Learning motivation and students’ concept-understanding ability in mathematics learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

• Main Authors: Sukmawati, R. Ati, Sina, Ibnu, Purba, Harja Santana, Mawaddah, Siti, Pramita, Mitra, Wiranda, Nuruddin
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: COVID-19; Data analysis; Distance learning; Mathematical analysis; Mathematics; Middle schools; Motivation; Pandemics; Random sampling; Sampling methods; Secondary school students; Students; Teachers
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0201103

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indonesian government implemented an online learning system. WhatsApp is an application that is widely used by teachers in Banjarmasin as a means of communication in distance learning (PJJ). This study aims to describe students’ learning motivation and ability to understand mathematical concepts in PJJ during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research was conducted using a quasi-experimental method with a nonequivalent posttest-only control group design type. The population of this study was the eighth-grade students of SMPN 13 Banjarmasin with the sampling was done using purposive and random sampling techniques. Data was obtained through documentation, tests, and questionnaires. Data analysis techniques used are descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The results showed that there was a significant difference in learning motivation between junior high school students who participated in learning mathematics with interactive books and students who took mathematics lessons without interactive books. The motivation of students who learn to use interactive books is higher. There is a significant difference in the ability to understand mathematical concepts between junior high school students who take mathematics lessons assisted by interactive books and students who take mathematics lessons without interactive books. The ability of students who use interactive books is higher. Thus, interactive books can be used as alternative teaching materials that can be used by teachers to motivate students to be actively involved in distance learning.