The Effect of the Open-Ended Learning Approach on Student Creativity

Abstract

Mathematics learning in junior high schools (SMP) still tends to focus on a single correct answer, which limits the development of students' creativity. Mathematics learning in junior high schools (SMP) still tends to focus on a single correct answer, which limits the development of students' creativity. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of implementing the open-ended learning approach on students’ creativity in mathematics learning using a quantitative approach and a quasi-experimental method. The population of this study consisted of all eighth-grade students of SMP Swasta IT Darul Hasan Padangsidimpuan, while class VIII-B was selected as the research sample through purposive sampling. The data collection instrument was an essay test administered in the form of a pretest and a posttest. The collected data were analyzed using a t-test statistical analysis. The results showed that the pretest score was 51.08, while the posttest score increased to 78.78. The results of hypothesis testing indicated that the calculated t-value was greater than the t-table value, namely 11.67 > 2.042 at a 5% significance level with 26 degrees of freedom. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the implementation of the open-ended learning approach has a significant effect on students’ creativity in mathematics learning.