APPLICATION OF THE NUMBERED HEADS TOGETHER (NHT) TYPE COOPERATIVE LEARNING MODEL IN IMPROVING MATHEMATICS LEARNING OUTCOMES OF GRADE III STUDENTS OD SDN 09 LUBUK ALUNG

This study aims to improve students’ mathematics learning outcomes through the implementation of the cooperative learning model Numbered Heads Together (NHT). The background of the research lies in the low motivation and unsatisfactory mathematics achievement among elementary students, mainly due to teacher-centred instructional methods. The study employed a Classroom Action Research (CAR) design conducted in two cycles, each consisting of planning, implementation, observation, and reflection. The subjects were 28 third-grade students of SDN 09 Lubuk Alung in the 2024/2025 academic year. Data were collected through achievement tests, observation sheets of student activities, and documentation, and analysed using both qualitative techniques. The findings revealed a significant improvement in students’ mathematics achievement following the application of the NHT model. In Cycle I, the mean score was 68.21 with 57.14% of students achieving mastery, while the level of student activeness reached 60%. In Cycle II, the mean score increased to 81.32 with 85.71% achieving mastery, and activeness improved to 85%. The comparative analysis between cycles showed an increase of 13.11 points in the mean score, a 28.57% rise in mastery learning, and a 25% improvement in activeness. These results demonstrate that the NHT cooperative learning model is effective not only in enhancing mathematics achievement but also in fostering students’ active participation, collaboration, and accountability during learning. Therefore, the NHT model is recommended as an innovative instructional strategy for primary school mathematics, particularly to overcome perceptions of mathematics as a difficult and abstract subject.