THE APPLICATION OF GROUP INVESTIGATION MODEL IN CIRCULATION LEARNING SYSTEM TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ SCIENCE PROCESS SKILLS AND CRITICAL THINKING ABILITIES

Abstract

Science process skills and critical thinking abilities are two things students must have. Some studies show that students are lack of science process skills and critical thinking. Therefore innovation in the learning process through the application of the group investigation model is needed to improve students' science process skills and critical thinking abilities. This research aims to improve students' science process skills and critical thinking abilities through the application of group investigation learning models. This research was conducted using an experimental method with a pretest-posttest control group design. The research subjects were two groups consisting of 58 experimental group students and 68 control group students. Learning in the experimental group is carried out through group investigation model learning, while the control group uses conventional learning models. The parameters measured were an increase in science process skills and critical thinking skills. The science process skills and critical thinking abilities data were analyzed using parametric statistics, namely testing the difference in the two average normalized gain (n-gain) scores using an independent sample t-test. The results showed a significant difference in the improvement of science process skills and critical thinking of students between the experimental class and the control class. It means that the application of the group investigation learning model contributes both to the improvement of students' science process skills and critical thinking abilities.