The Digital Festival Project-Based Learning Model to Develop Students' Creative Thinking Skills in Pancasila Education Subjects

Abstract

A quantitative study examined the impact of the Digital Festival Project-Based Learning (PjBL) model on students' critical thinking skills at SMPN 2 Subang and SMP 4 Subang. Using a nonequivalent control group design and T-test analysis, the research compared five key critical thinking indicators between two groups of students. The findings revealed a significant positive effect. Students in the Experimental Class, who engaged with the Digital Festival PjBL model, demonstrated significantly higher levels of critical thinking across all five indicators: Providing Simple Explanations, Analyzing Arguments, Developing Basic Skills, Concluding, and Making Further Explanations. This was in stark contrast to the students in the Control Class, who did not use this model. The results provide strong empirical evidence that the Digital Festival PjBL model is a highly effective pedagogical approach for enhancing critical thinking abilities. The study attributes this success to the model's emphasis on active, collaborative, and real-world project-based learning, which are essential for developing crucial 21st-century skills. The study concludes that this innovative learning method is a powerful tool for developing students' analytical and reasoning abilities. By focusing on practical, hands-on projects, the model effectively fosters the intellectual skills necessary for students to succeed in a complex, modern world. The findings strongly support the integration of the Digital Festival PjBL model into educational curricula to improve student outcomes.