Development of a Guess the Picture Media Based on the Snakes and Ladders Game to Improve the Critical Thinking Skills of Fourth Grade Students

Abstract

Low levels of critical thinking skills and the limited use of diverse learning media are among the problems faced by elementary schools. This study is a research and development project using the 4D model, which includes the Define, Design, and Dissemination stages. This study aims to 1) develop a picture-guessing medium based on the Snakes and Ladders game to improve students’ critical thinking skills, 2) determine the improvement in critical thinking skills through the developed medium, and 3) determine students’ and teachers’ responses to the medium. The data used were obtained through interviews, observations, documentation, questionnaires, and tests, which were then analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. The results of the study indicate that the developed teaching aid received a “Highly Suitable” rating with an average percentage of 93.4%. The developed teaching aid was also effective in improving students’ critical thinking skills, as evidenced by an N-Gain score of 0.701 in the “High” category. In addition, student and teacher responses to the teaching material achieved an average percentage of 96.3%, falling into the “Very Good” category. Thus, the picture-guessing teaching material based on the Snakes and Ladders game is suitable for use as an alternative learning tool to support the development of critical thinking skills among fourth-grade students.