How student worksheet oriented of content complexity and cognitive processes can improve conceptual understanding and critical thinking skill of student in physics learning in high school

Abstract

The use of instructional materials oriented to the fulfilment of 4 dimensions of knowledge and 6 stages of cognitive processes is necessity in high school learning, overall on the standard content curriculum of 2013. This study aims to develop, apply, and evaluate the study materials based on researches in the form of Student Worksheet oriented to content complexity and cognitive processes. This article is intended to share the experiences with teachers in physics of high school who used the student worksheet. This research was conducted in 2017-2018 at high school in Padang city. The activity begins by problem identification of student physics learning. Low conceptual understanding and critical thinking of students are two substantial issues that identified. For these two problems, the Student Worksheet was developed with metacognitive strategies on the concept of Circular Motion and Force on Objects. Eligibility of the Student Worksheet was obtained from suggestion and validation of 5 experts judgment, and 3 practitioners of physics in high school. The Effectiveness test was conducted through an experimental study involving two classes of students in the design of “pre-test and post-test control group design”. The results of triangulation data obtained from expert judgment, practitioners, and students was concluded that the developed Student Worksheets are in valid, practical and effective categories to improve the conceptual understanding and critical thinking of students in physics learning in high school.