The Effect of Problem Based Learning Model on Students' Critical Thinking Skills in Financial Services Authority Material

Abstract

Critical thinking is a fundamental competency in 21st-century learning that remains underdeveloped among high school students. This study aims to analyze the effect of the Problem Based Learning (PBL) model on students' critical thinking skills in the Financial Services Authority (FSA) material at SMA Negeri 4 Tasikmalaya. A quasi-experimental method with a Non-Equivalent Control Group Design was employed, involving 96 students in Grade X divided into experimental and control classes of 48 students each selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected using a critical thinking skills test comprising 15 essay items validated against Ennis's (1985) five indicators. Data analysis employed the Normalized Gain (N-Gain) score and both paired and independent sample t-tests. The experimental class achieved an N-Gain of 0.67 (moderate category), while the control class obtained 0.52 (moderate category). Independent Sample T-Test results yielded t = 3.948 with Sig. = 0.000 (p < 0.05), indicating that students taught with the PBL model demonstrated significantly higher critical thinking skills than those in the conventional class. The findings confirm that PBL is more effective than conventional learning in developing critical thinking skills.