The Influence of the Artificial Intelligence Integrated Project-Based Learning Model on Ability Critical Thinking of Elementary School Students
Abstract
Critical thinking is a crucial 21st-century competency that needs to be cultivated starting at the elementary school level. However, instruction that remains focused on information delivery has not yet fully provided students with opportunities to analyze problems, evaluate information, draw conclusions, and provide evidence-based explanations. This study aims to analyze the impact of an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-integrated Project-Based Learning (PjBL) model on the critical thinking skills of elementary school students, describe the improvement in these skills before and after instruction, and measure the model's effectiveness using the N-gain score. The study employed a quantitative approach using a quasi-experimental method and a pretest-posttest control group design. The subjects consisted of 60 fifth-grade elementary school students divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 30 students in each. The experimental group received AI-integrated PjBL instruction over eight sessions, while the control group received conventional instruction. Data were collected using an essay test assessing critical thinking skills, covering indicators such as interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, and explanation. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, N-gain calculation, normality and homogeneity tests, and an independent-samples t-test. The results showed that the experimental group's average critical thinking score rose from 48.33 to 79.17 (N-gain = 0.68), whereas the control group's score rose from 47.67 to 61.50 (N-gain = 0.33). The t-test results indicated a significant difference between the two groups (t = 8.74; p < 0.001). Thus, AI-integrated PjBL is more effective than conventional instruction in enhancing the critical thinking skills of elementary school students. Integrating AI supported by teacher guidance and information verification activities has the potential to strengthen students' processes of analysis, evaluation, problem-solving, and reflection.
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References
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