Increasing students' problem-solving ability on the pressure concept through model-eliciting activities (MEAs)

Abstract

Learning in the 21st century is directed at High Order Thinking Skills, one of which is problem-solving. Students still have difficulty understanding and solving problems. Model-Eliciting Activities (MEAs) is a model that helps solve problems with structured and systematic modeling. This research aims to determine whether there are a difference and the magnitude of the increase in students' problem-solving ability before and after the implementation of MEAs learning on the pressure concept. This research was conducted at SMPN 1 Kamal. The research sample is 32 students of class VIII E. The instrument for collecting data uses an essay test based on Polya's problem-solving steps. The data analysis technique used paired sample T-test with SPSS 20 software to determine whether there is a difference in students' problem-solving ability and the N-gain score test to measure the magnitude of improvement in students' problem-solving ability. Based on the results of data analysis using paired sample T-test obtained a significance value of 0.000 and a value of T count 11.555 with T table 2.040. From these results, it is known that the null hypothesis is rejected. While the results of the N-gain score obtained a value of 0.44 with a medium category. The results of this research can be concluded that there is a difference in students' problem-solving ability before and after the implementation of MEAs learning on the pressure concept and improvement of students' problem-solving ability with the medium category. So, MEAs learning is able to train and help students to understand and solve problems in the pressure concept.