Articles & Issues
Volume 1 (2026)
Volume 1, Issue 1 (2026) • Open for Submissions
Scheduled Publication: 2026 • Published by GIA Press
Author Guidelines →
Open access •
Research Article •
Article 1 •
Published: 05 November 2026
Jurna, Syamsu, Nurjannah, Lelda Paramita
This study examined students’ difficulties in solving physics word problems on work and energy at SMP Labschool Untad Palu, with attention to gender. The study involved 26 eighth-grade students. Six respondents were selected for closer examination: three male and three female students representing high, medium, and low achievement categories. Tests and interviews were used to examine four stages of problem solving: understanding the problem, devising a plan, carrying out the plan, and reviewing the solution. The reported difficulty percentages at the understanding stage were 40% for male students and 33.33% for female students. At the planning stage, the percentage was 40% for both groups. At the implementation and review stages, the reported percentage was 53.33% for both groups. Students had difficulty identifying the information provided and the question asked, selecting appropriate equations, performing calculations, and checking their solutions. The findings describe similar difficulties across the two groups, with a small descriptive difference at the understanding stage. They identify aspects of work-and-energy problem solving that require instructional attention without establishing a causal effect of gender.
Open access •
Research Article •
Article 2 •
Published: 05 November 2026
Ulfiya K. Madanun, Ielda Paramita
This study developed a snakes and ladders lottery card educational game and examined its validity, practicality, and use in supporting conceptual understanding. The research followed the ADDIE development model, comprising analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The trial involved 28 students in Grade VII A at SMP Negeri 1 Momunu during the second semester of the 2024/2025 academic year. The instructional content concerned the solar system, and the media were used over three meetings. Data were collected through observations, interviews, conceptual understanding tests, user-response questionnaires, and documentation. Media-expert validation yielded 89%, while content-expert validation yielded 85%. Teacher responses reached 88.33%, and student responses reached 90.46%; both were reported as indicating high practicality. The mean pretest and posttest scores were 39.46 and 74.64, respectively. The reported mean normalized gain was 0.6, classified as moderate. These results support the feasibility and practicality of the developed media in the observed classroom. The pretest– posttest improvement provides preliminary evidence of learning gains, while the absence of a comparison group limits conclusions about effects attributable specifically to the game.
Open access •
Research Article •
Article 3 •
Published: 05 November 2026
Brian Muhammad Larate, Darsikin, Unggul Wahyono, Muslimin
This laboratory study compared changes in the refractive index of branded palm cooking oil and traditionally prepared klentik coconut cooking oil under repeated frying conditions. Both oil types were examined before use, after one use, and after two uses. Tofu was used as the fried material, and refractive index measurements were based on light refraction and Snell’s law, using incident angles of 30°, 45°, and 60°. The observations were analysed descriptively and presented in tables and a graph. For branded palm cooking oil, the reported refractive indices were 1.4342 before use, 1.4456 after one use, and 1.5000 after two uses. For klentik coconut oil, the corresponding values were 1.4342, 1.5000, and 1.5748. Refractive index increased with repeated use in both samples, with a smaller increase in the palm oil sample under the tested conditions. The measurements describe differences in optical changes between the two oils. They should be interpreted within the measurement conditions and uncertainty of the laboratory procedure rather than as a complete assessment of overall oil quality.
Open access •
Research Article •
Article 4 •
Published: 05 November 2026
Faidahtun Nahdah, Amiruddin Kade, Unggul Wahyono, Rudi Santoso
This study investigated the use of ChatGPT-assisted guided inquiry to support the understanding of physics concepts among Grade XI students at SMAN 1 Sindue. A quasi-experimental approach was used with a non-equivalent pretest–posttest control group design. Two existing classes were selected purposively: Grade XI E as the experimental class and Grade XI F as the control class, each containing 25 students. The experimental class received guided inquiry supported by ChatGPT, whereas the control class received conventional instruction. Conceptual understanding was assessed using 15 multiple-choice items addressing translation, interpretation, and extrapolation. Observations and documentation supplemented the test data. The reported mean pretest and posttest scores were 45.20 and 76.80 in the experimental class and 44.80 and 64.10 in the control class. The manuscript reported mean normalized gains of 68.14% and 43.16%, respectively. The reported t-test significance was below 0.001. These findings indicate differences in the observed outcomes of the two classes. Because the intervention combined guided inquiry with ChatGPT and used existing classes, the results do not isolate the contribution of ChatGPT from the instructional model.
