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Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 19, Issue 1, Article 11 (Jun., 2018) |
One of the skills that should be mastered in Science learning in the 21st century is critical thinking skills. In other words, science learning process that can improve students' life skills in the 21st century is a science learning that can promote students' critical thinking skills (Saavedra & Opfer, 2012). Critical thinking implementation in Science learning gives an opportunity to develop analytical, inductive, and deductive thinking skills to overcome the problem related to the natural events.
Critical thinking skills constitute a logic and reflective thinking process to make a decision (Ennis, 2011). Critical thinking skills also refer to skills which can be used to evaluate personal or others' opinions (Johnson, 2011), make a decision, and evaluate it through a thinking process. Critical thinking is an active and a well-organized mental process, a manifestation of its own thinking by considering other thinking, practicing what has been taught, and aiming to understand the events and conditions surrounding, so that critical thinking is one of the vital elements of scientific thinking. This is also imaged as an order to direct a mind which shows intellectual skills. Critical thinking skills are needed to develop in the school learning through Science or other disciplines to prepare students to be successful in their life (Schafersman, 1991), in other words, students' critical thinking skills should be taught explicitly (Zubaidah, 2016, 2017).
Students who have good critical thinking skills have been proven to be able to solve problems (Marin & Halpern, 2011) since they can better focus on finding a solution to the problem by analyzing it holistically (Finken & Ennis, 1993). Muhfahroyin (2009a) stated that the relationship between critical thinking skills and learning is to prepare students to be the great problem solver, a good decision-maker, and long-life learners. Since the importance of critical thinking skills, it is supposed to be merged with curriculum to give students a benefit for their daily life.
Critical thinking skills are important to develop in the school learning since it has a positive impact to the students' learning outcome, meaning that students who have good critical thinking skills will get the better learning outcomes (Cano & Maryinez, 1991). Critical thinking skills are needed to prepare students to enter the work life and in the middle of society (Hove, 2011). Besides, students who have critical thinking skills will also be easier in problem solving (Marin & Halpern, 2011). An individual who has critical thinking skills will tend to have a better focus, be able to find reasons and do an analytical action at overall when drawing the conclusion in problem solving (Finken & Ennis, 1993).
Students' Thinking Skills on Biology in Indonesia were Still Low
Critical thinking skills in Indonesia has been developed since a long time ago, even in 2003 curriculum is more assertive for teachers to apply the learning strategy to empower students' higher order thinking skills and their assessment processes, one of them is critical thinking skills (Permendikbud No 21, 2016). However, in the implementation, the teachers often less focus on empowering their students' critical thinking skills because, in the process of development, it takes more times. Heong (2011) reveals that if critical thinking skills is not an indicator in succeeding the students, it will affect students when they are in a university. The students often meet the difficulty in identifying a complex problem.
Some research results showed that critical thinking skills in some school in Indonesia are less-empowered, such as shown later. Kusuma's research (2014) in Junior High Schools in Malang, Insyasiska (2013) and Ismiati (2011) in SMAN Batu, and also Tumbel (2012) in Bitung City in North Sulawesi showed that critical thinking skills in Senior High School were still low. Research done by Rosyida et.al (2016) showed that opinions and questions raised by students still pertained as LOTS (lower order thinking skills). The research result of Kurniawati et.al (2015) in Batu City also showed that 60% of students in Senior High School had less-developed critical thinking skills. Based on their survey, Mahanal, Tendrita, Ramadhan, Ismirawati, and Zubaidah (2017) found out that high-ability students' critical thinking skills were higher than low-ability students' critical thinking skills.
Students' low critical thinking skills in Indonesia was caused by a learning activity in High School and University (including Science and Biology learning) which is not consciously empowered high thinking skills (critical thinking, creative thinking, and meta-cognitive thinking skills) (Corebima, 2016). Science learning in Indonesia was still dominated by the teachers and did not actively engage the students (Fuad, Zubaidah, Mahanal, Suarsini, 2017; Zubaidah, Fuad, Mahanal, & Suarsini, 2018). Prayitno, Corebima, Susilo, Zubaidah, & Ramli (2017) point out that Science learning in Indonesia is still focusing in a rote learning or concept memorization as well and the measurement of success is still based on how big the scientific products (concept, theory, law) can be mastered and remembered by students who are lack of chance in developing their critical thinking skills. Even, it is not only critical thinking skills is less-empowered but also learning at schools tends to focus on improving students' cognitive achievement, while students' attitudes tend to be ignored (Bachtiar, Zubaidah, Corebima, & Indriwati (2018).
Other problems happened in many schools in Indonesia was a students admissions system determined on the basis of students' level of academic ability (Yusnaeni, Corebima, Susilo, & Zubaidah, 2017). This caused that some schools got many students who have high academic ability while other certain schools got the students who have the low academic ability. The impact of it caused a social gap, for instance, there is a different critical thinking skills among schools. The schools which have students' high academic ability tended to have good critical thinking skills. Meanwhile, the school which has students' high academic ability tended to have less-developed critical thinking skills.
