The Effect of Project-Based Learning on Students’ Critical Thinking Skills in Islamic Higher Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.68299/tv0z8g41Keywords:
Project-Based Learning, Critical Thinking Skills, Islamic Higher Education, Islamic Religious Education, Quasi-Experimental StudyAbstract
Critical thinking is an essential competence in higher education, yet its development in Islamic higher education is often challenged by learning practices that remain largely teacher-centered and content-oriented. This study aimed to examine the effect of Project-Based Learning on students’ critical thinking skills in the Islamic Religious Education Study Program at Universitas Islam Internasional Darullughah Wadda’wah. A quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest control group design was employed. The participants consisted of 64 undergraduate students, divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 32 students in each group. The experimental group was taught using Project-Based Learning over eight meetings, while the control group received conventional instruction. Data were collected using an essay-based critical thinking test covering interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and reflection. The findings showed that students in the experimental group achieved higher posttest scores than those in the control group, indicating that Project-Based Learning had a significant positive effect on students’ critical thinking skills. The strongest improvement was found in the reflection indicator, followed by interpretation, analysis, inference, evaluation, and explanation. This study contributes theoretically by positioning Project-Based Learning as a pedagogical framework that connects critical thinking development with Islamic higher education. It also offers practical implications for lecturers in designing contextual, collaborative, and reflective learning activities.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Lilik Aminah, Adham Hasif bin Najmuddin (Author)
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