Eighth Grade Students Research Articles

TEACHING WRITING DESCRIPTIVE TEXT BY USING REALIA MEDIA TO THE EIGHTH GRADE STUDENTS’ AT SMP NEGERI 9 PRABUMULIH

The aim of this research is to find out the effectiveness of using realia media in teaching descriptive text writing of students at SMP Negeri 9 Prabumulih. The research method used in this research is experimental with pre-experimental design. The research design used one-group pretest-posttest design. The samples of this research were 30 students consisting of 17 male students and 13 female students. Data collection techniques are done by tests. Tests are given at the pretest and the posttest. The results of this research indicate that realia media was effective to use in teaching writing descriptive text to the eighth grade students’ at SMP Negeri 9 Prabumulih. After the data from the pretest and the posttest were analyzed, the average results of the pretest were 62.8 and the posttest was 74.48. This is reinforced by the t test obtained tcount> ttable which is 5.254> 1.699 based on these results indicate Ha is accepted and Ho is rejected. So it can be concluded that realia media was effective to use in teaching writing descriptive text at SMP Negeri 9 Prabumulih.

CHALLENGES IN PRONOUNCING THE LETTER "R" IN THE INTERNATIONAL PHONETIC ALPHABET

This research aims to explore the challenges faced by students in pronouncing the letter "r" in English words. A descriptive quantitative research design was used, incorporating pronunciation tests to gather data. The study focused on eighth-grade students at SMP Islam An Nizam Medan, with a sample of 15 students selected through simple random sampling from a total of 30 students. The students' pronunciation was recorded as they read aloud from three different texts, and their performance was analyzed for errors in pronouncing the "r" sound. The results revealed significant difficulties, with a total of 79 errors across all three texts. Specifically, Text 1 contained 21 errors (26.5%), Text 2 had 39 errors (49.3%), and Text 3 accounted for 19 errors (24%). The findings highlight the widespread difficulties students face in pronouncing the "r" sound, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions and teaching strategies to help improve pronunciation skills. This study contributes valuable insights into the specific pronunciation challenges encountered by non-native English learners.

THE EFFECT OF PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING ASSISTED WITH PHET SIMULATION ON STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES OF LIGHT AND OPTICAL DEVICES OPTICS TOPIC

This research is based on the preliminary study conducted at SMPN 16 Padang which found that students' learning outcomes in science teaching are still considered suboptimal. This is indicated by several students' scores that have not yet met the Learning Outcome Completion Criteria of 80. This research aims to determine the effect of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model assisted by PhET simulations on the learning outcomes of eighth-grade students at SMPN 16 Padang. The type of research is a quasi-experiment with a non-equivalent control group design. The population in this study is all the eighth-grade students of SMPN 16 Padang. Sample collection was conducted using purposive sampling techniques. Thus, the research samples were obtained from students in class VIII 2 and VIII 4. The research samples consisted of experimental class applying the Problem-Based Learning model assisted by PhET simulations and control class using the conventional learning model. Data collection was conducted through tests administered before (pretest) and after the treatment (posttest) on the experimental and control classes in the form of multiple-choice questions. The obtained data were analyzed using inferential statistical analysis, and the results of the two-sample t-test for the pre-test and N-gain were 0.002 for the pre-test significance and 0.000 for the N-Gain significance, which means was rejected or there was a significant difference between the two groups because the significance value (p) was less than 0.05. Thus, it can be concluded that there is a significant influence of the application of the PBL learning model assisted by PhET simulations on the learning outcomes of eighth-grade students in the subject of light and optical instruments.

