Learning Gains in Multiplication Conceptual Understanding through the MDC Game

Multiplication conceptual understanding remains a challenge for elementary school students when mathematics instruction emphasizes procedures and memorization rather than mathematical relationships. This study aimed to examine changes in students’ multiplication conceptual understanding following the implementation of the Multiplication and Division Card (MDC) Game integrated with the GASING (Gampang, Asyik, dan Menyenangkan) method. A quantitative pre-experimental study using a one-group pretest-posttest design was conducted with 26 third-grade elementary school students in Sumedang, Indonesia. Data were collected using a conceptual understanding test comprising 12 items, which had undergone expert judgment and empirical validity and reliability testing. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Shapiro-Wilk normality test, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and normalized gain analysis. The mean score increased from 48.62 before the intervention to 91.32 after the intervention, with a normalized gain of 0.8085 in the high category. The Wilcoxon test indicated a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores (p < 0.001). These findings indicate substantial learning gains following the intervention. However, the absence of a control group and the limited sample size mean that the results should not be interpreted as definitive evidence of causal effectiveness or generalized beyond the study context.