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

Results

Data values of critical thinking skills obtained from the pretest and posttest using essay tests consisting of 18 items in the control class employed conventional learning models and in the experimental class employed RMS learning modelof high student academic ability and low academic ability. The test results were corrected by rubric of critical thinking skills with a score from 0 to 4. The critical thinking skills can be seen in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Summary of Critical Thinking Skills Scores

Summary of the data critical thinking skills description based on Figure 1 obtained that the average postestvalue of RMS learning model classon both high and low academic abilities was higher than the average postest value of the conventional class on both high and low academic abilities. Then, the value of critical thinking skills are categorized in accordance with the guidelines specified. The datavalue summary of critical thinking skills both in pretest and posttest can be seen in Table 5.

Table 5. Summary of Critical Thinking Skills Scores Based on Categorization

No	Type of Class	S	Scores	Category (%)
No	Type of Class	S	Scores	Very critical	Critical	Enough Critical	Less Critical	Very Less Critical
1.	Conventional	HA	Pretest	0	0	46.7	53.5	0
		HA	Posttest	0	0	93.3	6.7	0
		LA	Pretest	0	0	53.5	46.7	0
		LA	Posttest	0	0	86.7	13.3	0
2.	RMS Learning Model	HA	Pretest	6.2	6.2	81.4	6.2	0
		HA	Posttest	66.7	33.3	0	0	0
		LA	Pretest	0	0	33.3	66.7	0
		LA	Posttest	27.1	66.7	6.2	0	0

Notes:
S : Skills
HA : High Academic Ability
LA : Low Academic Ability

Based on Table 5, it was obtained information that the percentage value category and class pretest conventional classroom using RMS learning model both the high and low academic abilities dominated the enough critical and less critical. Posttest value of critical thinking skills in a conventional classroom and classroom RMS learning model has increased, but the conventional class still dominated on the criteria of enough and less critical. Unlike classroom RMS learning model at top academic dominated very critical and academic criteria under predominantly critical criterion. Such information can be said that RMS learning model better able to increase critical thinking skills compared with conventional classroom.

Analysis of data on critical thinking skills with Anacova preceded by the assumption that, 1) the data normality test conducted by test One Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov and 2) test of homogeneity of variance with the Levene test. The results showed that the normal distribution of data where the data values critical thinking skills and data conventional classroom critical thinking skills class RMS learning model gained both greater than 0.05 is equal to (0.200 and 0.200). As for the homogeneity test result of analysis by Levene test showed that the data of conventional classroom critical thinking skills and critical thinking skills of data class RMS learning model has a value greater than 0.05 is equal to 0.247 so that the data are homogeneous.

The next test done is Anacova test at significance level of 5% with a pretest as kovariant. Anacova test summary treatment effect on students' critical thinking skills can be seen in Table 6.

Table 6. Summary of Anacova Test Results on the Effect of Treatment Toward Critical Thinking Skills

Source	Type III Sum of Squares	df	Mean Square	F	Sig.
Corrected Model	3705.253a	4	926.313	94.331	.000
Intercept	977.058	1	977.058	99.498	.000
Pretest	77.123	1	77.123	7.854	.007
Learning Model	2551.888	1	2551.888	259.871	.000
AA	12.513	1	12.513	1.274	.264
Learning Model * AA	.142	1	.142	.014	.905
Error	559.731	57	9.820
Total	52929.000	62
Corrected Total	4264.984	61

The test results in Table 6 on the source of the learning model obtained F value of 259.871 with a p-value less than α 0:05 (p≤0.05) which sig. 0,000. This means there is a significant influence on RMS learning model students' critical thinking skills.

The next test to see whether there is any effect on the academic ability of students' critical thinking skills. Test results Table 6 on the source of academic skills obtained F value of 1.274 with a p-value greater than α 0:05 (p≥0.05) which sig. 0.264. This means that there is no significant influence on the academic ability of students' critical thinking skills.

Test to see whether there is any effect of the interaction model of learning and academic ability of the students' critical thinking skills. Test results Table 6 on the source of the interaction model of learning and academic ability of the F value of 0.014 with a p-value greater than α 0:05 (p≥0.05) with sig. 0.905. This means that there is no significant effect of interaction model of learning and academic ability of the students' critical thinking skills. The mean value of corrected and improved critical thinking skills that are in Table 7. Class RMS learning model and class conventional obtain corrected values critical thinking skills and different upgrade. The impact of RMS learning model is higher 55,6% than conventional model on critical thinking skills.

Table 7. The Mean Value Corrected Critical Thinking Skills

Learning Model	Mean Corrected		Enhancement (%)
Learning Model	Pretest	Posttest	Enhancement (%)
Conventional	17,2	20,2	17,4
RMS Learning Model	20,4	35,3	73