The Role of Argumentation in Advancing Critical Thinking Skills Across Multiple Academic Levels in Science Learning
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Abstract
The aims of this research is to investigate critical thinking skills improvement of elementary school students in different level academic of students, there are excellent class and regular class in environmental pollution theme using Argument-Driven Inquiry (ADI) learning model. This research use method Quasi Experiment with design The Matching-Only Pretest-Posttest Comparison Group Design. Research subject are 65 students of fifth grader in elementary school. Data analysis are using N-Gain test to draw student’s critical thinking skills improvement, student’s real grade criteria analysis to draw the criteria of pretest and posttest average grade of student’s critical thinking skills. The result of whole student’s critical thinking skills in both of classes has the same result of improvement criteria, there is middle criteria, but for posttest real grade average criteria in both of classes has different result, in excellent class has high criteria and regular class has middle criteria. The lowest number of critical thinking skills aspect improvement for excellent class is information aspect with middle criteria, while regular class is assumption aspect with low criteria. The greatest number of critical thinking skills aspect improvement for both of classes is implementation and consequences aspect with high criteria. It can be conclude that critical thinking skills in excellent class and regular class has the improvement to the positive way after implementation of Argument-Driven Inquiry (ADI) learning model, but excellent class has outperformed than regular class.
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