Penerapan Gamification Learning Pendidikan Agama Islam Berbasis Artificial Intelligence (AI) dalam Meningkatkan Berpikir Kritis Mahasiswa di STIT Makrifatul Ilmi Bengkulu Selatan

Abstract

The transformation of higher education in the era of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 and Society 5.0 requires students to develop critical thinking as a core competency. However, Islamic Religious Education (IRE) learning is still largely dominated by conventional teaching approaches that emphasize knowledge transfer rather than fostering analytical, evaluative, and problem-solving skills. The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) through gamification learning offers an innovative approach to creating interactive, adaptive, and student-centered learning environments. This study aims to analyze, develop, and evaluate the effectiveness of AI-based gamification learning in Islamic Religious Education to enhance students' critical thinking skills at STIT Makrifatul Ilmi Bengkulu Selatan.

This research employed a mixed-methods approach using a Research and Development (R&D) design combined with a quasi-experimental method. The research stages included needs analysis, model development, expert validation, pilot testing, implementation, and evaluation. Data were collected through observations, interviews, questionnaires, documentation, critical thinking tests, and AI-generated learning activity records. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically.

The findings indicate that AI-based gamification learning significantly improved students' motivation, participation, and engagement in the learning process. The integration of game elements with AI provided personalized learning experiences through real-time feedback and adaptive learning recommendations. Students' critical thinking skills improved across the dimensions of interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self-regulation. It can be concluded that AI-based gamification learning is an effective instructional innovation for enhancing students' critical thinking skills while supporting adaptive learning aligned with the competencies required in the twenty-first century.