Critical thinking skills of environmental changes: A biological instruction using guided discovery learning-argument mapping (gdl-am)

Abstract

Based on the development of education in Indonesia today, teachers still teach in ways that make students memorize lessons. A learning model is needed that can support students to think critically. One of the learning models that can support students to think critically is through guided discovery learning model with argument mapping. This study aims to find out the influence of guided discovery learning models with an argument mapping to develop critical thinking skills. The research method used was quasi experimental and pretest-posttest control group design, the sample of the study consisted of 66 students drawn from 89 Senior High School Jakarta. This sample was divided into two groups to assign the experimental and control group. The experimental group was exposed to guided discovery learning and argument mapping, while the control group with conventional learning. The result of independent sample t-test with a significance level of α = 0.05 experimental group showed that p-value was 0.000. It can be concluded that there is the influence of the guided discovery learning with argument mapping on senior high school students’ critical thinking skills. The result of Normalized gain also show that the experimental group was effective to develop critical thinking skills (N-gain = 0.45). Furthermore, the study found out that N-gain for each indicator of critical thinking skills in the experimental group was higher than the control group. Basic clarification (N-gain = 0.31), bases for decision (N-gain = 0.68), inference (N-gain = 0.19), and advance clarification (N-gain = 1.2) were reported. Guided discovery learning with argument mapping should be an alternative learning medium to develop critical thinking skills.