Promoting Students’ Critical Thinking Skills on Social Studies in Primary School: TPACK based Instructional Media

Abstract

Social Studies is one subject matter which is learned by students in schools. It could attract the students’ attention and interest in learning process when teachers utilize technology based instructional media. This study aims to investigate how instructional application promotes the students’ critical thinking on social studies in primary school. This study was conducted in one of primary schools in West Java. There were 65 students participating in completing the questionnaire. In addition to the questionnaire, interviews for seven selected students were also done for collecting the data. The results showed that most students felt happy to learn social studies when using instructional application. This study also revealed that instructional application could increase the students’ critical thinking skills indicated by their strong statements on sharing opinions, making conclusions, and asking questions. Thus, it is recommended that instructional application should be used by teachers in primary schools so as that students are more interested in learning social studies.