PENINGKATAN CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS MURID MELALUI PBL BERBANTUAN SCIENCE PROBLEM CARDS PADA MATERI PENGARUH GAYA

Abstract

This study is motivated by the importance of Critical Thinking Skills as an ability that needs to be developed from the elementary school level, while students’ skills in interpreting information, analyzing, evaluating, and making inferences still need to be strengthened in IPAS learning. This issue is particularly important in the topic of the Effects of Force on Objects, which requires students to understand the relationship between force and changes in objects through phenomena closely related to everyday life. This study aims to improve the Critical Thinking Skills of fourth-grade students through the implementation of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model assisted by Science Problem Cards. This study employed a Classroom Action Research (CAR) design based on the Kemmis and McTaggart model, conducted over two cycles involving the stages of planning, action, observation, and reflection. The research subjects consisted of 26 fourth-grade students at SDN Mojoroto 6, Kediri City, who were purposively selected as the targets of the intervention based on the identified problems related to critical thinking skills in classroom learning. All students in the class were involved as research subjects in this CAR study. The research instruments included essay tests, observation sheets, and documentation. The test was developed based on four aspects of Critical Thinking Skills according to Facione: Interpretation, Analysis, Evaluation, and Inference. Data were analyzed quantitatively using descriptive statistics, a paired-samples t-test, effect size, and N-Gain, supported by observation and documentation data. The results showed that the mean Critical Thinking Skills score increased from 29.54 in the pretest to 84.08 in the posttest, with an N-Gain of 0.77, categorized as high. The paired-samples t-test revealed a statistically significant difference between the pre-intervention and post-intervention scores (p < 0.001), with a Cohen’s dz of 4.43. Classical mastery after the intervention reached 96.15%. Therefore, the implementation of PBL assisted by Science Problem Cards can support the improvement of students’ Critical Thinking Skills through problem-solving activities and structured scaffolding in IPAS learning on the topic of the Effects of Force on Objects. Similar media can be developed for different topics and grade levels, involving a broader range of research subjects.

ABSTRAK

Penelitian ini dilatarbelakangi oleh pentingnya Critical Thinking Skills sebagai kemampuan yang perlu dikembangkan sejak jenjang sekolah dasar, sementara keterampilan murid dalam menginterpretasi informasi, menganalisis, mengevaluasi, dan membuat inferensi masih perlu diperkuat dalam pembelajaran IPAS. Permasalahan tersebut menjadi penting pada materi Pengaruh Gaya terhadap Benda yang memerlukan kemampuan murid dalam memahami hubungan antara gaya dan perubahan yang terjadi pada benda melalui fenomena yang dekat dengan kehidupan sehari-hari. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk meningkatkan Critical Thinking Skills murid kelas IV melalui penerapan model Problem Based Learning (PBL) berbantuan media Science Problem Cards. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain Penelitian Tindakan Kelas dengan model Kemmis dan McTaggart yang dilaksanakan dalam dua siklus melalui tahapan perencanaan, tindakan, observasi, dan refleksi. Subjek penelitian terdiri atas 26 murid kelas IV SDN Mojoroto 6 Kota Kediri, yang dipilih secara purposif karena menjadi sasaran tindakan berdasarkan permasalahan keterampilan berpikir kritis yang ditemukan pada pembelajaran. Seluruh murid dalam kelas tersebut dilibatkan sebagai subjek PTK. Instrumen penelitian meliputi tes uraian, lembar observasi, dan dokumentasi. Tes dikembangkan berdasarkan empat aspek Critical Thinking Skills menurut Facione, yaitu Interpretation, Analysis, Evaluation, dan Inference. Analisis data dilakukan secara kuantitatif melalui statistik deskriptif, uji paired samples t-test, effect size, dan N-Gain, serta didukung data observasi dan dokumentasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa rata-rata Critical Thinking Skills meningkat dari 29,54 pada pretest menjadi 84,08 pada posttest, dengan N-Gain sebesar 0,77 dalam kategori tinggi. Hasil paired samples t-test menunjukkan perbedaan yang signifikan antara skor sebelum dan sesudah tindakan (p < 0,001), dengan Cohen’s dz sebesar 4,43. Ketuntasan klasikal setelah tindakan mencapai 96,15%. Dengan demikian, penerapan PBL berbantuan Science Problem Cards dapat mendukung peningkatan Critical Thinking Skills murid melalui pemecahan masalah dan scaffolding yang terstruktur pada pembelajaran IPAS materi Pengaruh Gaya terhadap Benda. Pengembangan media serupa dapat dilakukan pada materi dan jenjang yang berbeda dengan cakupan subjek yang lebih luas.