ENHANCING STUDENTS’ CRITICAL THINKING IN ISLAMIC EDUCATION THROUGH ACTIVE DEBATE

A CLASSROOM ACTION RESEARCH STUDY AT SMK NEGERI 7 MERANGIN

Abstract

Background: Islamic Religious Education (IRE) plays a crucial role in character development, yet classroom practices often remain one-sided. At State Vocational High School 7 Merangin, 11th-grade DKV students demonstrate low critical thinking skills and a passive attitude when evaluating complex religious materials. Research Objective: This study aims to improve students’ critical thinking skills through the implementation of the active debate method, in order to transform learning patterns from rote memorization to logical analysis. Method: This Classroom Action Research (CAR) employs the Kemmis and McTaggart model, conducted in two cycles (planning, action, observation, and reflection). The research subjects consisted of 20 students, with data collection instruments including behavioral observation, cognitive tests, and in-depth interviews. Results: Findings indicate a significant increase in critical thinking skills from 50% in Cycle I to 88% in Cycle II. Achievements of specific indicators included active participation (95%), ability to express opinions (80%), use of textual evidence (85%), ability to refute (80%), and teamwork, which achieved a perfect score (100%). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the implementation of the active debate method is effective in enhancing critical thinking skills and creating a more dynamic, meaningful, and collaborative learning environment for Islamic Religious Education in Class XI DKV at SMK Negeri 7 Merangin. These findings are relevant as a reference for educators to apply dialectical methods to strengthen students’ intellectual resilience in confronting religious disinformation in the current era.