STEAMS-Driven Green Innovation to Strengthen Critical Thinking in Elementary Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67686/didaktika.v10i2.2185Abstract
Elementary school students’ critical thinking skills remain low, particularly in the aspects of inference, explanation, and self-regulation within the context of 21st-century sustainability-based learning. This condition was found in the education report of SD Muhammadiyah Manyar in 2025. This study aims to improve students’ critical thinking skills through the integration of STEAMS, design thinking, and deep learning in the aqua farming green innovation project. This study employed a quasi-experimental design using a one-group pretest–posttest approach involving seventy-nine fourth-grade elementary students. The learning process was implemented based on the stages of design thinking, namely empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test, and reflection, by integrating environmental problem-solving activities. Data was collected through critical thinking tests administered before and after the learning intervention. The results showed a significant improvement in students’ critical thinking skills before and after the intervention. The findings indicate that the mean score increased from 66.72 to 88.64. The N-Gain value of 0.63 indicated a moderate level of learning effectiveness. The effect size analysis revealed a large effect (Cohen’s d = 2.51), demonstrating a strong practical impact of the intervention on students’ critical thinking development. Improvements were observed across all indicators, particularly in inference and self-regulation. Thus, STEAMS-based learning integrated with structured problem-solving processes is effective in strengthening elementary students’ critical thinking skills. The novelty of this research lies in the integration of the STEAMS approach, design thinking, deep learning, and the use of digital technology in sustainability-based environmental projects.
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