Real Math Interactive Learning Design Integrated with Mathematical Connection Ability at the Junior High School Level

Abstract

This study developed a Real Math Interactive (RMI) learning design integrated with mathematical connection ability for junior high school students. Educational Design Research comprised preliminary research, prototyping, and assessment. The product included a design guidebook, teaching modules, student books, worksheets, and research instruments. RMI comprised six phases: Meaningful Context, Analyze Situation, Connection, Concept Construction, Application, and Highlighting. Expert judgments classified the guidebook and learning materials as valid to highly valid; research instruments obtained a mean validation score of 3.51. Two trials informed iterative revisions, with the mean learning achievement increasing from 70.33 to 77.94. In the implementation stage, the experimental and control groups each included 30 students. The implementation analysis reported mean normalized gains of 76.16% and 69.90%, respectively. An independent-samples t-test indicated a difference favoring the experimental group, t(58) = 4.350, p < .001, mean difference = 6.256, 95% CI [3.377, 9.135]. The findings support the validity, practicality, and local effectiveness of RMI for developing mathematical connections. Broader implementation requires replication and clearer reporting of measurement and allocation procedures