The use of mathematics comics in a problem-based learning model on students’ mathematical communication skills

Source abstract

This study aimed to determine the effect of integrating mathematics comics into the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model on students' mathematical communication ability. The population consisted of all eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 4 Bandar Lampung during the second semester of the 2025/2026 academic year, distributed across ten classes (VIII-A to VIII-J). The sample was selected using cluster random sampling, resulting in Class VIII-F as the experimental class with 28 students and Class VIII-I as the control class with 28 students. This study employed a pretest–posttest control group design. The experimental class was taught using the PBL model integrated with mathematics comics, while the control class was taught using the PBL model without mathematics comics. The quantitative data consisted of N-Gain scores obtained from pretests and posttests measuring students' mathematical communication ability. The Mann–Whitney U test yielded Z = −4.15, indicating that the improvement in the experimental class was significantly greater than that in the control class. These findings demonstrate that integrating mathematics comics into the PBL model significantly improves students' mathematical communication ability.