Journal of Indonesian Primary School Volume 2 .
September 2025
ISSN: 3047-7212
The article is published with Open Access at: https://journal.
id/index.
php/jips Improving Student Learning Outcomes on the Asmaul Husana Material by Implementing the Discovery Learning Method at SD Negeri Pasi Aceh Nuria Asra A.
SD Negeri Pasi Aceh.
Indonesia Safra.
SD Negeri Pasi Aceh.
Indonesia A nuriaasra81@guru.
Abstract: This research was conducted to improve the learning outcomes of Asmaul Husna's material in grade IV students of SD Negeri Pasi Aceh through the application of the Discovery Learning method.
The research is a Class Action Research.
which is carried out in two cycles with stages of planning, implementation, observation, and reflection.
The subjects of the study were all grade IV students totaling 15 children.
Initial data showed an average pre-cycle score of 67.
2 with 6 students .
%) achieving KKM 70.
The implementation of actions in the first cycle showed an increase in student activity and understanding so that the average score increased to around 71 with 9 students .
%) completed.
Instructional improvements and reinforcement in cycle II resulted in significant improvements.
The average class reached the range of 84 and 13 students .
%) met the KKM, indicating that the completion target was achieved.
Data was collected through tests, observation of teacher and student activities, questionnaires, and documentation, and then analyzed descriptively, quantitatively and qualitatively to assess changes in achievement and learning behavior.
In conclusion, the application of Discovery Learning is effective in improving Asmaul Husna's learning outcomes and student activity in the context of this class.
Keywords: Discovery learning, learning outcomes, asmaul husna.
Received June 13, 2025.
Accepted July 20, 2025.
Published September 8, 2025 Published by Mandailing Global Edukasia A 2025.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.
0 International License.
INTRODUCTION
Education is a well-planned process that aims to develop the potential of students to have the intelligence, personality, and skills needed in life.
Through education, the nation can prepare the next generation who are able to face the challenges of the times and at the same time maintain moral and cultural values.
Islamic Religious Education (PAI) as one of the subjects in elementary schools has a strategic role in shaping the character of students who have noble character and faith in Allah.
One of the important materials in PAI is the introduction of Asmaul Husna, which is the beautiful names of Allah, which is believed to strengthen the faith as well as guide students to imitate the attributes of Allah in daily life (Ramayulis, 2.
However, in practice.
PAI learning at the elementary school level often faces various Initial observations carried out in grade IV of SD Negeri Pasi Aceh showed low motivation and student learning outcomes in Asmaul Husna material.
Of the 15 students, only 6 children .
%) achieved scores above the Minimum Completeness Criteria (KKM) of 70, with an average grade score of 67.
This condition shows that there is a gap between the learning objectives to be achieved and the actual results in the field.
One of the reasons is that the learning approach still tends to be teacher-centered and has minimal variety, so that students are less actively involved in building their The importance of improving the quality of PAI learning is in line with the national education policy which emphasizes the importance of active, creative, effective, and fun This is supported by the view of Piaget .
who affirms that children at primary school age are at a concrete operational stage, where they need a learning experience that allows for hands-on exploration to build concepts.
In this context, the application of the Discovery Learning method is considered relevant because it provides opportunities for students to discover knowledge through the process of questioning, trying, and inferring on their own (Bruner, 1.
Discovery Learning as a learning strategy emphasizes the active involvement of students to find concepts, principles, or relationships between ideas with the guidance of teachers as facilitators (Hmelo-Silver et al.
, 2.
This model is believed to be able to increase students' intrinsic motivation because they feel directly involved in the learning In addition, discovery-based learning can strengthen students' long-term memory because knowledge gained through one's own experiences tends to be more meaningful (Sani, 2.
The urgency of this research is even stronger when looking at the results of previous studies that show the effectiveness of Discovery Learning.
Research conducted by Widodo .
states that the application of Discovery Learning in science learning in elementary schools is able to improve learning outcomes as well as students' critical thinking skills.
The same thing was stated by Suryani .
who emphasized that this method can also foster students' curiosity and increase their active participation in class discussions.
Thus.
Discovery Learning has the potential to be one of the solutions in improving the quality of PAI learning, especially in Asmaul Husna's material.
In addition, the low student learning outcomes in Asmaul Husna's material show that there are research gaps that need to be filled.
So far, most of the Discovery Learning studies have been more focused on the field of Science or Mathematics (Hosnan, 2016.
Trianto, 2.
, while its application in religious learning, especially PAI, is still relatively In fact.
PAI also needs a learning approach that encourages students to actively find meaning, not just memorize.
This research is here to fill this gap by examining how Discovery Learning can be used to improve students' understanding and learning outcomes in Asmaul Husna's material.
