Interest and Motivation of Elementary School Students Toward Swimming Learning

Swimming is one of the learning materials in physical education that contributes to students' physical fitness, motor development, and self-confidence. However, the effectiveness of swimming instruction is strongly influenced by students' interest and motivation in participating in learning activities. This study aimed to analyze the interest and motivation of fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students toward swimming learning at SD Negeri 106789 Tanjung Gusta in 2024. This research employed a descriptive quantitative design. The participants consisted of 60 students selected using cluster sampling from grades IV, V, and VI. Data were collected using validated and reliable questionnaires measuring students' interest and motivation toward swimming lessons. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in the form of frequencies and percentages. The findings revealed that students' interest in swimming learning was categorized as very good, with an achievement percentage of 94.94%. Meanwhile, students' motivation toward swimming learning was categorized as good, with a percentage of 66.70%. These findings indicate that although students demonstrate a high level of interest, there is still room to improve learning motivation through more engaging instructional strategies, adequate facilities, and varied teaching methods. Therefore, teachers are encouraged to develop innovative learning approaches to maintain students' enthusiasm and improve learning outcomes in physical education, particularly in swimming instruction.