Evaluation of Critical Thinking Elements: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Physics Textbook Grade IX

Abstract

Critical thinking skills are essential in the 21st century in all academic and overall life. This skill is among the 4Cs of the twenty-first century that enable learners to analyze information, argumentation evaluation, decision making, and problem-solving. The purpose of the current study is to analyze the 9th-grade physics textbook about the development of critical thinking skills among students. A purpose sampling technique was utilized to select the physics textbook. Nvivo 12 software was used as a facilitator to get the analysis of the document after importing it in PDF format through the qualitative content analysis method. Passages and activities regarding critical thinking skills development were identified. As per the analysis of the document, five aspects were extracted regarding the development of critical thinking skills, encouragement of inquiry-based tasks, promotion of application and problem-solving, development of analysis and evaluation, creative thinking, and connection of concepts towards real-life situations. There are different examples from the textbook that promote open-ended questions, practical problems, analysis, and creative exercises to challenge students to think critically with the application of their knowledge. Through engagement in inquiry-based activities, data analysis, problem-solving, evaluation, and creativity, the learners of the twenty-first century can develop the capability of critical thinking with innovation and logic.