The Effectiveness of Project-Based Learning (PJBL) on Critical Thinking Skills of Elementary School Students in Science Learning
Keywords:
project-based learning, critical thinking skills, elementary school, science learningAbstract
The low critical thinking skills of elementary school students in science learning remain a significant challenge in Indonesia. Conventional learning approaches often fail to engage students in higher-order thinking processes. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the Project-Based Learning (PjBL) model on the critical thinking skills of fifth-grade elementary school students in science learning. A quasi-experimental design with a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest was employed. The participants consisted of 60 fifth-grade students from two public elementary schools in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, divided into an experimental group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30). The experimental group received instruction using the PjBL model, while the control group received conventional instruction over six weeks (12 meetings). Data were collected using a validated critical thinking skills test instrument based on Facione’s (1990) framework, consisting of 25 essay items measuring six indicators: interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self-regulation. Data were analyzed using an independent samples t-test and N-Gain score analysis. The experimental group demonstrated significantly higher posttest scores (M = 80.47, SD = 7.24) compared to the control group (M = 66.13, SD = 8.91), t(58) = 7.03, p < .001. The N-Gain score for the experimental group was 0.62 (medium-high category), compared to 0.31 (low category) for the control group. PjBL significantly and effectively improves the critical thinking skills of elementary school students in science learning. These findings suggest that PjBL should be widely adopted as a core pedagogical model in elementary science classrooms.
References
Ennis, R. H. (1991). Critical thinking: A streamlined conception. Teaching Philosophy, 14(1), 5–24. https://doi.org/10.5840/teachphil19911412
Facione, P. A. (1990). Critical thinking: A statement of expert consensus for purposes of educational assessment and instruction. The California Academic Press.
Grossman, P., Pupik Dean, C. G., Kavanagh, S. S., & Herrmann, Z. (2019). Preparing teachers for project-based teaching. Phi Delta Kappan, 100(7), 43–48. https://doi.org/10.1177/0031721719841338
Hake, R. R. (1998). Interactive-engagement versus traditional methods: A six-thousand-student survey of mechanics test data for introductory physics courses. American Journal of Physics, 66(1), 64–74. https://doi.org/10.1119/1.18809
Issa, H. B., & Khataibeh, A. (2021). The effect of using project based learning on improving the critical thinking among upper basic students from teachers’ perspectives. PEGEM Journal of Education and Instruction, 11(2), 52–57. https://doi.org/10.14527/pegegog.2021.00
Krajcik, J., Schneider, B., Miller, E. A., Chen, I.-C., Bradford, L., Baker, Q., Bartz, K., Miller, C., Li, T., Codere, S., & Peek-Brown, D. (2023). Assessing the effect of project-based learning on science learning in elementary schools. American Educational Research Journal, 60(1), 70–102. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312221129247
Li, T., Miller, E., Chen, I. C., Bartz, K., Codere, S., & Krajcik, J. (2021). The relationship between teacher’s support of literacy development and elementary students’ modelling proficiency in project-based learning science classrooms. Education 3-13: International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education, 49(3), 302–316. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004279.2020.1854959
OECD. (2019). PISA 2018 results (Volume I): What students know and can do. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/5f07c754-en
Sari, R. T., Festiyed, & Yerimadesi. (2025). The effect of project-based learning on critical thinking skills of elementary school students in science learning: A meta-analysis study. International Journal of Education and Teaching Zone, 4(2), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.57235/ijetz.v4i2.423
Sarwanto, Fajari, L. E. W., & Chumdari. (2021). Critical thinking skills and their impacts on elementary school students. Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction, 18(2), 161–188. https://doi.org/10.32890/mjli2021.18.2.6
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
Categories
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ira Rengganis, Aprilia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This journal is an open access publication. All articles published in PIWELING are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Authors retain copyright of their work and grant the journal the right of first publication.