The Effectiveness of Online Courses in Building Nemeth Code Within UEB Contexts Skills and Increasing Knowledge of Strategies to Support Prekindergarten Through Eighth-Grade Students in Their Mathematics Learning

Introduction Professional development can assist individuals in learning a variety of new skills and refining their teaching practice. The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of asynchronous online courses designed to assist individuals in building their Nemeth Code within Unified English Braille (UEB) Contexts skills and strategies for teaching the code to prekindergarten through eighth-grade students. Methods Four teachers of students with visual impairments designed five asynchronous online courses. The courses provided multiple opportunities for participants to actively complete course content as well as learn about strategies and resources for teaching the Nemeth Code within UEB Contexts to children and youths. Each course included an initial survey, pretest, seven self-paced lessons, and posttest. Participants were also invited to complete a follow-up survey. Results Between spring 2020 and spring 2023, 452 participants completed between 1 and 5 of the courses for a total of 620 courses completed. Almost all completers ( n = 598) scored higher on the posttest. Of the 227 individuals who completed the follow-up survey, 223 reported that what they learned in the course had positively impacted how they support or will support students who read braille in their math classes. Discussion Effective professional development goes beyond learning. When individuals actively consume content and reflect upon their learning, their professional practice is transformed. Implications for Practitioners Well-designed asynchronous instructional modules allow professionals to increase their knowledge and skills. Opportunities to practice skills and check one's work, access to instructional videos, and the availability of downloadable slides and resources are helpful to professionals.

Detecting latent subpopulations in international large-scale assessments by fitting MixIRT models using NUTS

The focus of this study is to use the mixture item response theory (MixIRT) model while implementing the no-U-turn sampler as a technique for investigating the presence of latent classes (i.e., subpopulations) among eighth-grade students who were administered TIMSS 2019 mathematics subtest in paper format from the gulf cooperation council (GCC) countries. One-, two-, and constrained three-parameter logistic MixIRT models with one to four classes were used to fit to the data, where the model data fit was assessed using Bayesian fit indices. The results indicate that multiple latent classes or subpopulations can better reflect the mathematical proficiency of eighth graders from the four GCC countries, and specifically the two-class constrained three-parameter MixIRT model provides a relatively better fit to the data. The results also indicate that when a mixture of several latent classes present, the conventional unidimensional IRT model is limited in providing information for multiple latent classes and shall be avoided. In addition to adding to the existing literature on MixIRT models for international large-scale assessments such as TIMSS on its heterogenous subpopulations from a fully Bayesian approach, this study sheds light on the limitation of conventional unidimensional IRT models and subsequently directs attention to the use of the more complex MixIRT model for such assessments.

The Influence of Character Building and Parents Economic Conditions on Student Learning Achievement

Based on the observations, it was found that a significant number of eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 1 Alasa demonstrate low academic achievement, as evidenced by their test scores not meeting the Minimum Competency Criteria (KKM). Additionally, many students in this grade frequently fail to complete homework and exhibit a lack of motivation during the learning process. This study aims to analyze the influence of Character building and parental economic conditions on the academic performance of eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 1 Alasa in 2024. The research employed a quantitative methodology. The findings indicate that Character building, in isolation, has a significant impact on the academic performance of eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 1 Alasa, with a t-value of 2.231, which exceeds the critical t-value of 1.673. On the other hand, parental economic conditions do not have a significant effect on students' academic achievement when considered independently. This is evidenced by a t-value of -0.084, which is below the critical t-value of 1.673. Thus, students can achieve academic success regardless of their parents' lower economic status, and wealthier parents do not necessarily guarantee improved academic performance in their children.

Young people’s civic engagement in Italy: evidence on grade 8 students from the international civic and citizenship education study (ICCS) 2016

Civic engagement represents a key aspect of a democratic society and is itself a multidimensional construct. Research has shown that the promotion of civic engagement is an important component of civic and citizenship education intended in a broad sense, pertaining to formal, non-formal and informal learning situations. Within a national scenario characterised by increasing levels of general institutional disaffection and a lack of electoral and political involvement, the recent reform in the area of civic and citizenship education (Law 92/2019) has led to lively debates on the status of its implementation in Italian schools and recent research at the national level has highlighted the lack of activities to promote students’ engagement. This study further investigates the ICCS 2016 findings on civic engagement of Italian students with two objectives: to identify possible groups of Italian eighth-grade students on the basis of their level of civic engagement and to examine the associations among these groups and some key factors reflecting school contexts and students’ attitudes and behaviours. To reach these goals, the data analyses encompassed a latent profile analysis and a logistic regression model. The latent profile analysis allowed the identification of three groups of Italian students: disengaged, moderately engaged and engaged students. The results of the regression model showed that engaged students were characterised by a higher level of citizenship self-efficacy. These findings confirm those of previous research on the key role of internal self-efficacy in promoting students’ civic engagement.

