Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan Vol. 17, 2 (June, 2. , pp. ISSN: 2087-9490 EISSN: 2597-940X. DOI: 10. 35445/alishlah. Enhancing Learning Outcomes in KPK and FPB through Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Using the AoMusi BoardAo in Grade IV Elementary Education Nilam Permata Sari1. Yuli Witanto2 Universitas Negeri Semarang. Indonesia. Permatasarinilam@students. Universitas Negeri Semarang. Indonesia. yuliw64@mail. ARTICLE INFO Keywords: Teaching at The Right Level (TaRL). Musi Board. Learning Outcomes Article history: Received 2024-09-06 Revised 2024-12-31 Accepted 2025-06-28 ABSTRACT This study explores the impact of the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach, combined with Musi Board media, on enhancing mathematics learning outcomes and student motivation, particularly in the topics of KPK (Least Common Multipl. and FPB (Greatest Common Diviso. , among fourth-grade students at SDN Gisikdrono 03. Semarang. A quasiexperimental design with a non-equivalent control group was employed, involving 46 students divided into an experimental group and a control Both groups completed pretests and posttests to assess learning gains and motivational changes. The experimental group, which received instruction through the TaRL approach integrated with Musi Board media, demonstrated significantly greater improvements in both learning outcomes and motivation than the control group. Statistical analysis confirmed the effectiveness of the intervention. The findings suggest that applying levelappropriate, interactive, and contextual teaching methodsAisuch as the TaRL approach supported by visual mediaAican substantially improve student engagement and achievement in elementary mathematics. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-SA license. Corresponding Author: Nilam Permata Sari Universitas Negeri Semarang. Indonesia. Permatasarinilam@students. INTRODUCTION Education plays a crucial role in shaping individuals throughout all stages of life, serving as the foundation for intellectual, emotional, and social development. In Indonesia, recent curriculum reformsAi particularly the implementation of Kurikulum Merdeka (Independent Curriculu. Aiaim to modernize educational practices by promoting autonomy, flexibility, and student-centered learning (Gumilar. Rosid. Sumardjoko, & Ghufron, 2. This curriculum emphasizes the need for personalized instruction that addresses each studentAos unique characteristics, interests, and learning pace. Among the core subjects in the national curriculum, mathematics remains a fundamental discipline. It equips students with essential analytical and problem-solving skills necessary for navigating technological and scientific advancements (Sutama & Novitasari, 2. However, in practice, elementary school students often view mathematics as a difficult subject. Topics such as Kelipatan Persekutuan Terkecil (KPK or Least Common Multipl. and Faktor Persekutuan Terbesar (FPB or Greatest Common Diviso. are particularly challenging due to their abstract nature and the lack of concrete instructional http://journal. id/index. php/alishlah Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan,Vol. 17, 2 (June 2. : 3176-3186 3177 of 3186 As Kamarullah . emphasizes, mathematical understanding is foundational and must be nurtured from early education levels through to higher education. Classroom observations at SDN Gisikdrono 03. Semarang, revealed persistent issues in student engagement and achievement in mathematics. In fourth-grade classes, students demonstrated low retention of previously taught material, limited motivation, and suboptimal test scores. The average scores in the chapters on numbers and calculation, as well as area, were 68 and 70 respectivelyAiboth below the Minimum Mastery Criterion (KKM) of 75. Interviews with teachers indicated that while the Independent Curriculum was being implemented, its effectiveness was undermined by the lack of interactive media and innovative teaching strategies. Teachers continued to rely heavily on traditional methods, often neglecting more dynamic, student-centered learning models. To address these issues, this study investigates the application of the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach in combination with the Musi Board media. The TaRL method is designed to adapt instruction to studentsAo current learning levels rather than their grade level, thereby minimizing learning gaps and promoting skill mastery (Siswaningsih et al. , 2. The approach is grounded in the principle that learning is most effective when instruction is aligned with the learnerAos actual capabilities. This framework enables educators to identify and support students who are falling behind, while simultaneously challenging those who are more advanced. Learning media play an essential role in this process. According to Nurrita . , well-designed educational media not only stimulate student interest but also enhance comprehension and retention. When properly integrated, media can serve as a bridge between abstract concepts and tangible The Musi BoardAian interactive, visual learning toolAihas been used in