STEM Education International
Vol. 1 No. 2 (2025): STEM Education International

Implementation of Problem-Based STAD Learning to Improve Students’ Critical Thinking Skills on Ecosystems

Alfina Nuril Lailia (State University of Malang)



Article Info

Publish Date
27 Dec 2025

Abstract

This study investigates whether the Problem-Based Student Teams Achievement Division (STAD) learning model can enhance students’ critical thinking skills to a greater extent than conventional lecture-based instruction on the topic of Human Impact on Ecosystems. A quasi-experimental method was employed, using test items as the research instrument. A total of 31 seventh-grade students from class VII I served as the control group, while 30 students from class VII G constituted the experimental group. Descriptive analysis was used to describe the post-test results for each indicator of critical thinking skills. An independent t-test was then conducted to examine the differences in essential thinking abilities between the experimental and control groups. Additionally, an N-gain test was conducted to assess the magnitude of improvement in students’ critical thinking skills in the experimental group relative to the control group. The findings indicate that the Problem-Based STAD learning model improved students’ critical thinking skills in the experimental group at a moderate level, with an N-gain score of 0.43. In contrast, the conventional learning approach led to a low level of improvement, with an N-gain score of 0.24. This study emphasises the implementation of a problem-based STAD model derived from students’ real-life issues, making the learning process more contextual. The topic of Human Impact on Ecosystems was chosen for its strong relevance to students' everyday experiences.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

stem

Publisher

Subject

Education Environmental Science Mathematics

Description

STEM Education International is a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary publication dedicated to improving STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education worldwide. It is debuting as an innovative new publication in education. Its peer-reviewed status makes it a key contributor to ...