Creativity as Key Trigger to Cognitive Achievement: Effects of Digital and Analog Learning Interventions

AbstractThis study analyses the coherent integration of creativity into science education modules for eighth-grade students to enhance competence development. The learning modules’ content covered a basic ecological unit about forests, applied as digital or analog lesson. By utilizing the creativity subscales ‘Act’ and ‘Flow’ its analysis resulted in a clear factorial structure. Notably, higher levels of creativity were associated with increased cognitive learning achievements among students, irrespective of the instructional delivery method—be it analog or digital. Particularly, the ‘Act’ and ‘Flow’ dimensions exhibited a promising potential for augmenting learning outcomes in learner-centric, gamified modules. The mentoring role of teachers is supposed to promote a flow state and simultaneously to highlight the significance of autonomy in learning processes. Unexpectedly, there were no discernible gender differences. This research significantly contributes to our understanding of the interplay among creativity, learning success, and instructional modalities within the realm of science education.

Effects of a classwide reading intervention on reading fluency and comprehension of content area text with students in middle school

Partner reading with paragraph shrinking has been shown to be an effective classwide reading intervention in elementary school, but has yet to be studied with eighth-grade students or with content area reading such as science and social studies. The current study examined the effects of implementing the classwide intervention for 3 wk with 86 students in eighth grade that were randomly assigned to the treatment or a control group. The intervention led to significantly higher oral reading fluency (η2 = .49), and higher scores on a researcher-created maze test for science (η2 = .10) and social studies (η2 = .13). Student variables (i.e., receiving English as a second language services, special education, or a free or reduced-price lunch) did not predict student outcomes and added negligible to small amounts of variance. Therefore, the effects seemed to be positive regardless of student-level factors. Potential implications for practice and research are included.

STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION IN LEARNING ENGLISH SPEAKING AT THE EIGHTH GRADE OF SMP NEGERI 3 DHARMA CARAKA

This research aimed at analyzing students’ motivation at the eighth grade of SMP Negeri 3 Dharma Caraka. This research was designed by using descriptive qualitative method. In analyzing the data, the researcher used theory of Gay (2012), they were reading and memoing, describing, and classifying. In this research, the source of the data was taken from 24 students at the Eighth Grade of SMP Negeri 3 Dharma Caraka. Technique of the data collection were observation and interview. The result of the research showed that they were experienced by eighth grade students of SMP Negeri 3 Dharma Caraka by intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. The intrinsic motivations were self desire, satisfaction, challenge/competition, and good habits. The extrinsic motivations were praise, advice, teacher, parents and environment, and reward. The students who had intrinsic motivations were active in speaking activity because they derived from themselves. It reflects the internal drive to achieve personal goals, serving as primary motivator for success. Meanwhile, the students who had extrinsic motivation were active in speaking because they have expectation to get high score, and other reward from the teacher, and praise from the teacher and friends. But, most of students are motivated in extrinsic motivations, they were active in speaking activity because from the environment and other reward. It is suggested to English teacher to create a good atmosphere while teaching in the classroom especially in speaking English. Moreover, teacher need to motivate their students by designing activities that are interesting and relevant to daily life that encourage interaction and conversation.

