Digital Jigsaw: Accelerating Critical Thinking and Student Learning Motivation

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effect of implementing the Jigsaw cooperative learning model assisted by digital media on improving students' critical thinking skills and learning motivation in Islamic Religious Education at SMP IT Rocha Indonesia Bandung. The study employed a quasi-experimental method using a pretest-post-test control group design. The research sample consisted of 46 ninth-grade students, including 24 students in the experimental class and 22 students in the control class, selected through purposive random sampling. The research instruments included a critical thinking skills test, a learning motivation questionnaire, observation sheets, and documentation. The data were analysed using validity and reliability tests, normality and homogeneity tests, the N-Gain analysis, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Spearman Rank correlation test. The findings revealed that students' learning activities in the experimental class improved consistently over three instructional meetings, with an average score of 78%, compared to 69% in the control class. The improvement in critical thinking skills was also higher in the experimental class, with an average N-Gain score of 0.85 (high category), whereas the control class achieved 0.68 (moderate category). Furthermore, the implementation of the Jigsaw cooperative learning model assisted by digital media had a positive and statistically significant effect on students' learning motivation, as indicated by a Spearman's rho coefficient of 0.4437 with p = 0.0298 (p < 0.05). Students also demonstrated highly positive responses toward the learning model, with the majority falling into the very strong response category. Therefore, the implementation of the Jigsaw cooperative learning model assisted by digital media is proven to be effective in enhancing students' critical thinking skills and learning motivation in Islamic Religious Education.

Keywords: Jigsaw cooperative learning; digital media; critical thinking skills; learning motivation; Islamic Religious Education