ERCoRe Learning Model to Improve Creative-Thinking Skills of Preservice Biology Teachers

Abstract

It is a challenge for higher education in the 21st century to prepare the students with various skills to master, including creative-thinking skills. Creative-thinking skills are essential to apply in all courses, one of which is Animal Structure. This research aims to determine the effect of the ERCoRe learning model in improving the creative-thinking skills of preservice biology teachers. It was conducted using the pretest-posttest control-group quasi-experimental design. The sample in this research were preservice teachers in the Biology Education Department of the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Sulawesi Barat Indonesia, who were enrolled in the even semester of the 2018/2019 academic year with the Animal Structure course. The subjects of this research were 84 preservice teachers in 4 classes, which were divided into two experimental classes and two control classes. The number of preservice teachers in the experimental class was 44 and in the control class 40. The experimental class was taught with the ERCoRe learning model and the control class with the conventional model, namely the lecture and question and answer methods. The research instrument used was an essay test of creative-thinking skills totaling 13 items. The research data were analyzed using one-way Ancova. It was found that the creative-thinking skills of the preservice teachers generated by the ERCoRe learning model were higher than those generated by the conventional model. The use of the ERCoRe learning model influences and can improve the creative-thinking skills of preservice biology teachers at the Universitas Sulawesi Barat. The authors recommend that the ERCoRe learning model be used for other subjects as considered to have the potential in developing 21st century skills, especially creative thinking.