This study aims to analyse the improvement of the problems solving abilities by implementing project-based learning with a STEM approach using a distance learning strategy. This research method is a pre-experimental pretest-posttest one group design. The population of this research was the 5th-grade students of Magelang Elementary School in 2019/2020. The sample selection using purposive random sampling with 78 students. The research subjects were elementary school students with symbols A, B, C, and D located in several areas of the City of Magelang, Central Java. Data collection techniques used in this study are tests of problemsolving ability and observation. Quantitative data analysis techniques used were gain normality test and one-sample t-test. The results showed that the problem-solving ability of students increased significantly with a gain factor is 0.44 (enough), a one-sample t-test with a sig (2-tailed) is 0,121 (significantly) and the results of observations of the implementation of learning are 92% (very good). In other words, the project-based learning based on STEM approach with distancing learning strategies could significantly improve students’ problems solving abilities.

Reasoning skill is crucial for students to translate the learning material provided by the teacher in online mode during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many teachers choose analogy-based learning to explain a concept by bringing the concept to facts that are close to students’ daily lives. Analogy-based learning that was carried out face-to-face before the pandemic improved students’ reasoning skills, and now its implementation is tested in online mode. The study aims to analyze differences in reasoning skills in each indicator area and their factors. A significant difference was obtained by involving 72 students and doing a t-test for two data groups in the two sample groups. Students’ skills to identify problems and apply concepts have increased even though it is not as good as the increase in both aspects on face-to-face mode. The other two aspects (exploring the facts and concluding) are very unsatisfactory. There is a striking discrepancy between analogy-based learning during and before the pandemic with an unchanged syntax but different situations. The reduction in each reasoning indicator ranged from 10% to 25%. Signal constraints, a less supportive learning environment, and delayed communication between teachers and students are the main factors. This study provides an overview of discrepancies that can be addressed more wisely by strengthening the function of the media to optimize teacher and students communication and learning innovations that help students’ learning difficulties during the pandemic.

The purpose of this study is to develop computer-based experiment of free fall movement to improve the graphical literacy of the Physics Education students. This study employed quasi-experimental design, particularly the pre-test and post-test control group design. The sample was 58 students of the first semester of Physics Education study program. They were divided into two groups, namely 38 students constituted an experimental group and 20 students constituted the control group. Both groups joined learning activities at laboratory and classrooms with the same topic which is the free fall movement. Computer-based learning models were used to design learning activities for the experimental group, while the control group used a traditional learning model with manual experiment with stopwatch and never use experiment tool of free fall movement. It was indicated in this study that the use of such learning model improved the graphical literacy capability better than the traditional learning, which covered ability to identify experimental variables, using the experimental tools, making a graph, formulating mathematical equation, making predictions on the basis of the graph.

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The analogy approach in learning physics encourages students to use logical reasoning in understanding physics concepts without anxious about mathematics. The purpose of this study were to analyze the reasoning abilities and the reduction of mathematics anxiety of students in analogy-based physics learning. This study used a mixed method design with an embedded experimental model by involving 72 students at senior high school. Quantitative data from the test were triangulated with qualitative data from questionnaires, observations, and psychological tests of mathematics anxiety. Based on data analysis, it was found that the ability to explore facts in questions, identify problems, apply physics concepts increased by an average of 41.66%, while making conclusions 22.50%. Meanwhile, based on the psychological scale analysis of anxiety which is divided into three clusters, the mathematics anxiety cluster on assignment (MAA), in the class (MAC), and for the student’s future (MAF) has decreased by 21.76%, 32.87%, and 18.29% respectively. It can be concluded that the analogy-based physics learning significantly improve reasoning skills and reduce mathematical anxiety of students. Analogy-based learning encourages students to be able to solve physics problems by linking concepts with the peculiarities of phenomena which also have an impact on reducing their math anxiety.