Improving Senior High School Students' Cognitive Learning Outcomes through the Group Investigation (GI) Cooperative Learning Model Supported by a Simple Physics Kit

Abstract

Low cognitive learning outcomes and the prevalence of teacher-centred instruction demand serious attention from physics educators. This study aims to examine the empirical reliability and effectiveness of implementing the Group Investigation (GI) cooperative learning model, supported by a simple KIT, in improving the cognitive learning outcomes of Year 10 students at a state senior secondary school in Kerinci on the topic of Temperature and Heat. This research employed a Classroom Action Research (CAR) approach, utilizing the Kemmis and McTaggart cyclical model implemented across three instructional cycles. The research subjects comprised 19 tenth-grade students selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using cognitive tests and instructional observations, which were subsequently analysed using descriptive quantitative methods. The findings revealed a linear escalation in cognitive achievement. Classical learning completeness in Cycle I reached 57.89% with a mean academic score of 70.26. In Cycle II, completeness increased to 78.95% (mean score of 75.53), and ultimately achieved the targeted success criterion in Cycle III at 94.74% with a mean score of 82.63. The effective utilization of the GI model, synergized with simple KIT media, significantly enhances students' comprehension of physical concepts and their cognitive abilities. Future research could expand upon this study by applying the GI model to physics topics with higher levels of abstraction to evaluate the consistency of its effectiveness. Furthermore, integrating 21st-century skills and modern KIT with the GI model presents a promising avenue for instructional integration in subsequent studies.