The main purpose of this study is to find out the extent to which the application of Discovery Learning can improve the learning outcomes of grade IV students of SD Negeri Pasi Aceh in Asmaul Husna material.
In more detail, this study aims to describe the initial condition of student learning outcomes before the implementation of Discovery Learning, analyze the improvement in student learning outcomes after the first cycle, and evaluate the effectiveness of actions in the second cycle to achieve the completion target.
This research is expected to make a theoretical contribution in enriching the study of the application of Discovery Learning in the field of PAI, as well as providing practical contributions for teachers in designing more active, creative, and fun learning.
Thus, this research is not only relevant to improve the quality of learning in grade IV of SD Negeri Pasi Aceh, but also provides wider implications for the development of religious learning strategies in elementary schools.
The success of Discovery Learning in improving learning outcomes in Asmaul Husna's material will be empirical proof that this method can be applied flexibly in various subjects, including PAI.
This is in line with Arends .
view that discovery-based learning strategies can be used across disciplines to encourage active student engagement.
METHODS
This study uses a Classroom Action Research (PTK) approach which aims to improve the learning process while improving student learning outcomes through real actions in the PTK was chosen because it is in accordance with the problems that arise in daily learning practices, where teachers play a direct role as researchers to find solutions to low learning outcomes in Asmaul Husna's material.
According to Arikunto .
PTK is a research conducted in the classroom with the aim of improving the quality of learning practices through actions that are designed, implemented, and evaluated systematically.
This research model is relevant because it can provide direct feedback on teacher performance as well as student learning outcomes.
The subjects of the study were all grade IV students of SD Negeri Pasi Aceh which totaled 15 people, consisting of 7 male students and 8 female students.
This number is also a research population because the classes are homogeneous and allow research to be carried out thoroughly.
The selection of subjects was based on the consideration that the class showed learning problems, especially in Asmaul Husna's material, with an average initial score of 67.
2 and only 40% of students reached KKM 70.
The focus of the research is directed at efforts to improve learning outcomes by applying the Discovery Learning This research was carried out at SD Negeri Pasi Aceh.
Tadu Raya District.
Nagan Raya Regency in the even semester of the 2023/2024 school year.
The selection of the location is based on the teacher's need to improve the quality of learning in the classroom.
The research implementation period lasted for three months, starting from the initial observation stage to the preparation of the report.
The stages of PTK are carried out in two cycles, where each cycle consists of four main stages, namely planning, implementation, observation, and reflection (Kemmis & McTaggart, 1.
The planning stage includes problem identification, preparation of Discovery Learning-based Learning Implementation Plans (RPP.
, preparation of research instruments, and preparation of relevant learning media.
At the implementation stage, teachers implement Discovery Learning in Asmaul Husna's learning with steps of problem orientation, exploration, group discussion, presentation of results, and drawing During the implementation, the teacher acts as a facilitator and guide, while the students play an active role in finding concepts.
The observation stage is carried out at the same time as the implementation of learning to monitor the activities of teachers and Observations use observation sheets that include aspects of student activity, engagement, and response.
The reflection stage is carried out after each cycle is completed by analyzing data on learning outcomes, activities, and obstacles that arise.
This reflection is used to make improvements in the next cycle.
The data collection technique in this study uses several instruments.
First, the learning outcome test is used to measure students' understanding of Asmaul Husna The test is in the form of objective questions with varying levels of difficulty according to the indicators of competency achievement.
According to Sugiyono .
, tests are the right instrument to measure students' cognitive abilities quantitatively.
Second, observation is used to record students' activeness during the learning process, such as the frequency of questioning, answering, and involvement in discussions.
Third, a questionnaire was given to students to find out their perception of the use of Discovery Learning.
Fourth, documentation in the form of photos and field notes is used to strengthen the data obtained.
Data analysis was carried out descriptively, qualitatively, and quantitatively.
Quantitative data in the form of learning outcome scores were analyzed by calculating the average and percentage of student completeness.
The success criteria are set if at least 80% of students obtain a score above KKM 70.
Qualitative data in the form of observation results and questionnaires were analyzed by examining patterns of student activity tendencies, motivation, and participation in learning.
According to Miles.
Huberman, and Saldana .
, qualitative analysis is carried out through the stages of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawn.
The success criteria for this research are determined based on two aspects.
First, the aspect of student learning outcomes is characterized by an increase in average grade points and a percentage of completeness of at least 80%.
Second, the aspect of the learning process is characterized by increased student involvement in learning Both are measured gradually in each cycle, so that improvements can be seen from pre-cycle, cycle I, to cycle II.
