PENGARUH MEDIA AUGMENTED REALITY PROSES TERJADINYA HUJAN TERHADAP KEMAMPUAN MENGENAL GEJALA ALAM PADA ANAK USIA 5-6 TAHUN

Abstract

Early Childhood Education plays an essential role in developing the cognitive, social, and emotional foundations of young children. One important cognitive aspect is the ability to recognize natural phenomena. However, learning in Group B is still dominated by conventional methods, making it difficult for children to understand abstract concepts such as the rainfall process. This study aims to examine the effect of Augmented Reality (AR) media on the ability of five- to six-year-old children to recognize natural phenomena. The research employed a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental method, specifically the Nonequivalent Control Group Design. Thirty children participated in the study and were divided into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group learned through AR media using the Assemblr EDU and ARLOOPA applications, while the control group received conventional instruction. Data were collected through observations and tests measuring children’s understanding of natural phenomena and were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U Test. The findings showed significant improvement in the experimental group after receiving AR-based learning. The group’s posttest scores were higher than those of the control group, with a significance value below 0.05. Children appeared more engaged and were able to describe the rainfall process clearly after interacting with three-dimensional AR visualizations. In conclusion, the use of Augmented Reality media positively influences early childhood’s ability to understand natural phenomena and supports exploration-based science learning aligned with the Merdeka Curriculum.