The Effect of the Problem-Based Learning Model on Students' Conceptual Understanding

Conceptual understanding is fundamental to meaningful mathematics learning. Data on students' conceptual understanding at SMP Negeri 2 Rantau Utara indicates that many students still lack conceptual understanding in mathematical story problems. Therefore, effective learning is needed to address this lack of conceptual understanding, specifically the Problem-Based Learning model. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the Problem-Based Learning model on students' conceptual understanding in mathematical story problems involving systems of linear equations with two variables.This study was a pre-experimental study using the One Group Pretest-Posttest Design. The population was all eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 2 Rantau Utara, with a sample size of 24 students from classes VIII-4 of SMP Negeri 2 Rantau Utara. The research instrument used was a descriptive-based test of students' conceptual understanding. The data were analyzed using the Paired Sample T-Test. The results of descriptive analysis show that the average value of students' conceptual understanding of class VIII-4 SMP Negeri 2 Rantau Utara before being taught using the Problem Based Learning learning model is 17.17 with a standard deviation of 5.836 and after being taught using the Problem Based Learning learning model is 71.83 with a standard deviation of 6.404. The data obtained from the results of the t-test at a significance level of 0.05 is tcount> ttable, namely 36.513> 2.064, so Ha is accepted. This means that there is a significant influence after being given the Problem Based Learning learning model. From these results, it can be concluded that there is a significant influence by using the Problem Based Learning learning model on students' conceptual understanding in understanding mathematical story problems on the material of two-variable linear equation systems.