Does the Discovery Learning Model Improve Students' Critical Thinking Skills in Islamic Education? Experimental Study

Abstract

Critical thinking is one of the most valuable skills that the education system can develop in students. In fact, critical thinking skills among students in Indonesia are still relatively low. Choosing the right learning model also helps students understand the material being studied, thereby empowering their critical thinking skills. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of applying the discovery learning model on improving the critical thinking skills of JHS students in Islamic Education. This research is a quasi-experimental study using a pretest-posttest control group model. The research was conducted at JHS 1 Buay Madang Timur May-June 2025. The research population consisted of seventh-grade JHS students, and the research sample consisted of seventh-grade students in class VII F (experimental group) and class VII G (control group). Data collection techniques for critical thinking skills were conducted using tests. The instruments used were valid and reliable essay questions. The research data were analyzed using descriptive quantitative analysis and an independent sample t-test. The results of the independent sample t-test Sig. (2-tailed) value of  0.00 < 0.05, indicating a significant difference in post-test critical thinking skills between the experimental and control groups.