ANALYSIS OF STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTS ON FRACTIONS IN GRADE VIII AT SMP NEGERI 2 MAZINO

This study aims to describe and identify the factors contributing to the low understanding of mathematical concepts related to fractions among students. This research is qualitative in nature with a descriptive approach. The informants in this study are 18 eighth-grade students from SMP Negeri 2 Mazino. Data were analyzed through the steps of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The data collection techniques used are tests and interviews. The results show that, overall, students exhibit low understanding of concepts when distinguishing between two fractions, with 18% categorized as very poor. In classifying fractions by type, the percentage is 19% in the very poor category. For ordering fractions from smallest to largest, the percentage is 37%, categorized as poor. In simplifying addition and subtraction operations involving fractions, 22% fall into the poor category. Additionally, in relating everyday life to fraction concepts, the percentage is 60%, categorized as sufficient, while 20% fall into the very poor category. Factors influencing this include a lack of understanding of the statements in the tests, not comprehending the questions posed, being less meticulous in understanding simple fractions, and difficulty in interpreting word problems related to fraction operations. In conclusion, eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 2 Mazino demonstrate low understanding in completing tests on fractions. It is recommended that teachers create a question-and-answer space in their lesson plans to enhance students' conceptual understanding when working with fractions.

Exploring the Impact of Values Education on Sustainable Environmental Awareness and Behavior Among Eighth-Grade Students

Education plays a crucial role in fostering numerous established and sustainable behaviors in individuals. Among these behaviors, environmental awareness is particularly important because of its significant sociological impact. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of values education on environmental awareness and pro-environmental behavior. This study employs a mixed-method approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The quantitative part of this research consists of 225 eighth-grade students and the qualitative part consists of six Turkish teachers. As a result of the quantitative analysis, it was found that the environmental attitude levels of the middle school students participating in this study were at a high level. In the qualitative analysis, it was found that the teachers participating in this study established a strong connection between mother tongue education, values education, and environmental education. The outcomes from the qualitative and quantitative analysis were discussed in depth and compared with the results previously presented in the literature. Additionally, the findings of this study indicated opportunities for future research as presented in the Discussion Section.

The Socialization of Meritocracy and Market Justice Preferences at School

Previous research has shown that schools often justify student performance differences using meritocratic ideals. One potential consequence of such ideals is the legitimization of outcome inequalities across various spheres, including those traditionally associated with equality and redistribution. In this study, we argue that the promotion of meritocratic values during school age can shape students’ beliefs about meritocracy and influence their views on market-based access to health, pensions, and education. Using data from the 2017 National Study of Civic Education in Chile, which includes 5047 eighth-grade students from 231 schools, we estimated a series of multilevel models (lme4 library, R version 4.1.3) to test our hypotheses. Our findings show that a significant proportion of Chilean students agree with market justice principles—more so than adults. Most students endorse meritocratic views, particularly the notion that effort should be rewarded, which strongly correlates with market justice preferences: students who believe in meritocracy are more likely to justify inequalities based on financial capacity. At the school level, market justice preferences are higher in high-status schools but lower in schools with higher academic achievement. Furthermore, the conditional influence of meritocratic beliefs diminishes in schools with higher socioeconomic status and performance levels. These results suggest that the association between meritocratic beliefs and market justice preferences is already established at school age and is shaped by the school environment.

Exploring the Role of Mind Mapping Tools in Scaffolding Narrative Writing in English for Middle-School EFL Students

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of scaffolded English writing instruction using mind mapping tools on English narrative writing proficiency among Chinese middle-school EFL students. Specifically, we examined its effects on four subcomponents of narrative writing compositions: lexical complexity, grammatical complexity, accuracy, and fluency. Non-equivalent group pre-test–post-test design was employed in this study. The participants were 55 eighth-grade students in an English class. The data were collected through two writing tests administered before and after a two-month intervention. The results showed that students’ writing demonstrated significant improvements in lexical complexity, grammatical complexity, accuracy, and fluency. These findings suggest that scaffolded writing instruction with mind mapping can effectively enhance multiple dimensions of writing skills in adolescent EFL learners. This study provides insights into the application of using mind mapping to scaffold EFL learners’ narrative writing proficiency.