several elementary school classrooms to teach mathematics topics like FPB and KPK (Yonanda. Kurino, & Ramayanti, 2. The board presents a grid of numbers . ypically 1Ae. , allowing students to manipulate and visualize number relationships in response to teacher prompts. Its hands-on format encourages participation, supports differentiated instruction, and provides immediate feedback through guided Previous research supports the integration of interactive media with learner-centered strategies. Studies by Listyaningsih. Nugraheni, and Yuliasih . , as well as Mangesthi. Setyawati, and Miyono . , found that combining TaRL with media such as the Musi Board significantly improved studentsAo mathematical understanding and motivation. Similar findings were reported by Muzkiati. Ahadin, and Victoria . , who demonstrated that the synergy between appropriate learning tools and instructional strategies leads to measurable gains in student achievement. These studies collectively highlight the effectiveness of merging structured pedagogy with adaptable media to enhance learning outcomes. Despite this growing body of evidence, there remains limited research on the use of Musi Board media within the framework of the Independent Curriculum, particularly when paired with the TaRL This gap presents an opportunity to contribute novel insights and practical applications for elementary education in Indonesia. The current study was thus designed to explore how these two componentsAiTaRL and Musi BoardAican be utilized together to improve the teaching of KPK and FPB in fourth-grade classrooms. To test the effectiveness of this approach, researchers adopted a quasi-experimental design involving control and experimental groups. Pretests were administered to ensure the equivalency and homogeneity of the groups. Following the intervention, which consisted of mathematics instruction using the TaRL model supported by Musi Board media, posttests were conducted to measure changes in learning outcomes and student motivation. These quantitative results were further enriched by qualitative data obtained from teacher interviews and classroom observations. In line with the goals of Kurikulum Merdeka, this study aims not only to assess learning outcomes but also to demonstrate the value of adaptable, student-centered instruction. The TaRL method provides a structure that aligns with the curriculumAos emphasis on differentiation and autonomy, while the Musi Board offers a tangible, engaging way for students to explore and internalize mathematical concepts. Nilam Permata Sari. Yuli Witanto / Enhancing Learning Outcomes in KPK and FPB through Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Using the AoMusi BoardAo in Grade IV Elementary Education Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan,Vol. 17, 2 (June 2. : 3176-3186 3178 of 3186 integrating these tools, this research contributes to a growing body of literature advocating for innovation in instructional design to improve student performance in mathematics. Ultimately, this study seeks to respond to observed challenges in elementary mathematics instruction, particularly in the teaching of KPK and FPB, by offering an empirically supported, contextsensitive pedagogical intervention. The findings are expected to inform both practice and policy, with the potential to enhance the delivery of mathematics education in Indonesian elementary schools. METHODS The study was conducted at SDN Gisikdrono 03, located in the West Semarang District of Semarang City. It employed a quasi-experimental research design using a non-equivalent control group approach (Arib. Rahayu. Sidorj, & Afgani, 2. Two fourth-grade classes participated in the study, with one serving as the experimental group and the other as the control group. In this design, both groups received a pretest prior to the intervention and a posttest afterwards, enabling the researchers to assess the effectiveness of the treatment (Zyra. Alamsyah, & Yuliana, 2. Figure 1. Research Design (Sugiyono 2012: . Description : O1 : Experimental class pretest O2: Experimental class posttest O3 : Control class pretest O4 : Posttest of control class X : Treatment applied using the Teaching at the Right Level (TARL) approach assisted by Musi Board media in mathematics learning. This study's research population was fourth-grade students in the 2024/2025 school year at Gisikdrono 03 Elementary School. While the sample used was a saturated sample, meaning that all members of the population were sampled by the researcher. This study's data was analysed using the t-test, gain test, homogeneity test, and normalcy test. This study's data came from lift and student learning test scores. This is the survey that was used to find out how enthusiastic students were about studying maths. A motivational questionnaire and a test of learning outcomes were used as data collecting instruments in this research. The experimental and control groups of students were each given a 20-question learning motivation questionnaire to complete before and after the therapy. Parallel to this, students in both the experimental and control groups were given learning outcomes exams