THE EFFECT OF USING CANVA AND POUTON INTERACTIVE MEDIA ON THE SHORT STORY WRITING SKILLS OF EIGHTH-GRADE STUDENTS AT SMP NEGERI 7 BULUKUMBA

JKPI: Jurnal Konseling Pendidikan Islam P–ISSN: 2655-9692 E-ISSN: 2746-5977 Vol.7, No. 2, Mei 2026 THE EFFECT OF USING CANVA AND POUTON INTERACTIVE MEDIA ON THE SHORT STORY WRITING SKILLS OF EIGHTHGRADE STUDENTS AT SMP NEGERI 7 BULUKUMBA *1 Andi Srirahayu, 2Haslinda, 3Marwiah Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar 1 Email: , , 3 *1,2,3 Abstract This study aims to determine the effect of the application of Canva and Powtoon interactive media on the ability to write short stories for grade VIII students of SMP Negeri 7 Bulukumba. This study uses a quantitative approach with a quasi experiment design in the form of a nonequivalent control group design. The research subjects consisted of two classes, namely the experimental class that was treated using the interactive media Canva and Powtoon and the control class that used conventional learning methods. The data collection technique was carried out through a short story writing test in the form of a pretest and posttest. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tests with t-tests. The results showed that the significance value of the posttest t-test was 0.000 < 0.05, which means that there was a significant difference between the ability to write short stories for students in the experimental class and the control class. The average posttest score of the experimental class was 85.40 higher than the control class of 74.10. These findings show that the application of Canva and Powtoon interactive media is effective in improving students' short story writing skills. Therefore, Canva and Powtoon interactive media are recommended as alternative learning media in learning to write short stories at the junior high school level. Keywords: Interactive Media, Canva, Powtoon, Short Story Writing, Indonesian Learning Abstrak Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh penerapan media interaktif Canva dan Powtoon terhadap kemampuan menulis cerpen siswa kelas VIII SMP Negeri 7 Bulukumba. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan desain quasi experiment berbentuk nonequivalent control group design. Subjek penelitian terdiri atas dua kelas, yaitu kelas eksperimen yang diberi perlakuan menggunakan media interaktif Canva dan Powtoon serta kelas kontrol yang menggunakan metode pembelajaran konvensional. Teknik pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui tes menulis cerpen berupa pretest dan posttest. Data dianalisis menggunakan uji statistik deskriptif dan inferensial dengan uji-t. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa nilai signifikansi uji-t posttest sebesar 0,000 < 0,05, yang berarti terdapat perbedaan yang signifikan antara kemampuan menulis cerpen siswa kelas eksperimen dan kelas kontrol. Nilai rata-rata posttest kelas eksperimen sebesar 85,40 lebih tinggi dibandingkan kelas kontrol sebesar 74,10. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa penerapan media interaktif Canva dan Powtoon efektif dalam meningkatkan kemampuan menulis cerpen siswa. Oleh karena itu, media interaktif Canva 554 Lisensi Creative Commons Atribusi 4.0 Internasional dan Powtoon direkomendasikan sebagai alternatif media pembelajaran dalam pembelajaran menulis cerpen di tingkat SMP. Kata kunci: Media Interaktif, Canva, Powtoon, Menulis Cerpen, Pembelajaran Bahasa Indonesia INTRODUCTION Education in Indonesia continues to undergo transformation in step with the rapid development of digital technology. The integration of technology into education has become essential to address the challenges of 21st-century learning, which emphasizes creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. In this context, teachers are expected to be able to utilize technology as a learning tool that is not only informative but also interactive and meaningful for students. Indonesian language learning, particularly writing skills, is one aspect that requires an innovative approach. Writing is not merely the act of putting ideas into written form, but also involves a complex thought process, ranging from planning and organizing ideas to selecting the appropriate language. One form of writing skill taught at the junior high school level is short story writing, which demands imaginative ability, mastery of text structure, and precise use of linguistic elements. Real-world observations indicate that students’ short story writing skills remain relatively low. Many students struggle to develop story ideas, construct a coherent plot, and clearly establish characters and settings. Additionally, the appropriate use of vocabulary and linguistic conventions remains a challenge. This situation is influenced by various factors, one of which is the use of learning materials that lack variety and have not been able to optimally stimulate students’ creativity. The use of interactive digital media is a relevant solution to address these issues. Interactive digital media enables the presentation of learning materials that combine visual, audio, text, and animation elements, thereby creating a more engaging and contextual learning experience. Through this medium, students are not merely passive recipients of information but active participants in the learning process. Canva and Powtoon are examples of interactive digital media with great potential in teaching short story writing. Canva offers various visual design features that can help students visualize story ideas, outline a short story, and creatively develop settings and characters. Meanwhile, Powtoon allows students to create simple animations that can serve as stimuli for developing plotlines and conflicts in short stories. Previous studies have shown that the use of interactive digital media can enhance student motivation and learning outcomes in writing instruction. Sari and Kurniawan (2021) noted that interactive digital media can increase students’ interest in writing short stories by providing a broader space for creative exploration. Additionally, Setiawan and Dewi (2021) state that digital applications have a positive impact on the quality of students’ writing through the ease of revision and feedback. However, studies specifically comparing the effectiveness of using the interactive media platforms Canva and Powtoon in short story writing instruction remain limited. Most 555 research focuses solely on the use of a single type of digital media without examining the comparative effects across different platforms. Therefore, research is needed to provide an empirical understanding of the effectiveness of these two media in enhancing students’ short story writing skills. State Junior High School 7 Bulukumba is one of the schools facing similar challenges in short story writing instruction. Based on initial observations, eighth-grade students struggle to compose coherent and complete short stories, both in terms of structure and language usage. This situation highlights the need for innovative learning media tailored to students’ characteristics. The use of interactive media such as Canva and Powtoon is expecte (...truncated)