PENGARUH PENGGUNAAN MEDIA KOMIK MATERI KLASIFIKASI MAKHLUK HIDUP TERHADAP KETERAMPILAN BERPIKIR KRITIS SISWA IPA

Abstract

This study examines the effect of comic-based learning media on junior high school students’ critical thinking skills in the topic of Classification of Living Things, motivated by Indonesia’s low scientific literacy ranking (74th of 79 countries in PISA 2018). Using a quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design, the study involved 64 seventh-grade students at SMP Negeri 9 Jember (2024/2025 academic year), with 32 students in the experimental group receiving comic-based instruction over three sessions and 32 in the control group receiving conventional teaching. Data were collected through pretest–posttest essay assessments and analyzed using paired and independent t-tests. Results indicate that the experimental group’s mean score increased from 43.8 to 54.4, with a significant internal improvement (p = 0.000 < 0.05). However, no significant difference was found between the experimental and control groups’ posttest scores (p = 0.452 > 0.05). Despite this, comic media enhanced student engagement and supported analytical thinking through visual narratives, consistent with Dual Coding Theory (Allan Paivio) and multimedia learning theory (Richard Mayer), which emphasize integrating verbal and visual information. In conclusion, although comic-based learning did not significantly outperform conventional methods, it serves as an effective and engaging alternative for contextual science instruction, and its integration is recommended to promote student participation and critical thinking skills.