outdoor method, especially at SLTP YPI Tunas Bangsa Palembang-Indonesia; (2) application of the outdoor mathematics method has proved to give positive effects by changing the students’ perceptions about mathematics and improving students’ motivation to learn mathematics as well as increasing their learning achievement in the subject; and (3) outdoor mathematics can be applied as alternative method in the teaching-learning processes at school, especially at SLTP YPI Tunas Bangsa Palembang-Indonesia.
This study recommended the following: (1) teachers should apply outdoor mathematics method in the educational process at school as an alternative method of delivering mathematics to the students more effectively; (2) the Department of National Education, Republic of Indonesia should prescribe the teaching method for all teachers through an educational policy such as placing this method in the national curriculum and presenting it in seminars or conferences; and (3) this research can be developed in the broader population and in a longer time frame such as in other elementary and in some senior high schools for one semester or one academic year. Application of this research on several topics was highly recommended, which may give more accurate and more powerful results in order to improve the quality of mathematics education in the country.
