THE EFFECT OF ICE BREAKING ON LEARNING CONCENTRATION AMONG FOURTH-GRADE STUDENTSAT SDN 1 RENSING

Abstract

This study was motivated by the low level of learning concentration among fourth-grade students at SDN 1 Rensing, attributed to a monotonous learning environment and a lack of variety in the teaching strategies employed by the teacher. "Ice breaking" is a pedagogical strategy that can be used to create a more enjoyable, active, and conducive learning atmosphere, with the potential to enhance students' learning concentration. This study aimed to determine the effect of implementing ice-breaking activities on the learning concentration of fourth-grade students. A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing a pre-experimental "one-group pretest-posttest" design. The research subjects consisted of all 23 fourth-grade students, selected via purposive sampling. Data were collected using a learning concentration questionnaire comprising 20 statements based on a Likert scale, supplemented by observation sheets. Validity testing confirmed that all items were valid, while reliability testing yielded a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.850, indicating that the instrument was reliable. Preliminary analysis showed that both the pretest and posttest data were normally distributed (Shapiro-Wilk: pretest 0.287; posttest 0.656) and homogeneous (Levene’s Test: 0.901). Hypothesis testing using a paired-sample t-test resulted in a t-value of -2.692, with a two-sided p-value of 0.013—which is below the significance threshold of 0.05. It concludes that ice breaking is an effective pedagogical strategy for enhancing the learning concentration of elementary school students.