Using Project Based Learning (PBL) Design to Expand Mathematics Students’ Understanding: A Case Study in Statistics Problem

Abstract

This paper describes some activities that the author has designed using Project Based Learning (PBL) to develop students’ understanding of statistics. This study used a quasi-experimental method with a one group pretest-posttest quantitative research design. The subjects in this study are 30 students of class VII in SMP Negeri 6, Surabaya, Indonesia. The data collected using a questionnaire and a test. The validity of students’ response used product-moment correlations and the reliability test used the Cronbach’s Alpha formula, and the hypothesis was tested using the t-test (one sample t-test). The results showed that the positive response of students using PBL design to expand mathematics students’ understanding of statistics, namely 85.83%. Furthermore, there was a difference in the students’ learning outcomes before and after they learned through the PBL learning design, indicated by pretest the mean of score is 38.30 and a posttest mean score is 67.17. Besides that, t_observed of pretest is 15.931 and t_observed of posttest is 34.655, both are greater than t_table with a significant level ?=0.05 is 2.042. Thus, we could be concludes that there as a difference the understanding of statistics students’ outcome before and after learning with PBL design.