Critical thinking skills are among the 21st-century competencies that need to be developed in physics education. However, students' critical thinking skills remain low because instruction tends to be teacher-centered and fails to actively involve students in problem-solving. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of implementing the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model, supported by Renewable Energy e-Student Worksheets (e-LKM), in enhancing the critical thinking skills of high school students. A quasi-experimental method with a non-equivalent control group design was employed. The study subjects consisted of two experimental classes and one conventional class at SMA Hang Tuah 2 Sidoarjo. Data were collected via pre-test and post-test assessing critical thinking skills and subsequently analyzed using N-gain, paired t-tests, and independent t-tests. The results showed that the average N-gain was 0.74 for Experimental Class 1 and 0.73 for Experimental Class 2 (both in the high category), whereas the conventional class scored 0.39 (in the medium category). Paired t-test results indicated a significant improvement in critical thinking skills across all classes (p < 0.05). Furthermore, independent t-test results revealed that the improvement in critical thinking skills in the experimental classes was significantly higher than in the conventional class (p < 0.05), while no significant difference was found between the two experimental classes (p > 0.05). Thus, the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model supported by Renewable Energy e-Student Worksheets proved effective in enhancing students' critical thinking skills regarding the topic of Renewable Energy.
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