Desain Model Pembelajaran Problem Based Learning pada Materi PAI dalam Meningkatkan Kemampuan Berpikir Kritis Siswa

Abstract

Critical thinking is an essential competency that should be developed through Islamic Religious Education (IRE) to address the demands of twenty-first-century learning. However, IRE instruction remains largely dominated by conventional teacher-centered approaches that limit students' active engagement and higher-order thinking. This study aims to describe the instructional design of the Problem Based Learning (PBL) model for IRE materials and to analyze its potential for fostering students' critical thinking skills. The study employed a qualitative approach using a library research method. Data were collected from relevant books, scholarly journal articles, and other academic publications on Problem Based Learning, Islamic Religious Education, and critical thinking, and were analyzed through content analysis. The findings indicate that the instructional design of PBL consists of five main stages: problem orientation, learner organization, guided investigation, presentation of problem-solving outcomes, and evaluation of both the learning process and outcomes. This instructional design promotes critical thinking by engaging students in problem identification, analysis of information based on the Qur'an and Hadith, argument construction, decision-making, and reflective evaluation of proposed solutions. In addition to enhancing cognitive skills, the PBL design contributes to strengthening students' religious values, collaborative abilities, and creativity. This study concludes that Problem Based Learning provides a relevant instructional framework for transforming Islamic Religious Education into a more contextual, participatory, and critical thinking-oriented learning process.