An elementary school project-based learning program based on a Javanese comic

Abstract

Students are not equipped with the cognitive skills to face today's problems in the real world. Previous research showed that Indonesian elementary students lack critical thinking skills. This research aims to analyze the effect of the Javanese comics project to improve critical thinking and interpersonal skills in fifth-grade students. This study was conducted using a quasi-experimental design with 60 elementary school students in a pre-and post-test group for six weeks. Data was collected using a questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the N-gain score, Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman rho correlation at the significance level of 0.05. The result revealed that 60 students improved their critical thinking and interpersonal communication skills. Thus, teachers could use Javanese comics project-based learning to increase students' critical thinking and communicative performance skills, as well as interpersonal communication skills in the innovative education of the 21st century. Keywords: Critical thinking skills; interpersonal communication; Javanese comics; project-based learning