Improving Students' Conceptual Understanding of Fluid Statics through Guided Inquiry Learning Assisted by PhET Simulations

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the improvement in students’ conceptual understanding of static fluids through guided inquiry learning assisted by PhET simulation. The study employed a quantitative approach with a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design. The participants were 20 students of Grade XI Science 1 at MA Dakwah Islamiyah Putra Nurul Hakim in the 2025/2026 academic year, selected using purposive sampling. Data were collected through a 19-item multiple-choice test that had been tested for validity, reliability, item difficulty, and discrimination. Data analysis included the Shapiro-Wilk test, paired-samples t-test, and normalized gain (N-Gain). The mean score increased from 42.37 to 86.84, with t(19) = ?17.98, p < 0.001, and an N-Gain of 75.6%, categorized as high. The N-Gain for C1–C4 was categorized as high, while C5–C6 was moderate. The results indicate an improvement in students’ conceptual understanding following the intervention; however, without a control group, the findings cannot definitively establish a causal relationship.