Effectiveness of Differentiated Science Learning Oriented to STEAM -SDGs: Improving Students' Creative Thinking Skills on Energy Concepts

This study examines the effectiveness of science learning using a differentiated approach based on STEAM-SDGs in improving students’ creative thinking skills on the concept of energy. The research employs a quasi-experiment approach with a one-group pretest-posttest design. The research subjects consisted of 32 grade VIII students from SMP Negeri 1 Jumo, selected through purposive sampling technique. Data collection was carried out using a validated creative thinking skills test instrument. Data analysis involved paired sample t-test and N-Gain to evaluate the improvements in students’ creative thinking skills. The results showed a significant improvement, where the average pretest score of 35.84 increased to 82.32 in the posttest. The average N-Gain of 0.72 is included in the fairly effective category. The flexibility indicator experienced the highest increase with an N-Gain of 0.78 , while originally had the lowest increase with a value of 0.62. The study implemented differenciaton strategies in content and product. Content differentiation was tailored to students’ learning styles, by providing various forms of materials such as videos, images, and infographics. Meanwhile, product differentiation involved students designing and building simple power plant prototypes, such as water wheels, windmills, and solar panels. This activity encourages students to use their creativity and collaborate in an interactive learning environment. Overall, the results indicate that STEAM-SDGs-based science learning is effective in fostering students’ creative thinking skills. This learning model not only supports the development of creativity, but also helps prepare students to become adaptive, innovative, and environmentally conscious individuals.