Development of guided discovery learning to improve students reflective thinking ability and self learning

Abstract

The efforts to improve student’s reflective thinking and self-learning can be done through a learning process by providing contextual problems that generate curiosity, recognize what is known and what is needed from the problem, and provide opportunities for students to work, and draw conclusions from the problem. One learning model that can facilitate these activities is guided discovery learning. This developmental research aims to: 1) Design and develop guided discovery learning models to improve reflective thinking ability and student self-learning, 2) Analyze the effectiveness of model and learning tools that are developed towards improving reflective thinking ability and student self-learning. The population subjects in this study were all eighth-grade students of the State Junior High School in Bandar Lampung City. Each one of the sample schools was randomly selected from the high-rank and middle-rank schools. In each school, the sample was taken randomly in two classes. One class as an experimental class applied guided discovery learning, one class as a control class, which is applied to conventional learning. The instrument used is a test of reflective thinking ability and student self-learning scale, interview guidelines, observation sheets, and questionnaires. Based on the study it was concluded that: 1) The guided discovery model that was developed has met valid and practical criteria, 2) The guided discovery model that was developed effectively to improve students’ reflective thinking ability and student’s self-learning both in high-rank school and middle-rank school.