Improving critical thinking skills of college students through RMS model for learning basic concepts in science

An important treasure of a nation lies on its human resources. A nation can grow and prosper if the human resources support it, both in terms of quality and quantity. The human resource is an absolute requirement, so that the improvement of the quality should be the main focus of it, especially in facing the 21st century.

Human resources, in order to compete nationally and internationally in the 21st century, require skills that used to compete including: 1) thinking skills that includes critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, and metacognition; 2) communication and collaboration skills that is able to communicate and collaborate effectively with the various parties; 3) creativity and innovation skills that is able to develop its creativity to generate innovative breakthroughs; 4) information and communications technology literacy that is able to utilize information and communication technologies to improve the performance and activities of daily life; 5) contextual learning skills that is capable of undergoing self-contextual learning activities as part of personal development; and 6) information and media literacy skills that is able to understand and use a variety of communication media to convey ideas, implement collaborative activities, and interaction with various parties (Greenstein, 2012).

The improvement of human resources such as critical thinking skill can be learnt and developed through basic concept learning of science which is compulsory for students of S1 PGSD of University of PGRI Semarang. The learning process relies heavily on learning method used since the learning method impacts the learning objectives (Muhlisin, 2012).

The dominant method or learning model used in the basic concepts of science courses learning process are student presentations, question and answer, and discussion in the percentage of 71.4%. This learning model or learning methodis integratedin each meeting with particular stage activities: the lecture gives task to the students in each meeting to discuss in groupsto make a paper, to present in groups about material determined at the beginning of the lecturing contract and to do question and answer. The learning activities is dominated by most of the students in each group who were active in discussions and less students dared to ask questions and answer questions either from lectureror friends in a discussion during a presentation (Muhlisin et al., 2015).

Learning models and methods used have an impact on students' critical thinking skills who have low optimal critical thinking skills. The fact of students’ critical thinking skills as a whole at low critical thinking criteria is 80.9%. In details,the indicator of the highest critical thinking skills in the indicator of formulating the problem is 65.9%, the indicator of the lowest critical thinking skills in the indicatorof making deductions is 54.6%. The lack of students’ critical thinking can also be seen on the students’ argument where their reasons are not appropriate, provides less logical assumptions, and providesless evaluation based on facts (Muhlisin et al., 2015). It shows that the learning method or learning model used is less able to develop critical thinking skills. Where as in the basic concepts of science courses, students are expected to empower their thinking skill in order to achieve the expected learning goals. Critical thinking skills are essential for supporting life full of challenges in a globalized world of the 21st century accordance with the opinion of Marin & Halpern, (2010); Fahim & Pezeshk (2012) that the critical thinking skills is an active reasoning and deliberation to be used to decide or evaluate something of the issues facing the complexities of modern life.

Another factor that affects the learning outcomes is students’ academic achievement. The academic ability is divided into three categories, namely high, moderate, and low academic ability. High academic ability is definitely different from the low academic ability in terms of technique and time of learning a particular concept or material. Joyce et al. (2009) states that each academic achievement takes different time of learning. Low academic ability might hinder the teaching and learning process if it is not facilitated properly. The learning of basic concept on science shows that most lecturers do not consider the academic achievement variation in learning process so students’ academic achievement does not improve (Muhlisin et al., 2016a). Therefore, an appropriate learning model is needed to improve the low academic achievement to high academic ability.

The gap between expectation and reality field, it is necessary to innovate learning model creative and innovative that can improve students' critical thinking skills and is able to align critical thinking skills among students of academic ability above and below the academic course on basic concepts of science. Solutions offered by appliying RMS model of learning. The steps of RMS learning model are: 1) reading: students critical reading related to specific topics to be studied from a variety of learning resources; 2) Mind Mapping: students create mind maps related to the topics that have been read individually and collaborative groups; 3) sharing: students sharing mind maps to all students through a presentation to the class (Muhlisin et al., 2016b).

RMS learning model with learning syntax short and easy to remember by lecturers and students on the principles of constructivism learning theory in order to make the students independent in mengkonstruks knowledge in the learning process. The learning model has been proved to increase the understanding of the concept, academic ability, and enhance student motivation (Muhlisin et al., 2016b).

RMS learning model potentially improve thinking skills for mengakomudir reading critical information required in the learning process so that students are ready to follow the lesson and were able to identify the problem. The process of identifying the problem, understand, and seek information can improve critical thinking skills (Facione, 2013). Mind mapping activities of individual and collaborative group is concrete activities using creative visual arts in exploring ideas and connect information that exists in the mind so as to stimulate the thinking process (Kalelioglu & Gulbahar, 2013). Activities mind mapping stimulate students in meidentifikasi reasons, assumptions, alternatives, and conclusions (Jones et al., 2012); (Nilson et al., 2014). Cooperation in collaborative groups and exchange ideas through sharing involves the participation of individuals and groups as well as improving learning activities such as frequently asked questions, exchange ideas, and evaluate what has made people so as to improve learning achievement and critical thinking (Ibraheem, 2011); (Peter, 2012).

