The Relationship Between Students' Learning Interest and Learning Outcomes of Fifth-Grade Students at SDN 03 Alai Timur Padang

Abstrak

This research is motivated by the importance of learning interest in determining student learning outcomes. Observations at SDN 03 Alai Timur Padang indicate that many students lack interest in learning science, which affects their academic performance. This issue is caused by the frequent use of conventional teaching methods, limited teacher-student interaction, and a lack of engaging learning media (Purwanto, 2021). To address this problem, this study aims to examine the relationship between learning interest and science learning outcomes among fifthgrade students at SDN 03 Alai Timur Padang. The findings of this study are expected to provide insights for educators in improving the quality of science education. Learning is an activity to acquire knowledge and skills. According to Tampubolon (2017), interest is a combination of desire and willingness that can develop with motivation. Learning interest can influence student engagement in lessons, which in turn impacts their academic performance. Therefore, engaging and interactive teaching methods are essential to keep students highly motivated. Teachers play a crucial role in creating a conducive learning environment and implementing strategies that enhance students' interest in science subjects. Based on these findings, it is recommended that teachers and schools facilitate learning activities that foster student interest, particularly in science education. The use of more interactive teaching methods and engaging learning media can help increase students' interest in learning and ultimately improve their academic performance (Sudjono, 2016). By enhancing students' learning interest, it is hoped that they will be more motivated to study and achieve optimal learning outcomes. This study employs a quantitative approach with a correlational method. The research population consists of all fifth-grade students at SDN 03 Alai Timur Padang, totaling 28 students. Data were collected through a learning interest questionnaire and documentation of students' academic performance. Data analysis was conducted using Pearson correlation and simple linear regression tests. The results show a positive and significant relationship between learning interest and students' science learning outcomes, with a significant correlation coefficient. Students' learning interest falls into the moderate category (70.875%), while their academic performance is classified as excellent (90.25%). Regression analysis indicates that 70.5% of the variation in learning outcomes can be explained by students' learning interest, with a significance value of R² < 0.05 (Sugiyono, 2019). Thus, the higher the students' learning interest, the better their academic performance.