Integrated Social Sciences in Improving Achievement and Character Education to Elementary School Students in Pandemic Era

Purpose Purpose: This study intends to investigate the impact of solution-based integrated social sciences (ISS) learning on student achievement at Madrasah Ibtaiyah (MI) in Salatiga City during the epidemic. Moreover, this study aims to evaluate the influence of solution-based ISS learning in enhancing the application of character education in the mental habits of MI students in Salatiga City during the pandemic. Design / methodology / approach: This research is based on quantitative data, and responses are gathered using a Likert-scale questionnaire. Participants in this study were MI instructors from Salatiga, Central Java. Findings: The research revealed that employing activity theory to create learning content relevant to the learners' level boosted confidence and learning effectiveness. In this manner, student performance improved, but anxiousness became one of the variables that posed a barrier. Research limitations/implications: The implication of the answer is how the city of MI Salatiga regulates itself to improve success and the capacity to implement character education in the mental habits of students to adapt to the epidemic. Originality/value: The originality of the research relates to ISS learning in habits of mind, which has to do with enhancing learning achievement and learning applications in habits of mind. (c) 2022 Ani Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.