Implementasi Pendekatan STEM melalui Kegiatan Eksperimen IPA Sederhana untuk Meningkatkan Keterampilan Berpikir Kritis Murid Sekolah Dasar

Abstract

This community engagement program evaluated the implementation of simple STEM-based experiments and their impact on elementary students' critical thinking skills. Conducted from May 16–18, 2026, at SD Negeri Telaga Pange, the program involved 40 fifth- and sixth-grade students using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) framework. Working in groups alongside teachers and university mentors, students assembled and tested five projects: a multiplication wheel, hydraulic robotic hand, waterwheel, solar-powered fan, and mini generator. Changes in critical thinking were assessed through single-group pretest-posttest comparisons and normalized gain (N-gain) analysis. Results showed an increase in mean critical thinking scores from 52.2 to 80.8 (N-gain = 0.60, medium category), with improvements across all five indicators. Hands-on STEM activities effectively fostered active learning, problem-solving, and evidence-based reasoning.