Enhancing critical thinking in primary education: A literature review on effective learning media
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22437/proca.v1i3.50588Keywords:
Critical Thinking, Educational Technology, Interactive, Learning Media, Primary SchoolAbstract
The enhancement of students’ critical thinking skills has become an essential priority across all educational levels, particularly in primary schools. This study analyzes the use of learning media to improve critical thinking skills among primary school students. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology was employed to address the research questions systematically. A total of 18 articles from various countries, including Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Jordan, Vietnam, and Kazakhstan, were reviewed. Indonesia contributed the highest number of studies, with nine articles, followed by Taiwan with two articles. The learning media identified in these studies were classified into four main categories: (1) multimedia and interactive visual media, (2) interactive digital applications and platforms, (3) flipped learning and hybrid learning, and (4) game-based and gamified applications. The findings indicate that multimedia and interactive visual media are the most frequently used and effective in enhancing critical thinking skills, as they support visualization, interactivity, and problem-solving. Interactive digital applications, flipped learning, and digital games were also found to improve critical thinking through independent learning, hypothesis formulation, analysis, and gamification mechanisms. These results underscore the importance of selecting appropriate learning media to support the development of critical thinking skills among primary school students in the era of digital learning technologies.
Downloads
References
Al-Barakat, A. A., El-Mneizel, A. F., Al-Qatawneh, S. S., AlAli, R. M., Aboud, Y. Z., & Ibrahim, N. A. H. (2025). Investigating the Role of Digital Game Applications in Enhancing Mathematical Thinking Skills in Primary School Mathematics Students. Decision Making: Applications in Management and Engineering, 8(1), 132–146. https://doi.org/10.31181/dmame8120251301
Anapiyayeva, S., Uaisova, G., Yessenova, K., Balmuzdak, S., & Apakhayev, N. (2025). Digital design as a tool for teaching primary schools’ students to recognise artistic techniques in texts. E-Learning and Digital Media. https://doi.org/10.1177/20427530251358506
Cahyani, F. P. & Irwan. (2020). The Development of Mathematics Teaching Media Based on Problem Based Instruction to Enhance Grade X High School Students’ Critical Thinking. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1554(1), 012016. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1554/1/012016
Chang, S. C., & Hwang, G. J. (2018). Impacts of an augmented reality-based flipped learning guiding approach on students’ scientific project performance and perceptions. Computers and Education, 125, 226–239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.06.007
D’Alessio, F. A., Avolio, B. E., & Charles, V. (2019). Studying the impact of critical thinking on the academic performance of executive MBA students. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 31, 275–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2019.02.002
Fajari, L. E. W., Sarwanto, & Chumdari. (2020). Improving elementary school’s critical thinking skills through three different PBL-assisted learning media viewed from learning styles. Journal of E-Learning and Knowledge Society, 16(1), 55–64. https://doi.org/10.20368/1971-8829/1135193
Gao, Y. (2003). Cultural Awareness in Intercultural Communication Context. Journal of Suzhou University.
Garvis, S. (2020). Primary Years Students. In D. Pendergast & K. Main (Eds.), Teaching Primary Years (1st ed., pp. 19–42). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003117797-2
Hasanah, U., Astra, I. M., & Sumantri, M. S. (2023). Exploring the Need for Using Science Learning Multimedia to Improve Critical Thinking Elementary School Students: Teacher Perception. International Journal of Instruction, 16(1), 417–440. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2023.16123a
Hermita, N., Alim, J. A., Putra, Z. H., Nasien, D., & Wijoyo, H. (2023). Developing STEM autonomous learning city map application to improve critical thinking skills of primary school teacher education students. Perspektivy Nauki i Obrazovania, 64(4), 675–690. https://doi.org/10.32744/pse.2023.4.41
Ilma, I., Riyadi1, & Usodo, B. (2024). Improving creative thinking skills and learning motivation through ethnomathematics-based interactive multimedia: An experimental study in primary school. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 6(8). https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2024141
Kulamikhina, I. V., Birova, J., Alipichev, A. Y., Vasbieva, D. G., & Kalugina, O. A. (2018). Developing communication and critical thinking through creative writing in English and French Language: Analysis of classroom management strategies. Communications - Scientific Letters of the University of Žilina, 20(1PartA), 115–130. Scopus.
Kumala, F. N., Setiawan, D. A., Amin, M., Gipayana, M., & Karvilla, R. A. (2019). Problem based prezi multimedia: Elementary school students’ thinking skill. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 7(9), 1964–1969. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2019.070916
Liang, W., & Fung, D. (2020). Development and evaluation of a WebQuest-based teaching programme: Students’ use of exploratory talk to exercise critical thinking. International Journal of Educational Research, 104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2020.101652
Meadows, S. (2017). An Assessment of Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development. In S. Meadows (Ed.), Developing Thinking (29th ed., pp. 7–25). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315213323-2
Olorunfemi-Olabisi, F. A., & Tayo-Olajubutu, O. (2013). Counselling as an Enabling Tool for Quality Human Development: Challenges to Childhood Growth and Cognitive Development in the 21st Century. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences. https://doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n3p317
Ruzaman, N. K., & Rosli, D. I. (2020). Inquiry-based education: Innovation in participatory inquiry paradigm. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 15(10), 4–15. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v15i10.11460
Suci R. et al. (2025). Multimodal Digital Learning and Local Indigenous Frameworks to Enhance Critical Thinking in History Learning. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.15601605
Sulistyanto, H., Prayitno, H. J., Sutama, Narimo, S., & Sutopo, A. (2023). The Effectiveness of Hybrid Learning-Based Adaptive Media to Empower Student’s Critical Thinking Skills: Is It Really for VARK Learning Style? Asian Journal of University Education, 19(1), 95–107. https://doi.org/10.24191/ajue.v19i1.21219
Sung, H. Y., Hwang, G. J., & Chen, S. F. (2019). Effects of embedding a problem-posing-based learning guiding strategy into interactive e-books on students’ learning performance and higher order thinking tendency. Interactive Learning Environments, 27(3), 389–401. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2018.1474235
Susanto, T. T. D., Dwiyanti, P. B., Marini, A., Sagita, J., Safitri, D., & Soraya, E. (2022). E-Book with Problem Based Learning to Improve Student Critical Thinking in Science Learning at Elementary School. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies, 16(20), 4–17. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v16i20.32951
Tannirat, T. (2020). From angry bird application to stem activities in real life. International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, 29(7 Special Issue), 878–883.
Tiep, P. Q., & Huong, N. T. (2025). Building A Flipped Classroom Model Combined with Augmented Reality to Improve the Effectiveness of Teaching Natural and Social Sciences in Primary Schools. Educational Process: International Journal, 18. https://doi.org/10.22521/edupij.2025.18.445
Uslan, Abdullah, N., Imami, M. K. W., & Aiman, U. (2024). The Effectiveness of the Local Knowledge-Based Module (Lkbm) To Improve Students’ Scientific Literacy and Thinking Skills. Jurnal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia, 13(1), 147–161. https://doi.org/10.15294/jpii.v13i1.47561
Utaminingsih, S., Amalia, I., & Sumaji, S. (2024). Management of Mathematics Learning Based on Interactive Digital Worksheets to Improve Students’ Critical Thinking Ability. Journal of Curriculum and Teaching, 13(1), 159–169. https://doi.org/10.5430/jct.v13n1p159
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Muliati Mursak, Syarif Sumantri, Arita Marini
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Published with license by LPPM Universitas Jambi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0 International). This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, so long as attribution is given to the creator.
