The Effect of Virtual Experimental Learning on Students' Concept Understanding and Communication Skills on Elasticity and Hooke’s Law

Abstract

This study aims to determine the effect of virtual experimental learning on students' understanding of concepts and communication skills. It employed a quantitative quasi-experimental design using a nonequivalent control group design. The population consisted of 257 grade XI MIPA students at SMA Negeri 2 Palu. Samples were selected through purposive sampling, with class XI MIPA 1 serving as the control class and class XI MIPA 2 serving as the experimental class, each consisting of 36 students. The research instruments were five essay questions assessing concept understanding and communication skills. Virtual experimental learning improved students’ concept understanding and communication skills by encouraging scientific thinking through experimentation, investigation, observation, and drawing conclusions about scientific concepts and principles, thereby enhancing process skills. Data were analyzed using the N-Gain test to measure improvements in concept understanding and communication skills. The experimental class achieved a medium N-Gain category, whereas the control class remained in the low category. Hypothesis testing employed an independent t test and one-way ANOVA using statistical software at a significance level of 0.05, assuming normally distributed data. The results indicated that virtual experimental learning significantly affected students’ understanding of concepts and communication skills on elasticity and Hooke’s law, supporting effectiveness.