A Development of Integrative Thematic Textbook with Problem-Based Learning to Improve the Critical-Thinking Ability of Elementary Students at Grade IV

Abstract

This research aimed (1) to produce an integrative thematic textbook with Problem-
 Based Learning that is appropriate to improve the critical-thinking ability of elementary
 students at grade IV and (2) to examine the effectiveness of the textbook. The design
 of the research was R&D by Borg and Gall. The product tests were limited test,
 expanded test, and operational test. The researches were conducted at SDN Semanu
 II, SDN Karangrejek II, and SDN Gombang II in Gunungkidul District. The subjects of
 the research were 110 students and 4 teachers of grade IV. The instruments of data
 collection were interview guidelines, observation sheets, and expert validation sheets,
 questionnaires of teachers’ response, students’ response scale, and test of criticalthinking
 ability. The effectiveness of the product was tested using quasi experiment.
 The data were analyzed descriptive qualitatively and quantitatively through the test of
 difference with significance level 0.05. The result of this research was in the form of
 appropriate textbook based on the assessment from media expert and material expert
 that categorized the textbook as “very good”. The developed product was effective to
 improve the students’ critical-thinking ability. The average post-test score proved it, in
 which experimental classes 1 and 2 gained 80.48 and 80.39. The average post-test
 score in control class was only 67.73. The difference of average scores was significant
 at calculated t score 5.579 and two-tails significance at 0.000 for the difference test
 between the post-test of experimental class 1 and the control class. Meanwhile, the
 difference of average scores was significant at calculated t score 5.845 and two-tails
 significance was at 0.000 for the difference test between the post-test of experimental
 class 2 and the control class.