An Investigation into the Assessment of Critical Thinking Skills in Physics Textbooks for Grade X Semester II at Senior High Schools

Abstract

In the context of the revised 2013 curriculum, critical thinking skills have become essential for students in the 21st century. A survey conducted across public high schools in Padang revealed that various sources authored and published physics textbooks used by these schools. However, it remains unclear whether these printed books incorporate indicators of critical thinking skills. Consequently, researchers analyzed the Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) component, explicitly focusing on critical thinking, in physics textbooks used in high schools. This descriptive study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis. The study population consisted of all Grade X Semester II physics textbooks across 16 public high schools in Padang. The sample comprised widely used printed books from three publishers: Intan Pariwara's 2016 physics textbook, Erlangga's 2016 publication, and Tiga Serangkai's 2016 printed book. Research data were collected using an analysis instrument for HOTS indicators in Grade X Semester II physics textbooks. Findings indicate that the ER book exhibited the highest availability of critical thinking skills indicators within the "quite facilitating" category, while the TS book displayed the lowest availability. The sub-indicator of critical thinking often found in textbooks is the sub-indicator of concluding in IP books, with a percentage of 90%. Meanwhile, the lowest percentage, 0%, is in the deductive and inductive sub-indicators in the TS book. Consequently, it can be concluded that the availability of critical thinking skills indicators in the commonly used printed books in Padang's public high schools is not easy. It is hoped that this research will assist teachers in selecting appropriate learning resources (printed books), particularly in physics, to enhance students' critical thinking skills at the high school level in the 21st century.