PENGARUH PENDEKATAN STEM TERHADAP KETERAMPILAN BERPIKIR KRITIS PESERTA DIDIK KELAS III SD MUHAMMADIYAH 3 ASSALAM ARJOSARI

The problem in this research is the lack of optimal application of learning models and approaches that facilitate students to develop their critical thinking skills. Apart from that, the techniques and methods used still do not contain indicators of critical thinking or still contain indicators of achievement in the low cognitive domain so that they are not able to improve students' critical thinking skills. The aim of this research is to determine the effect of the STEM approach on the critical thinking skills of class III students at SD Muhammadiyah 3 Assalam Arjosari.
The method used is pre-experimental designs with shape one group pretest-posttest design. The sample in this study consisted of 31 students. The data collection techniques used are tests, observation and documentation. Testing data is obtained using tests T-test. This research was conducted in May-June 2024 in 3 stages, namely the initial stage (Pretest), providing treatment (STEM Approach), and the final level (Posttest).
Data from the results of the research instrument revealed that students' critical thinking skills after being treated with the STEM approach had higher scores than those in the condition before being treated with the STEM approach. Based on the results of hypothesis testing, a significance of 0.000 was obtained, the result was <0.05, meaning H0 rejected and H1 accepted. Thus, it can be concluded that there is an influence of the STEM approach on the critical thinking skills of class III students at SD Muhammadiyah 3 Assalam Arjosari. The results of this research show that implementing the STEM approach in learning is expected to be an approach to improving students' thinking skills and is an approach that needs to be optimized and developed in the field of education.