The effectiveness of problem-based learning strategy in improving fundamental athletic skills among physical education students: A quasi-experimental study

Suharjo Suharjo (Universitas Negeri Medan)
Imran Akhmad (Universitas Negeri Medan)
Muhammad Reza Destya (Universitas Negeri Medan)
Syed Kamaruzaman bin Syed Ali (University of Malaya)

Cakrawala Pendidikan
Vol. 45 No. 3 (2026): Cakrawala Pendidikan (October 2026)

Mastery of basic athletic techniques is important for physical education students, but learning is often lecture-centered. This study aims to determine the effect of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) on students' mastery of basic athletic techniques. This study used a Pretest–Posttest Control Group Design. A total of 40 students were divided into an experimental group (n = 20) and a control group (n = 20). The experimental group learned with PBL, while the control group used conventional learning. Data was collected through athletic skills tests and analyzed using t-tests and N-Gain at a significance level of 0.05. The experimental group's score increased from 61.35 to 84.70, while the control group's score increased from 60.90 to 73.15. The test results showed a significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.05). The N-Gain value of the experimental group (0.61) was also higher than that of the control group (0.31). These results indicate that PBL is more effective than conventional learning in improving mastery of basic athletic techniques through active involvement and problem solving.