Critical Thinking

Living in the 21st century requires higher thinking skills such as critical thinking, creative thinking, problem solving (Kalelioglu & Gulbahar, 2013). Higher-level thinking than thinking critically, among others, problem solving, analytical thinking and evaluation (assess possible alternatives, assessing the arguments, weigh the evidence, awareness of different opinions, finding the cause/connection results, evaluate the possibilities, using the information in the process of critical thinking to solve the problem, creativity, innovation, and capable of producing new ideas from old ideas) (Riechman & Simon, 2013). Thinking is an activity someone in search of a proper answer, filtering out various kinds of data or information, solve problems, and decided something (Colley et al., 2012); (Tolinggi et al., 2013).

Critical thinking is a skill that must be mastered and taught for critical thinking is a way of thinking about something that makes sense is focused on deciding what to believe or do (Ennis, 2010; Ennis, 2011; Facione, 2013). Critical thinking is used to pass judgment on any information, explain the reasons, and able to solve the problem of the unknown (Thomas, 2011), so that each individual is able to understand any content or information on a particular thing (Zane, 2013). Critical thinking includes skills in conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and / or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication as a guide to belief and action, evaluating information to reach an answer or conclusion (Peter 2012; Almubaid, 2014).

The essence of critical thinking is the interpretation, analysis, inference, evaluation, explanation, self regulation (Zane, 2013; Facione, 2015). Description of core critical thinking can be seen in Table 1.

Table 1. Description of Core Critical Thinking

No	Skill	Description
1.	Interpretation	The primary definition of interpretation is the act of making sense of various inputs. Interpretation requires that we clarify the purpose, issue, problem/question, meaning, etc.
2.	Analysis	Analysis means to break down, examine, or otherwise explore the issues, available information, arguments, etc. With analysis, we must manipulate, process, or otherwise make active changes to the inputs to make better sense of them.
3.	Evaluation	To evaluate means to determine the merit, value, efficacy, advantages, worth, authenticity, validity, impact, or significance, of something (e.g., the evidence, claims, assumptions, biases, perspectives, etc.)
4.	Inference	This broad term covers reasoning coupled with the use of evidence and standards that together are necessary for synthesizing, coming to a conclusion, making decisions, identifying alternatives, generalizing, planning, predicting, etc.
5.	Explanation (Communication)	Communicate the outcomes of thinking such as stating results, justifying procedures, explaining meaning, presenting arguments, etc. This is considered critical thinking because of the mental processes involved in designing a well written (or spoken) message.
6.	Self-regulation (Metacognition)	During all of the above (and sometimes following the thinking as well), reflect, self examine, pose questions about thinking, self correct, etc

Source: Facione (1990)

RMS Learning Model

RMS learning model with major steps: 1) reading: students critical reading related to specific topics; 2) Mind Mapping: students create mind maps related to the topics that have been read individually and students formed a collaborative mind maps in groups; 3) sharing: students sharing mind maps to all students in the class. Learning implementation in accordance with the concept of constructivism, that learning is not just a process of absorbing information, ideas, and skills for new materials will be constructed by the brain and the knowledge is not only transmitted by teachers or parents, but must be built and raised himself by learners in order for them can respond to the information there (Joyce et al., 2011: 14). The learning process should be designed and managed to improve learners in organizing their own experience to be a meaningful new knowledge (Marzano, 1992: 106)

The social aspect of RMS learning model refers to social cognition theories developed by Vygotsky that interpersonal interaction helps develop individual knowledge. Social interaction with others can bring new ideas and improving intellectual individuals (Joyce et al., 2011). This is consistent with Fraser & Walberg (1995) that any development of new concepts not conducted in empty space but in a social context, in which the learner can undergo interactions with others to develop their ideas. Description of measures RMS learning model can be seen in Table 2.

Table 2. Description of Main Step in RMS Learning Model

First Stage: *Reading*	Second Stage: *Mind mapping*
• Lecturer guides students in the implementation of critical reading related to the topic or specific material. • Students docritical reading activities related topic or specific material.	• Lecturer assigns students in making mind map individually related to the results of the information that has been read. • Lecturer organizes students in heterogeneous groups • Lecturer asks and facilitates students in groups creating collaborative mind mapping related to the information results that have been read and the results of the individual mind mapping. • Students make a mind map related to the results of a critical reading of topics / materials individually. • Students communicate the results of his thought and mind mapping in collaborative groups.
*Third Stage:* *Sharing*
• Students present the results of the collaborative groupwork (mind mapping) in front of the class in a questioning and answering discussion. • Lecturers provides feedback, reinforcement, and confirmation toward the content / topic that has been studied through a variety of learning resources.

Source: Muhlisin et al., (2016b).

Aim of this Study

This study aim to examine the effect of RMS learning model towards students’ critical thinking of different academic ability. The hypothesis of the study are stated as follow:

There is an effect of RMS learning towards students’ critical thinking skill.
There is an effect of the academic ability towards students’ critical thinking.
There is an interaction effect between RMS learning model and academic ability towards students’ critical thinking.