Construction of elementary school students in responding to pros and cons issues (Qualitative descriptive study of the functions of discussion texts)

Abstract

Critical thinking is a reflective and analytical activity in response to a certain phenomenon, usually triggered by a number of deficiencies or inconsistencies. In the context of education, critical thinking skills are increasingly important to be mastered by students, especially in the midst of the rapid development of science and technology. This development causes the sources, flow, and essence of information received by students to vary widely. Therefore, students are required to have the ability to select, sort, and process good and valid information to enrich their intellectual assets and avoid misinformation (Firdaus, 2019). Another reason why critical thinking is essential is that students are valuable human resources with high potential, which must be directed through the development of adequate thinking skills. The method used in this study is a qualitative descriptive method. The instruments used to collect data in this study were data cards, with the object of research being students' written works. Based on the findings, it was found that students are capable of thinking critically, although still with simple patterns. The texts they produce generally function to persuade and evaluate with a direct and straightforward structure.