both before and after the evaluations. Nilam Permata Sari. Yuli Witanto / Enhancing Learning Outcomes in KPK and FPB through Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Using the AoMusi BoardAo in Grade IV Elementary Education Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan,Vol. 17, 2 (June 2. : 3176-3186 3179 of 3186 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 1 Findings 1 Pre-test and Post-test Results Comparison of Learning Motivation Eksperimental Class control class Pretest Posttest Figure 2. Comparison of pretest and posttest findings of learning motivation The diagram above presents a comparison of learning motivation between the experimental and control classes based on pretest and posttest results. In the experimental class, the average pretest score was 77%, which increased to 92% in the posttest. Meanwhile, the control class scored an average of 78% on the pretest and 85% on the posttest. These results indicate a 15% improvement in the experimental class, suggesting that the use of the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach supported by Musi Board media effectively enhanced student motivation compared to traditional instruction in the control Difference in Learning Outcomes Pretest Eksperiment al Class Control Class Posttest Figure 3. Comparison of Experimental and Control Class Learning Outcomes Based on the diagram, the control class achieved an average pretest score of 45 and a posttest score In comparison, the experimental class scored an average of 33 on the pretest and 88 on the This reflects a 55-point improvement in the experimental groupAos average score. These findings indicate that the use of the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach, supported by Musi Board media, significantly enhanced studentsAo learning outcomes in the experimental class. 2 Normality Test Results A normalcy test was carried out by the researchers to see whether the data collected follows a normal distribution. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test (K-S Tes. is used in this normalcy test. The Asmyp value displays the results of the normalcy test. Statistical significance . wo-taile. for both the experimental and control groups on both the pretest and posttest. Data on learning motivation may be Nilam Permata Sari. Yuli Witanto / Enhancing Learning Outcomes in KPK and FPB through Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Using the AoMusi BoardAo in Grade IV Elementary Education Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan,Vol. 17, 2 (June 2. : 3176-3186 3180 of 3186 "normally" or "abnormally" tested using a normalcy test. Data is declared normal if it obtains sig. 05 and declared not normally distributed if it obtains sig. value <0. In this study, researchers used the one-sample kolmogorov smirnov technique and then analyze-descriptive statistic-explore assisted by SPSS The findings of the normalcy test for the student learning motivation pretest are as follows: Table 1. Tests of Normality In table 3. displays the abnormality test results of experimental class and the control class learning motivation pretest data. The study's sample size was under 50 participants, which yielded a significant The Shapiro-Wilk column displays the value gained from the collection of student outcomes. The experimental data used for the pretest have a regularly distributed sig value of 0. The data from the control class's pretest shows a regularly distributed sig. value of 0. It is possible to state that the data follows a normal distribution, and the relevant hypothesis findings are Ho accepted and Ho rejected. Additionally, posttest data on learning motivation for both the experimental and control groups were subjected to a normality test by the researchers. Here are the findings of the posttest on student learning motivation based on the normalcy test. Table 2. The results of the normality test of student learning motivation posttest Data on post-test desire to learn for both the experimental and control groups are included in table 4, which shows the results of a normality test. The sig. value is visible in the shapiro-wilk column because the sample size is smaller than 50 responders. The experimental class sig. value of 0. indicates a normal distribution for the outcomes. A result of 0. 074, which also indicates normal distribution, is obtained in the control class sig. Then, the applicable hypothesis is AuHo accepted and Ha rejected, namely the data can be declared normally distributedAy. 3 Learning motivation homogeneity test results The following table displays the results of the homogeneity test conducted on the final data. Table 3. Student learning motivation pretest homogeneity test results Results from a homogeneity test of pretest data on experimental and control groups' learning motivation are shown in table 5. According to the table, the data is considered homogenous since the value of 0. 