The study focused on students' ability to create questions based on reading passages, a skill closely linked to reading comprehension and critical thinking. Researchers observed that many students struggled to formulate meaningful questions from texts, largely because classroom instruction remained heavily teacher-centered, offering limited opportunities for active participation and practice. Daily assessment results also showed that many students had not yet achieved the school's minimum learning targets.
Why Question-Making Skills Matter
In elementary education, Indonesian language lessons play a central role in developing communication skills, comprehension abilities, and critical thinking. Creating questions from reading passages helps students engage more deeply with texts, identify important information, and develop analytical thinking.
However, traditional teaching methods often leave students as passive recipients of information. This condition can reduce motivation and limit opportunities for students to actively process and discuss what they have read. The researchers identified the need for a more engaging instructional strategy that would encourage participation and collaborative learning.
Learning Through “Snowball Throwing”
The Snowball Throwing model is a cooperative learning strategy that turns question-making into an interactive classroom activity. Students write questions on sheets of paper, crumple them into "snowballs," and throw them to classmates. The receiving students then open the paper and answer the questions.
This approach encourages students to actively construct knowledge, communicate with peers, and think critically about lesson content. It also creates a more enjoyable classroom atmosphere by combining learning with game-like activities.
According to the researchers, Snowball Throwing promotes:
- Active student participation
- Communication and teamwork skills
- Critical thinking development
- Confidence in expressing ideas
- Greater engagement during lessons
The model also allows students to practice asking and answering questions based on reading texts, making it particularly suitable for Indonesian language instruction.
How the Study Was Conducted
The research was carried out at SD Negeri 040443 Kabanjahe, Karo Regency, North Sumatra, involving 50 fourth-grade students divided into two classes. Class IV A served as the experimental group and received instruction using the Snowball Throwing model, while Class IV B functioned as the control group and continued learning through conventional teaching methods.
Researchers used a pretest-posttest control group design to compare student performance before and after the learning intervention. Multiple-choice tests were administered at the beginning and end of the study to measure learning achievement. Before implementation, the assessment instrument underwent validity and reliability testing to ensure accuracy and consistency. The reliability test produced a Cronbach's Alpha value of 0.770, indicating good instrument reliability.
Significant Improvement in Learning Outcomes
The results revealed a striking difference between the two groups.
Before the intervention:
- Experimental class average score: 58.0
- Control class average score: 45.6
After the intervention:
- Experimental class average score: 93.2
- Control class average score: 68.0
Most notably, 100 percent of students in the experimental class achieved the highest performance category after participating in Snowball Throwing activities, while the control group showed more modest improvement.
Statistical testing further confirmed the effectiveness of the learning model. The comparison between posttest scores of the experimental and control groups produced a significance value of 0.000, indicating a statistically significant difference in learning outcomes. Researchers concluded that the improvement was not due to chance but resulted from the implementation of the Snowball Throwing approach.
Creating More Engaging Classrooms
The study suggests that active learning methods can make a substantial difference in elementary education. By encouraging students to formulate and exchange questions, Snowball Throwing transforms reading activities from passive exercises into collaborative learning experiences.
According to Asti Puspita Br Sembiring and colleagues from Universitas Quality Berastagi, the model creates a more interactive learning environment that increases student enthusiasm, participation, and understanding of reading materials. The researchers noted that students became more involved in classroom discussions and demonstrated stronger comprehension skills after participating in Snowball Throwing sessions.
The findings also support broader educational goals related to critical thinking, communication, and collaborative problem-solving—skills increasingly emphasized in modern curricula.
Implications for Schools and Teachers
The researchers recommend that elementary school teachers consider Snowball Throwing as an alternative instructional strategy, particularly for Indonesian language lessons that require reading comprehension and question-generation skills.
Schools can support the adoption of innovative learning approaches by providing teacher training and learning resources that encourage active student participation. Meanwhile, students may benefit from increased opportunities to collaborate, discuss ideas, and engage directly with lesson content.
The study also opens opportunities for future research to examine the effectiveness of Snowball Throwing in other subjects, educational levels, and learning contexts.
Author Profile
Asti Puspita Br Sembiring is a researcher from Universitas Quality Berastagi, specializing in elementary education and innovative learning strategies. She collaborated with Yunistita Singarimbun and Nurlia Ginting, also affiliated with Universitas Quality Berastagi. Their research focuses on improving teaching effectiveness, student engagement, and learning achievement through active and cooperative learning models.
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