Problem-Based Learning Model Based on Contemporary Issues to Improve Students' Critical Thinking in Islamic Cultural History Lectures

Abstract

This study examines the implementation of contemporary issue-based Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in Islamic Cultural History (ICH) courses and its contribution to the development of critical thinking skills among Islamic Education students. The study aims to describe the implementation process of PBL and analyze the development of students’ critical thinking skills in the dimensions of interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, and explanation. A descriptive qualitative approach with a field research design was employed. The participants were sixth-semester students of the Islamic Education Study Program who attended ICH classes for fourteen meetings. Data were collected through observations, in-depth interviews, and documentation and analyzed using the Miles and Huberman interactive model, including data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings indicate that the implementation of contemporary issue-based PBL through problem orientation, investigation, source analysis, presentation, and reflection enhanced student engagement in the learning process. Critical thinking skills developed across all dimensions, reflected in the shift from descriptive understanding to more analytical, reflective, and evidence-based reasoning. The integration of contemporary issues, including misinformation, radicalism, Islamophobia, and religious moderation, served as a catalyst for connecting historical knowledge with present-day realities. The study concludes that contemporary issue-based PBL is effective in fostering critical thinking skills and increasing the relevance of Islamic Cultural History learning in higher education.