Effectiveness of STEM-PBL Based E-Modules on Critical Thinking Skills of Junior High School Students

Critical thinking is a crucial skill that must be developed in junior high school students to help them face complex problems and make decisions based on facts and data. This study aims to describe the improvement of students' critical thinking skills through the implementation of a STEM-PBL-based e-module. This research used a descriptive method with a qualitative approach. The subjects consisted of 26 seventh-grade students at MTs N 3 Batang Hari. Data were collected using an essay test comprising five questions, and the results were analyzed using the N-Gain formula. The findings showed a moderate improvement in all indicators of critical thinking: formulating problems (N-Gain = 0.66), managing facts (0.60), constructing logical arguments (0.66), drawing conclusions (0.62), and evaluating (0.63). These results indicate that the STEM-PBL-based e-module had a positive impact on enhancing students' critical thinking skills. The integration of real-world problem-solving and interdisciplinary concepts through STEM-PBL helped students engage more actively, develop logical reasoning, and improve overall learning outcomes. Therefore, STEM-PBL-based e-modules are recommended as effective instructional tools to support critical thinking development in junior high school students.