Open access •
Research Article •
Article 5 •
Published: 05 November 2026
Siti Aisyah Al Humaerah, Sahrul Saehana, Nurgan Tadeko, Muh Syarif Abd, Gustina
This study examined scientific literacy outcomes following the use of ethnoscience- based augmented reality learning media at SMAN 1 Sigi. The study used a quasi- experimental non-equivalent pretest–posttest control group design. Grade XI MIA 1 served as the experimental class, and Grade XI MIA 2 served as the control class. Both classes used contextual learning, while the experimental class used augmented reality and the control class used conventional video-assisted presentation media. The ethnoscience content concerned Tonda-Tonda, a traditional boat associated with local technology in Central Sulawesi. The study comprised five meetings per class, and scientific literacy was assessed using 12 multiple-choice items selected following instrument analysis. Mean pretest scores were 24.00 in the experimental class and 24.61 in the control class. Mean posttest scores were 81.06 and 61.56, respectively, out of 100. The manuscript reported a Wilcoxon test significance below 0.001 and a Mann–Whitney test significance of 0.001. These results indicate an observed difference between the class outcomes. Interpretation remains limited to the existing-class comparison and the intervention conditions described in the study.
Open access •
Research Article •
Article 6 •
Published: 05 November 2026
Devia Safitri, Unggul Wahyono, Haeruddin, Rudi Santoso
This study described tsunami knowledge and disaster preparedness among students in three coastal schools in Palu City: SD Inpres 10 Talise, SMP Negeri 10 Palu, and SMK Negeri 7 Palu. A descriptive quantitative approach was used. The manuscript reported a population of 458 students and a randomly selected sample of 82 respondents. Data were collected through observation, documentation, a preparedness questionnaire, and a multiple-choice knowledge test. Preparedness was assessed using indicators of knowledge and attitudes, emergency planning, warning systems, and resource mobilisation. Knowledge scores were analysed using descriptive percentages. The reported tsunami knowledge scores were 41 at SD Inpres 10 Talise, 57 at SMP Negeri 10 Palu, and 68 at SMK Negeri 7 Palu. The first two scores were classified as fairly good, while the third was classified as good. The corresponding preparedness indices were 69, 76.5, and 82.2, classified as prepared, prepared, and very prepared. The findings describe differences across the three schools and provide information for planning disaster education. The design reports existing conditions and does not evaluate the effects of a community service programme or a classroom action intervention.
Open access •
Research Article •
Article 7 •
Published: 05 November 2026
Marchellyno Muhamad, I Komang Werdhiana, Nurasyah Dewi Napitupulu, I Wayan Darmadi
This study described students’ mental models of Newton’s laws at SMA Negeri 5 Palu. A descriptive qualitative approach was used without an instructional intervention. The study involved 22 students from Grade XII IPA 5 during the second semester of the 2024/2025 academic year. Seven respondents representing different achievement levels were selected using an exploratory mental-model test. Data were collected through six essay questions and interviews addressing students’ explanations of Newton’s laws. Responses were classified as scientific, synthetic, or initial mental models. For Newton’s first law, two respondents showed scientific models and five showed synthetic models. For Newton’s second law, two respondents showed synthetic models and five showed initial models. For Newton’s third law, six respondents showed scientific models and one showed a synthetic model. The results indicate that an individual student can use different mental models across related physics concepts. They also show that achievement categories do not consistently correspond to a single mental-model category. These findings identify conceptual differences that teachers can consider when designing instruction, while remaining limited to the respondents and tasks examined.