The validity of the data is strengthened through triangulation techniques, namely comparing test results, observations, questionnaires, and With the PTK approach, this research is not only results-oriented, but also the process of continuous improvement of learning quality.
It is hoped that the Discovery Learning model can be an applicative and relevant learning strategy to be applied in PAI learning, especially in Asmaul Husna's material.
RESULTS
This classroom action research was carried out in two cycles which aimed to improve the learning outcomes of grade IV students of SD Negeri Pasi Aceh on Asmaul Husna material through the application of the Discovery Learning model.
The research subjects amounted to 15 students, consisting of 7 males and 8 females.
The research data was collected through learning outcome tests, observation of teacher and student activities, motivational questionnaires, and documentation, then analyzed descriptively, quantitatively, and At the pre-cycle stage, student learning outcomes are still relatively low.
The average class score only reached 67.
2 and only 6 students or 40% met the Minimum Completeness Criteria (KKM) of 70.
Observations show that most students are less enthusiastic about learning, tend to be passive, and only listen to the teacher's explanations without being actively involved.
This low learning outcome shows that the learning method used by teachers is not fully able to activate students.
According to Sardiman .
, activeness is one of the determining factors for learning success, so that low student participation greatly affects academic achievement.
Cycle I was carried out by applying Discovery Learning steps which included problem orientation, exploration, discussion, presentation, and drawing conclusions.
this stage, teachers begin to engage students more actively by asking sparking questions and inviting them to discuss in small groups.
The test results at the end of the first cycle showed an increase, with the average class increasing to 71 and the number of students reaching the KKM increasing to 9 people or 60%.
Although there is an improvement, these results have not met the set success indicators, which is at least 80% of students achieve KKM.
In addition to quantitative data, the results of observations in the first cycle show a change in student behavior.
Some students have begun to dare to ask and answer questions, even though the involvement is not evenly distributed.
Teachers also still face obstacles in arranging discussion times and ensuring that all students actively participate.
The results of the motivational questionnaire showed that most students were happy with the new method used, although some still had difficulty following the flow of activities.
This finding is in accordance with the opinion of Hosnan .
who states that Discovery Learning requires habituation so that students can adjust to an active role in discovering Based on the reflection of cycle I, the researcher then made several improvements in cycle II, including by providing clearer instructions, dividing roles in groups so that all students are involved, and providing positive reinforcement in the form of appreciation for student participation.
This improvement aims to overcome the obstacles that arose in the previous cycle.
The implementation of the second cycle is going better.
Students seem more enthusiastic and actively participate in group and class discussions.
The teacher acts as a facilitator who guides the course of the discussion, while students find more answers to the questions given.
The test results at the end of cycle II showed a significant The average class score reached 84, and the number of students who reached the KKM increased to 13 people or 87%.
Thus, the indicators of research success were fulfilled because more than 80% of students achieved grades above the KKM.
In addition to improving learning outcomes, students' motivation and activeness have also experienced positive changes.
Based on observations, almost all students showed involvement in the learning process.
They actively asked, answered, and discussed, and seemed more confident in expressing their opinions.
This is in line with Bruner's .
view that learning through discovery can foster students' curiosity and confidence because they are directly involved in building their knowledge.
The motivation questionnaire data in cycle II also strengthens this finding.
Most students stated that they prefer to learn with the Discovery Learning method because they feel involved and can learn with friends.
They also stated that it is easier to understand Asmaul Husna's material when they can find it on their own through active learning According to Sani .
, students' active involvement in learning makes the material more meaningful and easy to remember in the long run.
Documentation in the form of photos of activities shows real changes in the classroom atmosphere.
If in the pre-cycle students look passive, then in the second cycle the classroom atmosphere is more dynamic, with many students discussing, asking questions, and responding to friends' answers.
This supports Vygotsky's .
view of the importance of social interaction in the learning process, where students learn not only from teachers but also from peers.
Overall, the results of this study show that the implementation of Discovery Learning has succeeded in improving student learning outcomes and motivation.
The increase in the average score from 67.
2 in the pre-cycle to 84 in the second cycle indicates significant success.
The percentage of completeness also increased from 40% to 87%.
This success is not only shown by numbers, but also by changes in student behavior in learning.
This supports the findings of Widodo .
who affirmed that Discovery Learning is effective in improving the learning outcomes of elementary school students.
Thus, it can be concluded that the Discovery Learning model has proven to be effective in improving Asmaul Husna's learning outcomes in grade IV students of SD Negeri Pasi Aceh.
This success can be seen from the increase in academic achievement as well as the active participation of students in the learning process.
These findings confirm that learning strategies that emphasize students' active involvement are key to improving the quality of learning, especially in Islamic Religious Education subjects.
DISCUSSION