The Use of Comic Strip Media to Improve Creative Thinking Skills in Elementary School Students: Classroom Implementation

Abstract

This research attempts to enhance the capacity of students to think creatively by using comic strip media in the classroom. Based on the baseline test results, only 30.77% of Grade VIB students at SDN 05 Pontianak Timur met the Kriteria Ketercapaian Tujuan Pembelajaran (KKTP, or Learning Objectives Achievement Criteria), indicating low levels of creative thinking ability. This study used a Classroom Action Research (CAR) design with 26 students participating in two cycles of two meetings each. Data were gathered using observation, tests, interviews, and daily notes, and analyzed descriptively through both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The findings revealed an improvement in students’ creative thinking ability, with the average score increasing from 67.49 in the first cycle to 85.92 in the second cycle. The percentage of students achieving mastery also rose from 42.31%–46.15% in the first cycle to 84.61%–100% in the second cycle. These results indicate that the use of comic strip media significantly enhances students’ creative thinking skills. Comic strip media fosters a more enjoyable, practical, and meaningful learning experience, effectively promoting originality, flexibility, and the ability to produce creative works. The implication of this study is that comic strips can be used as an innovative alternative to improve learning quality and enhance creative thinking skills.