192 is more than 0. AuPretest data on experimental and control groups' learning motivation was homogenous, meaning that the null hypothesis (H. is accepted and the alternative Nilam Permata Sari. Yuli Witanto / Enhancing Learning Outcomes in KPK and FPB through Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Using the AoMusi BoardAo in Grade IV Elementary Education Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan,Vol. 17, 2 (June 2. : 3176-3186 3181 of 3186 hypothesis (H. is rejected. In addition, post-test data on learning motivation for both the experimental and control groups were subjected to a normality testAy. The following are the homogeneity test results of the posttest of student learning motivation: Table 4. Results of the homogeneity test of student motivation posttest This finding indicates that the posttest scores for learning motivation in both the experimental and control groups were statistically homogeneous. As shown in the table, the homogeneity test yielded a significance value of 0. 675, which meets the criteria for homogeneity. Therefore, it can be concluded that the null hypothesis (H. is accepted and the alternative hypothesis (H. is rejected, meaning the posttest data on learning motivation for both groups is considered homogeneous. 4 Homogeneity test results of learning outcomes Researchers conducted a homosimilarity test on each of the pretest and posttest data in the experiment class and control class data. The homogeneity test on learning outcomes data aims to determine that the data has the same variance. Once the data is determined to be regularly distributed, this test is carried out. Data is declared homogeneous if it obtains a sig score. > 0. 05 and declared inhomogeneous if it obtained a sig value. < 0,05. In this study, researchers used the SPSS 25. 00 program. The following are the pretest homogeneity testing results of students' learning outcomes: Table 5. Homogeneity Test Results of Student Learning Outcomes Pretest Table 5 displays the findings of the pretest data homogeneity test for the learning outcomes of the experimental and control groups. According to the table, the data is considered homogenous since the significance level . is more than 0. The findings of the homogeneity test of the pretest data on the learning outcomes of the experimental and control classes indicate that Authe data is homogenous, suggesting that the appropriate hypothesis is Ho accepted and Ha rejectedAy. Also, after the test, researchers checked whether the Experimental and Control groups' posttest results were similar in terms of their learning outcomes. Here are the findings from the posttest homogeneity test of student learning outcomes: Nilam Permata Sari. Yuli Witanto / Enhancing Learning Outcomes in KPK and FPB through Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Using the AoMusi BoardAo in Grade IV Elementary Education Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan,Vol. 17, 2 (June 2. : 3176-3186 3182 of 3186 Table 6. The results of the homogeneity test of the posttest of student learning outcomes The results of the homogeneity test of the posttest data on the learning outcomes of the Experimental and Control classes. In the table it is stated that the sig. value of 0. 125 means> 0. 05 so that the data is declared homogeneous. The findings of the Homogeneity test indicate that Authe data is homogenous, meaning that the appropriate hypothesis is Ho accepted and Ha rejected, based on the posttest data on learning outcomes of the experimental and control classesAy. 5 Independent sample t-test results An independent samples t-test is used to answer the hypothesis that has been determined by the Previously, the authors had tested normality and homogeneity with normal and homogeneous results as a condition for using this hypothesis test. Researcher performs an independent samples t-test test on learning motivation data and learning outcomes of each the experimental class and control class. Researchers used SPSS 25 with a significance level of sig. -taile. Data from both the experimental and control classes' posttests are used in this analysis. Findings from a paired sample t-test on students' achievement are as follows: Table 7. Results of independent sample t-test of student motivation to learn Table 7 presents the results of the dependent sample t-test on student motivation data. The analysis produced a significance value of 0. 001, which is less than the threshold of 0. This indicates a statistically significant difference in average learning motivation between the experimental class . hich received treatmen. and the control class . hich did no. Therefore, the null hypothesis (H. is rejected and the alternative hypothesis (H. is accepted, confirming the effect of the treatment on student Furthermore, student learning outcomes were analyzed using an independent sample ttest, and the results are presented as follows: Nilam Permata Sari. Yuli Witanto / Enhancing Learning Outcomes in KPK and FPB through Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Using the AoMusi BoardAo in Grade IV Elementary Education Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan,Vol. 17, 2 (June 2. : 3176-3186 3183 of 3186 Table 8. Independent sample t-test results of student learning outcomes Table 8 presents the results of the independent sample t-test conducted on student learning outcomes data. The analysis yielded a significance value of 0. 