THE EFFECTS OF PROBLEM BASED LEARNING AND ACTIVE DEBATE METHODS ON THE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND SOCIAL STUDIES LEARNING ACHIEVEMENTS OF STUDENTS OF PUBLIC JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN YOGYAKARTA CITY

摘要

The education quality improvement can be attained when teaching and learning processes carried out are really effective and useful. The teacher is one of the important factors in determining whether or not teaching and learning processes are successful. One of the creative and innovative steps in learning is the application or selection of an appropriate learning method. The application or selection of an appropriate learning method by the teacher is expected to improve students’ critical thinking skills and learning achievements. This study aims to investigate whether or not there were effects of the Problem Based Learning and Active Debate methods on the students’ critical thinking skills and Social Studies learning achievements. The success of learning through the application of the Problem Based Learning method can affect students’ critical thinking skils and their learning achievements will improve. The application of the Active Debate method in Social Studies learning can effectively build students’ critical thinking skills and learning achievements. The two methods are good to apply in Social Studies learning. Both are capable of improving the students’ critical thinking skills and Social Studies learning achievements. The significance of the study is that it is expected to be a good input to improve students’ critical thinking skills and learning achievements and to supplement learning methods supporting and needed in the learning process, especially the Social Studies subject.udKeywords: Problem Based Learning Method, Active Debate Method, Critical Thinking Skills, Learning Achievements