Numbered Heads Together and Fifth-Grade Pancasila Education Achievement: A Classroom Action Study

Abstract

Pancasila Education requires students to understand civic norms and apply them in social situations, yet teacher-centred instruction can limit participation and achievement. This classroom action study examined changes in the learning achievement of 22 fifth-grade students at SDN 02 Tilamuta, Indonesia, after the implementation of Numbered Heads Together (NHT). The study included a baseline assessment and two cycles of planning, action, observation, and reflection. During each cycle, students worked in numbered groups, discussed teacher questions, prepared a shared response, and answered when their number was selected randomly. Achievement was measured with teacher-developed written tests scored from 0 to 100, with mastery defined as at least 75. Student-level scores were reanalysed using descriptive statistics, a Friedman test, Wilcoxon signed-rank comparisons with Holm adjustment, Kendall effect size, Cochran Q, and exact McNemar tests. Mean achievement increased from 60.00 at baseline to 75.00 in Cycle I and 90.68 in Cycle II. The repeated-measures change was statistically significant and large, chi-square(2) = 40.54, p < .001, Kendall W = .921. Mastery increased from 31.8% to 72.7% and then 100%, Cochran Q(2) = 22.80, p < .001. The findings indicate strong local improvement associated with iterative NHT implementation. However, the absence of a comparison group and the lack of reported test validity and reliability prevent definitive causal conclusions.