Integrating Technology into Islamic Religious Education: The Impact of a Nearpod-Based REACT Model on Students’ Learning Outcomes

Abstrak

This study addresses the persistent problem of low student learning outcomes in Islamic Religious Education and Character Building at SMP Negeri 1 Jati Agung, particularly the limited development of higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) at the C5 (evaluating) and C6 (creating) cognitive levels. Prior instructional practices were predominantly conventional and teacher-centered, resulting in constrained student engagement, minimal critical inquiry, and superficial knowledge construction. These conditions highlight the need for an innovative instructional model capable of overcoming the pedagogical limitations of traditional approaches in fostering HOTS. Accordingly, this study investigates the effect of a Nearpod-based REACT (Relating, Experiencing, Applying, Cooperating, and Transferring) learning model on students’ learning outcomes. Employing a quantitative approach, the study adopted a quasi-experimental design with a post-test-only control group. Class VII B was designated as the control group and received explanatory instruction, while Class VII A served as the experimental group and was exposed to the Nearpod-based REACT intervention. The learning outcomes instrument was rigorously tested for validity, reliability, item difficulty, and discrimination index. Data were analyzed using normality and homogeneity tests, followed by the Mann–Whitney U test and an independent samples t-test. The findings demonstrate a statistically significant difference between the two groups, with students in the experimental group achieving higher learning outcomes than those in the control group. This result is supported by a Mann–Whitney significance value of 0.014 and a t-test significance value of 0.039. Overall, the results confirm that the Nearpod-based REACT learning model has a significant positive effect on improving students’ learning outcomes, particularly in enhancing higher-order thinking skills in Islamic Religious Education.

Penelitian ini membahas permasalahan rendahnya hasil belajar peserta didik pada mata pelajaran Pendidikan Agama Islam dan Budi Pekerti di SMP Negeri 1 Jati Agung, khususnya keterbatasan pengembangan keterampilan berpikir tingkat tinggi (Higher-Order Thinking Skills/HOTS) pada level C5 dan C6. Praktik pembelajaran sebelumnya masih didominasi oleh metode konvensional yang berpusat pada guru, sehingga cenderung membatasi partisipasi peserta didik, kemampuan berpikir kritis, serta konstruksi pengetahuan yang bermakna. Kesenjangan tersebut menunjukkan perlunya model pembelajaran inovatif yang mampu mengatasi keterbatasan pembelajaran konvensional dalam mengembangkan HOTS. Oleh karena itu, penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji pengaruh model pembelajaran REACT (Relating, Experiencing, Applying, Cooperating, dan Transferring) berbasis Nearpod terhadap hasil belajar peserta didik. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan desain quasi-eksperimen tipe post-test only control group design. Kelas VII B ditetapkan sebagai kelas kontrol yang menerapkan pembelajaran ekspositori, sedangkan Kelas VII A sebagai kelas eksperimen yang memperoleh perlakuan model REACT berbasis Nearpod. Instrumen tes hasil belajar telah diuji validitas, reliabilitas, tingkat kesukaran, dan daya pembeda. Analisis data meliputi uji normalitas, uji homogenitas, uji Mann–Whitney, dan uji t sampel independen. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan adanya perbedaan yang signifikan antara kedua kelompok, di mana peserta didik pada kelas eksperimen memperoleh hasil belajar yang lebih tinggi dibandingkan kelas kontrol, yang ditunjukkan oleh nilai signifikansi Mann–Whitney sebesar 0,014 dan nilai Sig. uji t sebesar 0,039. Secara keseluruhan, temuan ini menegaskan bahwa model pembelajaran REACT berbasis Nearpod berpengaruh dalam meningkatkan hasil belajar peserta didik, khususnya dalam mengembangkan keterampilan berpikir tingkat tinggi.