Animated Videos-Supported Problem-Based Learning: An Innovative Strategy to Foster Students’ Critical Thinking Skills

Abstract

The shift in 21st-century educational paradigms demands that elementary school students develop high-level competencies, particularly critical thinking skills, which are often underutilized in traditional teacher-centered classrooms. This study aims to improve students’ critical thinking skills through the implementation of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model assisted by animated video in Pancasila Education learning in grade IV. This study used a Classroom Action Research (CAR) approach based on the Kemmis and McTaggart model, which consists of four stages: planning, acting, observing, and reflecting. The subjects were 28 students of class IV.B at SD Negeri Jongkang, Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta, in the 2025/2026 academic year. Data were collected through observation, critical thinking tests, and documentation, then analyzed using qualitative and quantitative descriptive techniques. The results showed a significant improvement in students' critical thinking skills from cycle I to cycle II. In cycle I, the mastery percentage was only 18% (5 out of 28 students) with an average score of 64.4. This increased substantially in cycle II to 75% (21 out of 28 students) with an average score of 82.7. These findings reinforce the effectiveness of the PBL model assisted by animated video in improving elementary school students' critical thinking. Implicatively, this research contributes to the development of active learning strategies aligned with modern competency demands in the context of Pancasila Education.