The Influence of Creativity and Critical Thinking Levels of Elementary Teacher Education Students on Local Wisdom-Based Traditional Music Learning

This study aims to examine how local wisdom-based traditional music learning can enhance creativity and critical thinking among Elementary Teacher Education (PGSD) students in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. A Mixed Methods Research (MMR) approach was employed using a Sequential Explanatory Design. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design that divided students into two groups: an experimental group and a control group. To ensure the data met the required assumptions, normality, homogeneity, and independent sample t-tests were conducted. Data analysis was performed using SPSS, including multiple linear regression tests. The results of the multiple regression analysis revealed that understanding and contributing to local wisdom significantly influence students’ creativity and critical thinking, with the “contribution of local wisdom” having the strongest effect on both variables. These findings suggest that educational practices integrating local wisdom values more deeply can enhance students’ cognitive skills, particularly in creative and critical thinking domains. However, despite its positive influence, the effect of local wisdom alone was not sufficiently significant to be considered the dominant factor.