000, which is less than the standard threshold of 0. This indicates a statistically significant difference in the average learning outcomes between the experimental class . hich received treatmen. and the control class . hich did no. Therefore, the null hypothesis (H. is rejected and the alternative hypothesis (H. is accepted, confirming the effectiveness of the treatment in improving student learning outcomes. Discussion The results of this study provide strong empirical evidence that the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach, when combined with Musi Board media, significantly enhances both student learning motivation and academic achievement in the mathematics topics of KPK (Least Common Multipl. and FPB (Greatest Common Diviso. These findings align with previous studies that support differentiated instruction and the use of interactive learning media to improve outcomes in primary education (Jauhari. Yuliasih, & Nurul, 2023. Mangesthi. Setyawati, & Miyono, 2. To measure the effectiveness of the intervention, researchers used two main instruments: a learning motivation questionnaire and a test of student learning outcomes. Both instruments underwent rigorous validation procedures prior to their application. The instruments were first piloted with 27 fourth-grade students at SD Sukorejo, who shared similar characteristics with students in both the control and experimental groups. This step was essential to ensure that the instruments would yield valid and reliable data. The learning motivation questionnaire consisted of 20 items, all of which were confirmed to be valid and reliable following comprehensive validity and reliability testing. This aligns with the findings of Slamet and Wahyuningsih . , who stress the importance of instrument feasibility and consistency to ensure research credibility. For the student learning outcomes test, 40 items were developed and assessed for validity, reliability, difficulty level, and discriminating power. Out of these, 25 items were validated based on a threshold value below 3. 71, and the test achieved a high reliability coefficient of 0. 90, indicating strong internal consistency. In terms of difficulty, the test comprised 9 easy questions, 22 moderate ones, and 9 classified as difficult. Regarding discriminating power, the test included 4 items rated as very good, 16 as good, 8 as sufficient, 5 as weak, and 7 with no discriminating This thorough validation process ensured that both the motivation questionnaire and the learning outcomes test were effective in accurately measuring student motivation and academic performance before and after the intervention. The research spanned six classroom meetings: one for the pretest, four for intervention sessions, and one for the posttest. The experimental group received treatment using the TaRL approach and Musi Board media, while the control group was taught using conventional methods without any additional intervention. Nilam Permata Sari. Yuli Witanto / Enhancing Learning Outcomes in KPK and FPB through Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Using the AoMusi BoardAo in Grade IV Elementary Education Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan,Vol. 17, 2 (June 2. : 3176-3186 3184 of 3186 Results showed a 14% improvement in student motivation scores in the experimental group, compared to a 7% improvement in the control group. This clearly indicates that the treatment had a more pronounced effect on enhancing students' interest and engagement in learning. During the four treatment sessions, students in the experimental group initially showed some hesitation as they adjusted to the new instructional method. However, by the second and third sessions, a noticeable increase in engagement was observed. Students became more active and participative, expressing that the use of Musi Board media helped them better grasp and solve problems related to KPK and FPB. These findings are supported by previous research, such as the study by Yonanda. Kurino, and Ramayanti . , which highlights the role of Musi Board media in enhancing student motivation and aiding conceptual understanding. Quantitative analysis of learning outcomes further revealed significant differences between the experimental and control groups. The experimental group showed an average pretest score of 37 and a posttest average of 88, resulting in a gain of 51 points. In comparison, the control group improved from a pretest average of 47 to a posttest average of 80, showing a gain of 33 points. This 18-point gap in score improvement suggests that the students exposed to the TaRL method, supported by Musi Board media, experienced a more substantial improvement in learning outcomes. These findings reinforce the effectiveness of personalized, level-appropriate instruction, as evidenced in studies by Muzkiati. Ahadin, and Victoria . Nurlaila and Mahmudah . , and Muhammad . To ensure the accuracy of the statistical comparisons, normality and homogeneity tests were performed using SPSS version 25. The normality test results for both learning motivation and learning outcomes indicated that all significance . ) values exceeded 0. 