Strengthening The Critical Thinking Skills Of 11th-Grade Students Through The Zep Quiz Platform When Studying News Articles

Abstract

This study aims to describe the achievement of critical thinking skills of eleventh-grade students (class XI TKR 4) at SMK Bina Patria 1 Sukoharjo on news text material through Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) questions delivered on the Zep Quiz platform, and to identify the constraints encountered. The study used a descriptive qualitative method involving 34 students. Data were collected through active participant observation and a ten-item HOTS-based quiz, and analyzed using the Miles and Huberman model (data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing). Achievement on each indicator was categorized using a criterion set by the researchers (≥75% correct = high; 50–74% = moderate; <50% = low). The results show high achievement in evaluating news texts (85.3%) and drawing logical conclusions (75.7%), and moderate achievement in analyzing the accuracy of information (54.9%). The lowest results appeared on items requiring mastery of linguistic concepts (adverbs, 11.8%) and the understanding of implied information (41.2%). Observations suggest that the game-based format supported students’ active engagement; however, because no comparison data were available, the effect of Zep Quiz on critical thinking cannot be concluded. Constraints included unstable internet connection and limited premium features. Zep Quiz has potential as a supporting medium for practicing critical thinking, provided that students’ mastery of basic concepts is also strengthened.