Cahaya: Journal of Research on Science Education
Vol. 3 No. 2 (2025)

Effectiveness of PhET Interactive Simulation-Based Learning on Grade XI Students' Conceptual Understanding of Projectile Motion

Suherman, Wawan (Unknown)
Kariadinata, Rahayu (Unknown)
Chusni, Muhammad Minan (Unknown)



Article Info

Publish Date
29 Dec 2025

Abstract

This study addresses the fundamental question: How effective is PhET Interactive Simulation in enhancing high school students' conceptual understanding of projectile motion, a topic prone to misconceptions due to its two-dimensional vector analysis? Positioned within improving physics education quality through digital visualization tools, the researcher employed a quantitative pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design on n = 35 Grade XI students. Data collection used conceptual understanding tests analyzed via normality tests (Kolmogorov-Smirnov/ Shapiro-Wilk), paired sample t-test, and Normalized Gain (N-Gain). Results showed pretest mean = 43.76 (SD=12.15) increased to posttest mean =74.14 (SD = 11.72), a 69.42% gain with t = -13.581 (df = 34, Sig. = 0.000 < 0.05) rejecting H₀. N-Gain ⟨g⟩ = 0.54 (medium) distributed as 60% medium, 25.71% high (≥0.7), 14.29% low (<0.3). PhET’s real-time manipulation of launch angle (θ) and initial velocity (v₀) visualized independent horizontal-vertical motion, correcting 65-75% misconceptions via multimodal representations (trajectory, v-t graphs, constant vertical g-vectors). Conclusion: PhET Interactive Simulation proves effective for projectile motion conceptual understanding, bridging abstract formulas (R = v₀²sin2θ/g) with dynamic phenomena. Limitations: short 4-day intervention, no control group. Recommendations: teacher training, guided inquiry worksheets targeting N-Gain > 0.7.  

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Journal Info

Abbrev

cahaya

Publisher

Subject

Chemistry Education Physics Social Sciences Other

Description

CAHAYA: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran Sains (e-ISSN 2988-1374) is an Open Access Journal that discusses related science and science education that occurs in the context of society at the primary, secondary and higher education levels related to research in the fields of science education, ...