The Implementation of Problem-Based Learning in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) to Improve the Critical Thinking Skills

Abstract

This research is motivated by the low critical thinking skills of students in Islamic Religious Education (PAI) at SMAN 9 Yogyakarta. Preliminary observation data indicates that the learning process is still dominated by lecture and rote learning methods, causing students to be passive and experience difficulty in analyzing Islamic values contextually. This research aims to describe the implementation of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model in PAI learning, analyze the improvement of students' critical thinking skills, and identify the supporting and inhibiting factors. This research is a field research with a descriptive qualitative approach. Data collection techniques used in this research are observation, interviews, and documentation. The data validity was tested using source and technique triangulation. The results showed that the implementation of the PBL model in PAI learning for class XI-3 at SMAN 9 Yogyakarta has been carried out according to the PBL syntax and ran effectively. The main supporting factors include the educator's readiness in compiling relevant case studies and students' enthusiasm in group discussions. However, the inhibiting factor found was limited time management, which caused several syntax phases to not run optimally. The application of PBL was able to improve students' critical thinking skills with good development in interpretation, analysis, and self-regulation indicators. However, in the evaluation indicator, arguments were still found that were not fully supported by scriptural evidence (dalil), and in the explanation indicator, some students still lacked confidence.