PHET VIRTUAL EXPERIMENTS TO ENHANCE NUMERACY SKILLS IN MOMENTUM AND IMPULSE CONCEPTS

Abstrak

Limited laboratory facilities pose a challenge in physics learning, particularly in developing students’ numeracy skills in quantitative topics such as momentum and impulse. This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of virtual experiment-based learning using PhET Colorado simulations in enhancing students’ numeracy skills. A quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group was employed involving two eleventh-grade classes at SMA Negeri 1 Purwanegara. Data were analyzed using paired sample t-tests and effect size calculations (Cohen’s d). The experimental group showed an increase in scores, as indicated by t(34) = -20.5, p < 0.001, with a very large effect size (d = 2.31). The control group also showed an increase, t(35) = -2.65, p = 0.012, with a moderate effect size (d = 0.48). The larger effect size in the experimental group indicates a stronger impact of the treatment compared to conventional learning.These results provide empirical evidence that virtual experiment-based learning using PhET simulations is more effective in enhancing students’ numeracy skills.