The Effect of Culturally Responsive Teaching through an Inquiry-Based Learning Model on Students’ Learning Outcomes

PEDAGOGIA
Vol 23, No 3 (2025)

This study aimed to examine the effect of implementing Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) integrated with an Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) model on students’ learning outcomes in a multicultural elementary classroom. The study employed a collaborative classroom action research design conducted in two cycles with 14 third-grade students at SDN Kuncen, Madiun, during the second semester of the 2024/2025 academic year. Data were collected through classroom observation, learning outcome tests, structured interviews, and documentation, and were analyzed using a descriptive qualitative approach supported by triangulation to ensure the trustworthiness of the findings. The results showed improvement in students’ cognitive, affective, and psychomotor learning outcomes. The proportion of students achieving the Minimum Mastery Criterion increased from 50% in the pre-cycle stage to 86% in Cycle II, accompanied by an increase in the class mean score from 70 to 83. Students’ active participation also improved, rising from four students in the pre-cycle stage to thirteen students in Cycle II. The integration of local cultural contexts into the inquiry process was found to enhance learning motivation, strengthen cultural identity, and create a more inclusive learning environment aligned with the principles of the Merdeka Curriculum. These findings indicate that the implementation of CRT through an IBL model was effective in improving the overall quality of instruction and students’ learning outcomes.