The Relationship of Critical Thinking and Creativity of Early Childhood Education Students In Case Method-Based and Team Based Projects Courses

Abstract

Critical thinking skills and creativity are part of the 21st century skills that students need to have in order to be successful and be able to answer the challenges of the 21st century. The general objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between critical thinking skills and creativity of early childhood education (ECE) students in case method-based courses and team-based projects. This research is a correlational quantitative research to measure the relationship between two variables, namely students' critical thinking skills and creativity. The population for this study were all ECE students of the UNIMED Faculty of Education, while the samples in this study were students in semester 2, 4, and 6, totaling 450 students. The data collection technique is through filling out 21st century skills questionnaires which are carried out by selfassessment and online peer assessment by students. The 21st Century Skills dimensions and indicators used in this research tool were developed under the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21). The results show that students' critical thinking skills are in the good category with an average percentage of 83.5%, and student creativity is included in the very good category with an average percentage of 86%. There is a significant relationship ( value (0.00) < sig (0.05) ) in the very strong category between critical thinking skills and creativity of PG PAUD FIP UNIMED students in case method-based courses and team-based projects with a value of rxy= 0.914, so that the value of the contribution of critical thinking skills to student creativity is 83.54%.