The Effect of Conflict Cognitive Strategy in Inquiry-based Learning on Preservice Teachers’ Critical Thinking Ability

Abstract

The current trend of learning goals for universities that they are able to produce preservice teachers who think critically and the teaching process focusing on the empirical inquiry activities is recommended as a foundation for practicing critical thinking. Generating preservice teachers’ prior knowledge in inquiry activities is needed using conflict cognitive strategies. Based on theoretical studies, the conflict cognitive strategy can treat learners to think critically. This study was aimed at describing the effects of the conflict cognitive strategy in inquiry-based learning model on preservice teachers’ critical thinking ability. This study was quasi-experimental research with one group pretest-posttest design. The sample of this study consisted of 18 preservice teachers of the physics study program at State Islamic University of Mataram. The preservice-teachers’ critical thinking ability were assessed using a critical thinking ability test instrument in the form of essay test. The data of critical thinking ability were analyzed descriptively and statistically, where homogeneity test, normality test, and t-test were applied. The results showed that the conflict cognitive strategy in inquiry-based learning model had a significant effect on preservice teachers’ critical thinking ability. The finding and discussion are further described in this article.