EFEKTIVITAS PENGGUNAAN POWERPOINT POWTOON SEBAGAI MEDIA PEMBELAJARAN TERHADAP PEMAHAMAN HURUF HIRAGANA

Abstract

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of using PowerPoint Powtoon as a learning medium on students’ understanding of reading Hiragana characters among tenth-grade students at SMK Semen Gresik. The background of this research is based on the low level of students’ understanding of Hiragana characters due to the use of conventional and less interactive learning methods, such as ordinary PowerPoint presentations. This research employs a quantitative method with a true experimental design, specifically the pretest-posttest control group design. The research sample consists of two classes, namely X RPL 1 as the experimental class and X TPM 1 as the control class, which were randomly selected to avoid bias and to ensure equality of students’ initial abilities. The research instruments include a multiple-choice test to measure students’ understanding of reading Hiragana characters and a questionnaire to identify their responses. Data were analyzed using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney statistical test because the data were not normally distributed, with a significance level less than α = 0.05. The results show that there is a significant difference between the posttest scores of the experimental and control classes (p < 0.05), indicating that the use of PowerPoint Powtoon is more effective than the use of ordinary PowerPoint media. Students’ responses to this learning medium were also highly positive, with the average score falling into the “very good” category. These findings indicate that PowerPoint Powtoon can serve as an interactive learning media alternative that effectively enhances students’ motivation and understanding in learning Hiragana characters.

Keywords: PowerPoint Powtoon, learning media, Hiragana, reading comprehension, Japanese language learning.