Some problems have been explained needed to have a learning strategy in the classroom that can be used to decrease the differences among those schools. One of the alternative ways that can be used to close that social gap is by implementing an appropriate learning model.
The Academic Ability is Related to Critical Thinking Skills
The academic ability is an image of prior knowledge had by students or material mastering which have been studied and uses to make it easier in learning a new, wider and more complex knowledge (Mahanal & Wibowo, 2009). Vernon (2000) suggests that a person who has a high academic ability commonly has a high speed of learning as well. A prior knowledge is believed as a required condition for the development of critical thinking skills (Lai, 2011). A prior knowledge has a significant role in achieving students' performance and students' convergent thinking skills is closely related to their prior knowledge (Chang, 2010). The thinking skills are not a series of skill that can be directly taught and implemented by students, but it is needed a deep knowledge of the subjects. Therefore, critical thinking skills and scientific skills cannot be separated from context or depend on knowledge domain (Willingham, 2016)
Teachers are expected to train students' critical thinking skills because critical thinking skills is an important attribute in intellectual development, knowledge acquisition and the utilization of knowledge in individuals (Kong, 2006). The various literature showed that the learning strategy which promoted critical thinking skills is a teaching activity that needs students' actively engagement or student-centered. A learning strategy such as problem-based learning, reflective journal writing, mind-map composing and a debate were reported that can improve students' critical thinking skills (Yang & Chou, 2008), because those strategies can help in students' engagement in a learning activity and support them to have a critical thinking disposition such as a curiosity, analytical ability, reasoning skill, self-confidence and open-minded (Gul, et al., 2014). Johnson and Johnson cited in Alansari (2006) showed that the cooperative learning outcome can enhance a retention, a deep understanding of high-level reasoning and a critical thinking. Kronberg & Griffin (2000) train students to the high level of critical thinking skills through Biology by using problem-analysis methods, and resulted in students who have a high level of critical thinking skills.
Remap-TmPs to Improve Students' Critical Thinking skills
Learning models and academic abilities may influence students' low critical thinking skills. The students' critical thinking skills might be able to develop if they are facilitated with a good learning model (Mamu, 2014). Some schools in Indonesia have recruited their students based on grades. Therefore, there is such a huge gap between schools in which students are registered to. An alternative to minimize the gap is by implementing Reading-Concept-Map Timed-Pair-Share (Remap-TmPS) learning model in the classrooms, which will be explained in other section.
Remap-TmPS learning model belongs to one of the Reading-Concept Map-Cooperative Learning (Remap Coople) models. Remap Coople's model consists of reading activity, concept mapping, and cooperative learning (Pangestuti, Mistianah, Corebima, & Zubaidah, 2015; Zubaidah, 2014; Mahanal, Zubaidah, Bahri, & Dinnuriyah, 2016). Some previous research findings of Remap Coople using other learning types had enhanced critical thinking skills, a cognitive learning outcome, and a reading interest as explained follows. The implementation of Reading Concept Map-Teams Games Tournament (Remap-TGT) could enhance the tenth graders' reading interest of SMA Laboratory Malang (Pangestuti, et.al., 2015). The implementation of Reading Concept Map-Student Team Achievement Division (Remap-STAD) could improve students' critical thinking skills and cognitive learning outcome (Hasan, Zubaidah, &Mahanal, 2014; Ramadhan, Mahanal, & Zubaidah, 2016). Antika's research (2015) revealed that students' reading interest in Biology using Reading Concept Map-Think Pair Share (Remap-TPS) gave the contributions to students' cognitive learning outcome. Setiawan, Zubaidah, dan Mahanal (2015) showed that there was a significant increase in students' reading interest and metacognitive skill after implementing Remap-TPS. Remap-TPS increased the students' learning outcome (Tendrita, 2017). A research did by Mahanal et.al, (2016) showed that the implementation of learning model in Biology using Reading Concept Map-Numbered Heads Together (Remap-NHT) gave an effect to students' critical thinking skills (Kurniawati, Zubaidah, & Mahanal, 2016; Mahanal, Avila, & Zubaidah, 2018). The implementation of Remap-GI could enhance students' learning outcome and critical thinking skills (Prasmala, Zubaidah, & Mahanal, 2014). The implementation of Remap-Reciprocal Teaching could enhance students' critical thinking skills (Sholihah, Zubaidah, & Mahanal, 2016). The implementation of Remap-TPS could improve critical thinking skills of students who have low academic ability was equal to those who have a high academic ability (Zubaidah, Tendrita, Ramadhan, & Mahanal, 2018).
In the learning activity of Remap Coople model, students are asked to 1) read at home, 2) make a concept map, and 3) be cooperative in learning, with some of the following reasons.
