PENGARUH MODEL PEMBELAJARAN ROLE PLAYING BERBANTUAN GEOGEBRA TERHADAP KETERLIBATAN SISWA DALAM PROSES PEMBELAJARAN DAN KEMAMPUAN BERPIKIR KRITIS SISWA

Low student engagement and underdeveloped critical thinking skills in junior high school mathematics classrooms remain critical challenges that prompt this study. This study aims to examine the effect of implementing a GeoGebra-assisted role-playing learning model on student engagement in the learning process and students' critical thinking skills regarding algebraic forms. Employing a mixed-methods approach with a sequential explanatory design, this research involved two 7th-grade classes at SMP Negeri 1 Karangploso as the experimental and control groups. Data were collected via critical thinking tests, engagement observation sheets, questionnaires, and interviews, which were then analyzed using the Independent Samples t-Test, normalized gain (N-Gain), and qualitative analysis. Quantitative results revealed that the GeoGebra-assisted role-playing model had a significant positive effect (sig. 0.000 < 0.05) on students' critical thinking skills, indicated by the experimental class's higher posttest mean score of 82.61 (N-Gain 0.64/moderate category) compared to the control class's score of 74.45 (N-Gain 0.42). Student engagement observations fell predominantly into the moderate category (80.6%), showing balanced stimulation across cognitive, emotional, and social dimensions. Qualitative findings indicated that role-playing scenarios trained students to structurally design problem-solving strategies, while GeoGebra facilitated the visual abstraction of algebraic concepts; however, lower-achieving students still required scaffolding due to dual cognitive overload. In conclusion, the integration of active role-based learning and interactive technology is highly effective in optimizing students' cognitive and affective performance in mathematics education.