<![CDATA[This study examines the effectiveness of Digital Interactive Boards (DIB) in fostering critical thinking skills among fifth-grade elementary school students. The central premise of this investigation stems from the persistent gap between the availability of technological infrastructure in educational settings and its suboptimal utilization for advancing higher-order thinking competencies. A quantitative approach employing a quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design was applied to 40 students of SD Negeri 4 Sukajawa, Bandar Lampung, divided equally into two groups. The experimental group received DIB-assisted instruction, while the control group underwent conventional teaching methods. Data were collected through a 10-item essay instrument constructed upon Facione's six critical thinking indicators, demonstrating satisfactory validity (CVI=0.92) and reliability (Cronbach's Alpha=0.865). Hypothesis testing was conducted using an Independent Sample t-test, N-Gain analysis, and Cohen's d effect size measurement. Findings revealed a statistically significant difference in post-test scores between both groups (85.35 vs. 68.42), corroborated by t=8.735 (p<0.001). The magnitude of effect was classified as very large (Cohen's d=2.33), with the experimental group demonstrating a moderate-to-high improvement (N-Gain=0.69) compared to the control group's moderate gain (N-Gain=0.34). These results affirm that DIB integration substantially advances students' critical thinking development. It is recommended that future instruction be structured around problem-based learning frameworks, accompanied by systematic reinforcement of teachers' TPACK competencies. ]]>