Improving Student’s Reading Comprehension Through LRD (Listen–Read– Discussion) Strategy at the Eighth Grade of MTS At-Taqwa Jambi

This research was done to improve students’ reading comprehension through LRD (Listen-Read-Discussion) strategy. The background of this research was the eighth grade students of MTS At-Taqwa Jambi had the problem in reading comprehension including students reading comprehension was low, students were difficult to find the elements of reading and it was difficult for students to determine the main idea of the text. Furthermore, this research aimed to find out whether there was an improvement in students’ reading comprehension through LRD (Listen-Read-Discussion) strategy at among the eighth - grade students of MTS At-Taqwa Jambi. This research was a classroom action research (CAR). This classroom action research divided into two cycles that referred to the classroom action research procedures were planning, implementing of action, observing, and reflecting. The research data were collected through observation checklist and tests. The test was given to the students in form of a reading comprehension post-test at the end of learning at each cycle. The subject of this research was the eighth grade students of MTS At-Taqwa Jambi. The total number of students in the class was 22 students. The result of the analysis showed that the LRD (Listen-Read-Discussion) strategy could improve students reading comprehension. The result of students reading comprehension test was showed in two cycles. The result showed that there were improvements in students’ reading comprehension scores and reading activity through LRD (Listen-Read-Discussion) strategy. The result obtained by students in the cycle I the average score of the class was 58,52. In the cycle II results obtained by students the average score of the class was 75,57, also students were not difficult in finding the elements of reading in the text and more focused in reading the material in “Read” section. Based on the students’ results in cycle I and cycle II could be concluded that the minimum criteria for score was reached. The minimum criteria for the score (KKM) was 75. Furthermore, it could be conclude that the use of LRD (Listen-Read-Discussion) strategy could improve students’ reading comprehension.

The common element of test taking: Reading and responding to questions.

Taking a reading comprehension (RC) test is a goal-oriented task, with the goal of answering questions correctly. We assume the number of questions students correctly answer represents their ability to engage successfully in the RC processes necessary to understand texts. Students, however, use various test-taking strategies, some of which negatively impact passage comprehension. The present study used eye-tracking procedures to measure what students do when reading the one part of the tests that all students must read to perform well on an RC test, the questions. Participants included 248 third-, fifth-, and eighth-grade students who read six texts and responded to associated questions while researchers recorded their eye movements. Eye-movement records were used to code students' test-taking strategy and measure the time students spent reading multiple-choice questions and each response option. Students were also administered a measure of reading achievement. Analyses suggest eye movements on multiple-choice questions were associated with reading achievement, and the challenges less-skilled readers experience with texts are also present when reading in the question region. Differences in strategies and processes do not only occur in the text region. Therefore, researchers and practitioners should pay increased attention to the strategies that are taught and used by students when reading and responding to RC questions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Relationship between 8th grade students’ social media use and hope and life satisfaction

The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the duration of social media use and the level of hope and life satisfaction of eighth-grade students. To this end, the study tested two hypotheses: (a) life satisfaction decreases with increasing duration of social media use, and (b) the level of hope decreases with increasing duration of social media use. The study sample consists of 261 secondary school students, including 163 girls (62.5 %) and 98 boys (37.5 %), attending the eighth grade in central districts of East Anatolia Region in Türkiye (mean age = 18, SD = .589). The data collection instruments used in the study were the personal information form and the hope and life satisfaction scales. The personal information form included demographic variables and asked students how many minutes per day they used social media in the past six months, aiming to determine the amount of time spent by students on social media platforms. Platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter were included in the social media category. The results indicate that as the duration of social media use increases, students` life satisfaction and hope levels decrease. Regression analysis results, conducted to understand the causality of the relationship between variables, suggest that the increase in the duration of social media use can be identified as one of the reasons for the decrease in life satisfaction and hope levels.

