Profile of Critical Thinking Skills of Students on Hydraulic Pump Theme Learning in One of the Junior High Schools in Sumedang Regency

Abstract

This study addresses students' critical thinking skills profiles in learning about hydraulic pumps under a STEM Quartet Instructional Framework using a problem-based learning approach. This study was implemented in a VIII class at one Indonesian junior high school. Data collection and analysis considered learning observations, teacher interviews, document studies, and recordings (audio and video). The learning design is problem-based, consisting of two school-based activities and homework projects. The learning of hydraulic pump design uses a contextual problem related to the student's daily life in Sumedang Regency, where the students live. The discussion allowed students to demonstrate critical thinking indicators. The profile of students' critical thinking skills is seen from the appearance of indicators of critical thinking skills. The highest indicators of student critical thinking skills occurred in the first face-to-face meeting: asked questions (203 times), identified concepts (124 times), and delivered assumptions (188 times). The highest Indicators of critical thinking skills at the second face-to-face meeting are: described data or information (227 times), delivered assumptions (148 times), and asked questions (125 times). The indicators reflect differences in the stages of the first and second sessions. Meanwhile, the least indicator of critical thinking skills at the first and second face-to-face meetings was ‘conveying the goal’. The lack of appearance of that indicator was influenced by the low attention of students to the goal. The results were influenced by the learning phases and individual and group characteristics.