Educational card games, creativity, and conceptual understanding in Biology learning

Nisa Nur Azizah; Hayat Sholihin; Lilit Rusyati; Fitri Kania

doi:10.17509/curricula.v5i2.615

Authors

Nisa Nur Azizah Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Hayat Sholihin Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Lilit Rusyati Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
Fitri Kania Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17509/curricula.v5i2.615

Keywords:

conceptual understanding, creativity, educational card games, science education

Abstract

Science learning in junior high schools tends to emphasize memorization over the development of higher-order competencies, and non-digital learning approaches are rarely used. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of an educational card game in enhancing students' creativity and understanding of Biology. A convergent, quasi-experimental, mixed-methods study was conducted with 31 eighth-grade students in Bandung. The study was conducted over four weeks, with the experimental group designing a card game about the excretory system, while the control group created a conventional poster. Creativity was measured using the CPAM, and conceptual understanding was measured using a multiple-choice test. The results showed that the experimental group had higher creativity across all CPAM dimensions and demonstrated a significant increase in understanding with a moderate N-gain compared to the control group, which only achieved a low category. A strong correlation between creative engagement and conceptual growth suggests a mutually reinforcing relationship. Five qualitative mechanisms were identified: iterative design deepens understanding, peer playtesting provides formative feedback, creative constraints encourage problem-solving, collaborative knowledge construction, and kinesthetic learning through card manipulation. These findings confirm that creating card games is a practical, low-cost strategy for Biology classrooms with limited resources.

Abstrak

Pembelajaran sains di SMP cenderung menekankan pada penghafalan materi daripada pengembangan kompetensi tingkat tinggi, selain itu pendekatan pembelajaran melalui permainan non-digital pun belum banyak dilakukan. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengetahui efektivitas perancangan permainan kartu edukatif terhadap kreativitas dan pemahaman siswa dalam pembelajaran Biologi. Studi mixed-methods quasi-eksperimental konvergen dilakukan terhadap 31 siswa kelas VIII di Bandung. Penelitian dilakukan selama empat minggu dengan kelompok eksperimen yang merancang permainan kartu tentang sistem ekskresi, sedangkan kelompok kontrol membuat poster konvensional. Kreativitas diukur dengan CPAM dan pemahaman konseptual diukur melalui tes pilihan ganda. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pada kelompok eksperimen, kreativitas lebih tinggi di seluruh dimensi CPAM dan menunjukkan peningkatan pemahaman yang signifikan dengan N-gain sedang dibandingkan dengan kelompok kontrol yang hanya mencapai kategori rendah. Korelasi yang kuat antara keterlibatan kreatif dan pertumbuhan konseptual menunjukkan bahwa hubungan keduanya saling memperkuat. Teridentifikasi lima mekanisme kualitatif, yaitu desain iteratif untuk memperdalam pemahaman, playtesting sejawat sebagai umpan balik formatif, batasan kreatif untuk mendorong pemecahan masalah, konstruksi pengetahuan kolaboratif, dan pembelajaran kinestetik melalui manipulasi kartu. Temuan ini menegaskan bahwa pembuatan permainan kartu merupakan strategi praktis berbiaya rendah untuk kelas biologi dengan sumber daya yang terbatas.

Kata Kunci: kreativitas; pemahaman konseptual; pendidikan sains; permainan kartu edukatif

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