CAREER INFORMATION SERVICES TO INCREASE THE STABILITY OF STUDENTS' FUTURE STUDY SELECTION

The objective of this research was to assess the effectiveness of career information services in enhancing the decisiveness of eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 3 Sewon in choosing further studies. The research addressed the problem of indecisiveness among students in selecting their future education. A quantitative pre-test and post-test method was used, with 10 students identified in the low and very low categories based on their initial decisiveness. The treatment consisted of career information services delivered through lectures, discussions, and slide presentations. The research process followed several stages: an initial introduction, an explanation of the service, and interactive self-awareness games. This was followed by delivering career information through PowerPoint slides, a lecture, a Q&A session, and homework assignments. Finally, post-test assessments and feedback were collected to evaluate the effectiveness of the services provided. The results showed significant improvement in students' decisiveness after the treatment. Pre-test scores averaged 78.3, while post-test scores increased to 112.7, with a gain score of 0.37 (moderate effectiveness, 62.6%). The Wilcoxon signed rank test indicated a statistically significant difference (Z = 2.807, p = 0.005), confirming that the intervention was effective. In conclusion, career information services were found to be an effective method for improving students' decisiveness in selecting further studies. This is consistent with previous studies, which demonstrated the role of career guidance in reducing uncertainty and supporting educational planning. The innovation of this research lies in the use of interactive and engaging media. It is recommended that career information services be expanded to help more students in their educational decisions.

Peningkatan Hasil Belajar Dan Kemampuan Berpikir Kritis Peserta Didik Dalam Mata Pelajaran Pendidikan Agama Katolik Melalui Model Pembelajaran Problem Based Learning di Kelas VIII UPTD Smp Negeri 4 Moro’o

Saverius Sozanolo Waruwu, 2024. This study aims to improve students' critical thinking skills and learning outcomes in the Catholic Religious Education subject for eighth-grade students at UPTD SMP Negeri 4 Moro’o. Based on initial observations, it was found that students' learning outcomes had not met the Minimum Mastery Criteria (KKTP), ranging between 60-75, and their critical reasoning skills were still at a sufficient level. This was due to the teaching methods being primarily lecture-based and narrative. To address this issue, the researcher attempted to implement the Problem Based Learning (PBL) model in Catholic Religious Education classes. The subjects of this study consisted of five eighth-grade students. In the first cycle, 80% of the students achieved mastery, but this did not meet the target of 85%. After improvements were made in the second cycle, learning outcomes increased to 100%, with all students reaching the set mastery level. Additionally, the students' critical thinking skills also improved. In the first cycle, the average critical thinking score was 2.9, which was categorized as sufficient. However, in the second cycle, after the implementation of PBL, the score increased to 3.65, indicating a significant improvement in critical thinking skills. Based on the research findings, it can be concluded that the implementation of the Problem Based Learning model is effective in enhancing students' critical thinking skills and learning outcomes.

Optimizing Science Process Skills Through the Use of Simple Steam Power Plant Models in Middle School Physics Education

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of using a simple steam power plant prop in improving the science process skills of eighth grade students at Pesantren Guppi Samata Junior High School. The importance of this study lies in the need for innovative teaching methods that can improve students' engagement and understanding in science education, especially considering the limitations of traditional laboratory resources. A quasi-experimental design with a pretest-posttest control group was used, involving purposive sampling of two groups: an experimental group that used a simple steam power plant prop and a control group that did not use the prop. Data were collected through a structured multiple-choice test that assessed various aspects of science process skills and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, normality tests, and independent t-tests. The findings showed that the experimental group significantly outperformed the control group in the posttest (p = 0.000), indicating that the simple steam power plant prop effectively facilitates better understanding of scientific concepts through hands-on learning. The novelty of this study lies in its focus on the use of simple and accessible teaching props to improve practical skills in science education. The results of this study suggest that incorporating these tools into teaching can improve educational outcomes, and offer a valuable resource for educators facing limited laboratory facilities.