Development of a STEM-Based Blog Learning Media on the Human Digestive System to Enhance Students’ Critical Thinking Skills and Communication Skills in Secondary Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33751/jsep.v10i1.4Keywords:
communication skills, critical thinking skills, digital learning media, human digestive system, STEM-based blogAbstract
Background: Students’ communication skills and critical thinking abilities in science learning remain relatively low, particularly in the topic of the human digestive system. Therefore, innovative digital learning media, such as STEM-based blogs, are needed to enhance these competencies.
Methods: This study employed a Research and Development (R&D) approach using the ADDIE model, which includes analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation stages. The participants were 60 eighth-grade students from SMP Islam Nurul I’itishom Bekasi, divided into an experimental group and a control group. Data were collected through expert validation sheets, student response questionnaires, and tests measuring communication and critical thinking skills.
Results: The validation results showed that the developed STEM-based blog was feasible, with material and media validation scores of 85% and 80%, respectively. Implementation results indicated that students in the experimental group experienced moderate improvements in communication skills (N-Gain = 0.52) and critical thinking skills (N-Gain = 0.63), while the control group demonstrated low improvement. Student responses to the blog were categorized as good.
Conclusion: The STEM-based blog is effective in improving students’ communication skills and critical thinking abilities compared to conventional learning methods, and it is suitable for use as a digital learning medium in science education.
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