PENERAPAN PENDEKATAN KONTEKSTUAL UNTUK MENINGKATKAN PEMAHAMAN KONSEP MATEMATIKA SISWA KELAS IV SEKOLAH DASAR

Abstract

This classroom action research aimed to describe the implementation of a contextual approach (Contextual Teaching and Learning/CTL) to improve mathematical concept understanding among fourth-grade students at UPT SPF SD Inpres Malengkeri Bertingkat I, Makassar, on the topic of multiplication and division of whole numbers. The study was motivated by students' low conceptual understanding, evidenced by a pre-action test in which only 5 of 25 students present reached the minimum learning achievement criterion (KKTP) of 75. The research followed the Kemmis and McTaggart action research model, conducted in two cycles, each comprising planning, action, observation, and reflection. The subjects were 28 fourth-grade students (13 boys and 15 girls) and one teacher. Data were collected through observation, tests, and documentation, then analyzed descriptively using qualitative and quantitative techniques. The results showed that: (1) the implementation of CTL through its seven components—constructivism, inquiry, questioning, learning community, modeling, reflection, and authentic assessment—was carried out well in both cycles, with teacher performance increasing from 66.66% (Poor) in Cycle I to 90.47% (Good) in Cycle II; (2) student activity increased from 52.04% to 77.72%, although it had not yet reached the ≥80% success indicator; and (3) students' mathematical concept understanding improved significantly, with classical completeness rising from 7.14% to 82.14% and the class average increasing from 43 to 75.55. It is concluded that the contextual approach effectively improved fourth-grade students' understanding of mathematical concepts in multiplication and division of whole numbers.