Construction of structural correlation of quantitative literacy and critical thinking, and factors affecting them in students of pre-service biology teachers

Abstract

Quantitative literacy and critical thinking skills contribute to the skill of pre-service biology teachers to teach 21st-century learning. This study aims to describe the construction of structural correlation between quantitative literacy and critical thinking skills, and factors affected them among South Kalimantan pre-service biology teachers. The researchers employed a quantitative correlational research method. The samples were 245 biology education students in South Kalimantan province. The instrument used for this study was a test instrument and a questionnaire. The data analysis techniques used were partial least square, structural equation modeling, and Spearman correlation test to evaluate structural models and hypothesis testing. The results of this study indicated that there is a significant relationship between quantitative literacy ability and critical thinking skills of students of pre-service biology teachers in South Kalimantan. There is a significant influence from the factors that affected students’ critical thinking skills and quantitative literacy, except age.