Fourth-grade elementary students critical thinking skills: A preliminary study on magnetic force

Abstract

This research purposes to define student's critical thinking skills on magnetic forces toward elementary level through experiential learning. The indicators of critical thinking skills which were utilized in this research were the indicators that were precise to the critical thinking skills on magnetism. A descriptive-qualitative design has already been affected to collect data from fourth grade elementary students in one of Bandung Regency (27 participants: 9-10 years old). The instrument which is utilized formed multiple choices with interview process. The consequence shows that every aspect of critical thinking skills have been developed and defined such as: reasoning, arguments analysis, likelihood and uncertainty analysis and problem-solving and decision-making. To sum up, the experiential learning is able to define the 4th grade elementary student's critical thinking skills on magnetic forces.