05, confirming that the data followed a normal distribution. For example, the posttest motivation scores for the experimental and control groups yielded sig. values of 0. 075 and 0. 074, respectively. The pretest scores for learning outcomes showed sig. values of 0. 115 for the experimental group and 0. 071 for the control group, both above the 05 threshold. Similarly, homogeneity tests indicated that the pretest and posttest scores for both learning motivation and learning outcomes were homogeneous, meaning there were no significant differences in data variance between the groups prior to the intervention. These results validated the comparability of the groups and confirmed that any differences observed after the treatment could be attributed to the intervention itself. To determine the significance of the treatment's effect, researchers conducted both dependent sample t-tests . or within-group comparison. and independent sample t-tests . or between-group The independent sample t-test for learning motivation yielded a significance . -taile. value of 0. 001, which is below the standard alpha level of 0. This indicates a statistically significant difference in motivation levels between the experimental and control groups. Consequently, the null hypothesis (H. was rejected, and the alternative hypothesis (H. was accepted, confirming that the intervention had a meaningful effect on student motivation. Similarly, the independent sample t-test for learning outcomes produced a significance value of 000, which is also below the 0. 05 threshold. This result confirms that the experimental group achieved significantly higher academic performance than the control group. Taken together, these statistical findings provide strong evidence that the TaRL approach, when implemented with the support of interactive tools like the Musi Board, has a substantial and positive impact on both student motivation and learning achievement in mathematics. This research supports the growing body of literature advocating for differentiated and interactive teaching approaches in primary education. The Teaching at the Right Level approach focuses on adjusting instruction to studentsAo current competencies rather than their grade level, thereby helping to close learning gaps and ensure that all students progress at their own pace (Siswaningsih et al. , 2. When paired with interactive tools like the Musi Board, this approach not only reinforces conceptual understanding but also cultivates a more engaging and inclusive classroom environment. Nilam Permata Sari. Yuli Witanto / Enhancing Learning Outcomes in KPK and FPB through Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) Using the AoMusi BoardAo in Grade IV Elementary Education Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan,Vol. 17, 2 (June 2. : 3176-3186 3185 of 3186 The improved outcomes observed in this study suggest that educators and policymakers should consider integrating TaRL-based models and interactive media into the national curriculum, especially in foundational subjects like mathematics. In conclusion, the study found that the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach, when implemented alongside Musi Board media, significantly improves both learning motivation and mathematics achievement among fourth-grade students in the topics of KPK and FPB. The rigorous testing of research instruments, effective implementation of the intervention, and statistically significant results all point to the effectiveness of this pedagogical model. These findings underscore the importance of using student-centered, level-appropriate instruction supported by interactive learning media to enhance the quality of primary education in Indonesia. CONCLUSION This study concludes that the implementation of the Teaching at the Right Level (TaRL) approach, when supported by Musi Board media, significantly improves student motivation and learning outcomes in the mathematics topics of KPK and FPB among fourth-grade students. The experimental group, which received this treatment, demonstrated higher levels of engagement and achieved better test scores compared to the control group taught through conventional methods. These findings highlight the value of integrating differentiated instruction with interactive media, aligning effectively with the Kurikulum Merdeka framework that promotes contextual, flexible, and student-centered The results suggest practical implications, including the broader use of Musi Board media across other subjects and grade levels, and the need to prioritize teacher training in level-based instruction strategies like TaRL. However, the study has limitations, particularly its focus on a single school and the relatively short duration of the intervention. These constraints limit the generalizability of the findings. For future research, it is recommended to explore the long-term impacts of TaRL and Musi Board implementation, conduct comparative studies across diverse educational settings, and consider the development of digital or hybrid versions of Musi Board media to support blended and remote learning environments. REFERENCES