Reading activity
A reading activity is a complex process which requires readers to remember and reflect their prior experiences to construct the meaning of the text (Liaw, 2007). In constructing the understanding from texts, the readers are required to have an ability to distinguish facts and opinions; understanding implicit meaning, finding the details related to the problem to discuss; understanding causal relationship between events and actions; detecting the inferential relationship from details observed; being a perceptive reader from many points of view; making moral consideration and fair judgment; and the most important is implementing what they have learned to other domain or a real life (Tung & Chang, 2009).
A reading activity is a cognitive effort engaging a reader interaction, text, and activity (Yousefi, 2016); when reading, a reader takes a look at the text as verbal representation from writer's thought. The reader attempts to enter the writer's point of view. The reader attempts to construct writer's thought on their mind (Paul & Elder, 2002). Elder & Paul (2004) stated that "to study well, a student must read well". Cook assumes that a reading activity as a thinking process and highlights the importance of engaging students to retell the text they have read (Hosseini, Khodaei, Sarfallah, & Dolatabadi, 2012). Thus, the reading activity can be defined as the reader is trained to think critically.
Concept mapping
Constructing concept maps in this research is a way to engage students to retell the material they have read. Paul & Elder (2014) stated that a reading activity requires knowledge maps to understand the system of thought. A concept map is a tool that can be a representative of knowledge structure by illustrating the relationship among relevant concepts in the knowledge domain. During the construction of concept maps, students draw concepts related to a certain domain and are asked to relate these concepts in a knowledge framework hierarchically (Novak & Gowin 1984). By connecting and combining a new knowledge with the existed knowledge framework, students can develop a deep and richer understanding and better use of knowledge (Harris & Alexander 1998). Hariyadi, Corebima, Zubaidah, and Ibrohim (2018) revealed that a mind map, the other form of a concept map, has a great contribution towards the students' understanding.
A concept map has been used as an effective tool to teach and learn (Cañas et.al., 2004), since this is also a valuable thing to represent, visualize, and measure individual's knowledge, who facilitates a learning assessment. This concept map is based on learning theory of Ausubel about a meaningful learning (Novak & Cañas 2008). A meaningful learning is signed by integrating a concept and new propositions using relevant ideas with some substantive ways an individual's cognitive structure. According to Mayer (2002), a meaningful learning happens when students build a knowledge and cognitive process required for problem-solving. The meaningful learning requires critical thinking skills in the process of repeated refinement. The fact that building a concept map involves a meaningful learning shows that a concept map is a good tool to enhance critical thinking skills.
Cooperative Learning with Remap-TmPS Model
Johnson & Johnson (1999) stated that cognitive learning facilitates students to study in a small and heterogeneous team to solve problems. Slavin (2005) emphasizes that cooperative learning facilitates students to help each other in a group to understand certain concepts. A cooperative learning builds a learning atmosphere involving students to study together in a small team to achieve their learning goal. Therefore, a cooperative learning supports students with various prior experiences to work and learn in a small team so they can help each other to achieve their learning goal.
A cooperative learning used in this research is Timed Pair Share (TmPS). As explained above, Remap Coople learning has these activities: 1) students are given a reading task at home, 2) students are asked to construct a concept map and 3) students study at classroom using TmPS cooperative learning which has the syntax: 1) students are group in pairs and each student is given number 1 and 2; 2) all students are given a chance to do the test individually in a limited time; 2) students given number 1 has a chance to deliver their answer while those who get number 2 should listen without raising any questions; 3) students given number 2 write their responses related to the answer from students A in a limited time (whether they agree or not with the answer and give the reasons, also should make a conclusion) in a limited time; 4) students deliver their responses in a class discussion forum in a limited time; 5) the teacher can give a reinforcement of material; and 6) in the next question repeating the first step, then in the third step, students alternately change their role as answer delivers and listeners (developed from Nakagawa, 2003). The role change makes each student has the same chance to develop their critical thinking skills.
A study conducted by Rosyida et.al. (2016) indicated that Remap-TmPS learning model could improve students' critical thinking skills, but its effect on students with the low academic ability is still unclear. According to Nakagawa (2003), however, TmPS has a potential to improve the low-ability students' critical thinking skills. Based on the previous elaboration, it is assumed that it requires to investigate the effect of Remap-TmPs learning model and the academic ability towards students' critical thinking skills.
1. Is there a critical thinking skills difference between students' who taught using Remap-TmPs learning and who those taught using a conventional learning?2. Is there a critical thinking skills difference between students' who have the high academic ability and those who have the low academic ability?
3. Is there an interactional effect between a learning model and academic ability towards students' critical thinking skills?
1. There is a significant difference in critical thinking skills between students' who taught using Remap-TmPs learning and who those taught using a conventional learning.2. There is a significant difference in critical thinking skills between students' who have the high academic ability and those who have the low academic ability.
3. There is an interactional effect between a learning model and academic ability towards students' critical thinking skills.
