Implementation of Innovative History Learning in Improving Students’ Critical Thinking Skills

Abstract

This study aims to analyze how the implementation of innovative history learning can become an effective solution in improving students’ critical thinking skills, which tend to be at a low cognitive level. The population in this study was all Class X1, consisting of 6 classes. Each class had 35 students. The sample was determined using the Slovin formula with an error rate (e) of 5% (0.05). Thus, the sample taken was 138 students of Class XI. To analyze the data in this study, qualitative methods were used to describe students' and teachers' activities during the learning process through observation and interviews. Quantitative data were collected using a Pre-Experimental design, specifically a One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design. The findings of this study showed that the implemented history learning method was highly effective, as it transformed the category “Fair” (62.5) into “Very Good” (84.2) across 138 respondents. Overall, the discussion section reflected the success of the learning program. At the pretest stage, the majority of students (108 students) were below the “Good” category. However, at the posttest stage, this condition completely reversed, with the majority of students achieving the “Good” to “Very Good” standards. The implemented learning method successfully improved the quality of learning outcomes at scale, transforming the class profile from predominantly “Fair/Poor” to predominantly “Very Good.” The N-Gain score was 0.60.