Multisensory-Based Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) Study of Elementary School Students' Conceptual Understanding and Mathematical Dispositions
Abstract
Indonesian elementary students’ mathematical literacy remains below the OECD average. This study examined the implementation of Multisensory-Enriched Realistic Mathematics Education (ME-RME) for cubes and cuboids and compared students’ conceptual understanding and mathematical disposition with conventional instruction. An exploratory sequential mixed-methods design was conducted at a public elementary school in Bekasi Regency, West Java. The qualitative phase involved structured observations of 35 sixth-grade students over four lessons and semi-structured interviews with 33 students; findings informed refinement of the lessons and instruments. The quantitative phase used a non-equivalent pretest–posttest quasi-experiment involving an experimental class (n = 35) and a control class (n = 35), each taught by the same teacher over four 70-minute lessons. Conceptual understanding was assessed through an essay test and mathematical disposition through a Likert-scale questionnaire. Analyses included ANCOVA, MANOVA, and Bonferroni-corrected follow-ups. Groups did not differ significantly at pretest, t(68) = 1.32, p = .192. At posttest, the experimental group outperformed the control group in conceptual understanding (M = 90.69, SD = 5.85 vs. M = 68.46, SD = 7.47; t(68) = 13.86, p < .001; Hedges’ g = 3.28) and disposition (M = 119.05, SD = 9.41 vs. M = 102.05, SD = 10.79; g = 1.66). MANOVA was significant, Wilks’ Λ = .249, F(2, 67) = 100.80, p < .001. ME-RME was associated with higher conceptual understanding and more positive mathematical disposition, although the short intervention, single-school setting, and non-random allocation limit generalizability.
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