Developing Students' Critical Thinking Through Prophetic-Values-Based Learning Media in Indonesian Elementary Schools

Background/purpose. Digital transformation has progressed rapidly, leading to significant changes in learning methodologies that are increasingly based on the mainstream internet. The integration of mainstream internet functionality with religious values has the potential to enrich students' educational experiences and foster critical thinking. This study explores the development of learning media rooted in an information and technology paradigm that is grounded in Islamic religious values, and its implications for improving critical thinking among elementary school students in Indonesia.

Materials/methods. A qualitative approach was utilized, using a case study design and data collection techniques that included in-depth interviews, participant observation, and documentation. Informants were selected through purposive sampling, resulting in a total of 13 informants. Data analysis followed Creswell’s six-step data analysis framework.

Result. The study found that the development of IPAS learning media was driven by a decline in student achievement and a growing lack of creativity, conditions largely caused by teacher-centered instruction and monotonous teaching methods. Innovation in IPAS learning media was achieved by integrating the mainstream internet paradigm with prophetic values (specifically, the values of humanization, liberation, and transcendence). This integration successfully fostered students’ skills, including heightened curiosity, open-mindedness, deep understanding of problems, the ability to evaluate arguments from multiple perspectives, and the capacity to identify underlying assumptions.

Conclusion. Prophetic value-based learning media serve not only as a means to transmit knowledge but also to internalize core values. Through this approach, students’ critical thinking abilities can be optimized while remaining anchored in prophetic principles.

Keywords: Critical thinking, learning media, religious values, and elementary school

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