Scratch-Assisted Joyful Learning to Improve Seventh-Grade Students’ Mathematical Conceptual Understanding of Social Arithmetic

Abstract

Conceptual understanding of mathematics is a fundamental skill in mathematics learning. However, students often experience difficulties in connecting mathematical concepts with contextual problems in social arithmetic. This study aims to analyze the differences in students' mathematical conceptual understanding before and after the implementation of Scratch-assisted Joyful Learning on social arithmetic material. This study used a quantitative approach with a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design. The population consisted of 189 7th-grade students of SMP Negeri L Sidoharjo in the 2025/2026 academic year. The sample was selected using cluster random sampling, resulting in Class VII.4 consisting of 28 students. Data were collected through conceptual understanding test questions, including indicators of restating concepts, classifying objects according to their properties, presenting concepts in various representations, choosing appropriate procedures or operations, and applying concepts to problem-solving situations. The instrument showed a validity coefficient ranging from 0.848 to 0.978 and a reliability coefficient of 0.970. The mean score increased from 48.00 (SD = 13.63) in the pretest to 92.00 (SD = 5.87) in the posttest, with a mean difference of 44.00 points. A one-tailed t-test showed that the calculated ttest (19.86) was greater than ttable (1.703), indicating a significant improvement in students' conceptual understanding of mathematics. These findings can be the basis for developing more adaptive and interactive learning interventions through the integration of Joyful Learning and Scratch in various mathematics learning contexts.