Technological advances are driving the adoption of PBL-based digital media in elementary Science and Social Studies classes to cultivate critical thinking in line with the Merdeka Belajar curriculum and 21st-century skills. This study aims to map the publication trends of Science and Social Studies digital learning media based on Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and its influence on the critical thinking skills of elementary school students between 2020 and 2025. Using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) with the PRISMA model, the authors identified 200 articles and selected 54 based on relevance, research design, and full-text accessibility. The synthesis focused on publication trends, research methods, media types, and skill targets. Results show that: (1) research publications peaked in 2024 (35.2%); (2) the dominant method was Research (3) most developed media were interactive multimedia and animated videos (each 20.4%); (4) PBL-based digital media effectively fostered critical thinking and other 21st-century skills. The study recommends developing teacher capacity, expanding the use of integrated media designs, and revising educational policies. Future research should explore AI-based adaptive learning platforms, investigate the long-term impact of PBL digital media, and expand qualitative or mixed-method studies to capture learners' in-depth experiences and contextual engagement.
Building similarity graph...
Analyzing shared references across papers
Loading...
Firda Afita Jihanifa
Yeri Sutopo
Bambang Subali
Journal of Innovation and Research in Primary Education
Building similarity graph...
Analyzing shared references across papers
Loading...
Jihanifa et al. (Sun,) studied this question.
www.synapsesocial.com/papers/68bb46a86d6d5674bccfe38b — DOI: https://doi.org/10.56916/jirpe.v4i3.1410