Improving critical thinking skills of college students through RMS model for learning basic concepts in science

This research was quasi experimental research conducted in November 2014 to August 2015. The research was conducted on basic concepts in science in PGRI Semarang University.

Research Design

The method used was quasi-experimental research design with 2x2 factorial version non equivalent group design. Quasi experimental Nonequivalent Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design procedure is further shown in Table 3.

Table 3. The Procedure of Experimental Research Implementation

*Pretest*	Treatment	*Posttest*
O1	A1BI	O2
O3	A1B2	O4
O5	A2B1	O6
O7	A2B2	O8

Source: Sugiyono (2010: 107)

O1, O3, O5, O7: pretest scores
O2, O4, O6, O8: posttest scores
A1: lecturing using RMS learning model
A2: lecturing using conventional learning model
B1: a group of students with higher academic ability
B2: A group of students with lower academic ability

The determination of academic ability is based on students’ Grade Point of odd semester academic year 2014/2015, which is divided into three, namely high ability (HA), moderate ability (MA), and low ability (LA). This research examined the high ability and low ability. Students who are considered as high achievers are 33.3% of top listed students who achieve better than other students based on the Grade Point (GP). Students who are considered as low achievers are 33.3% of bottom listed students who achieve lower than other students based on the Grade Point (GP). The detail information of students’ academic ability is presented in Table 4.

Table 4. The Procedure of Experimental Research Implementation

No	Class	Academic Ability	Grade Point (GP)		Students
No	Class	Academic Ability	Lowest	Highest	Students
1.	2A (Conventional)	HA	3,43	3,86	15
2.		MA	3,21	3,4	15
3.		LA	2,72	3,2	15
4.	2C (RMS Learning Model)	HA	3,43	3,83	16
5.	2C (RMS Learning Model)	MA	3,21	3,4	16

Keterangan:
HA : High Academic Ability
MA : Moderate Academic Ability
LA : Low Academic Ability

Sampling

The study population was all students who receive the basic concepts inScience consisted of 418 students spread in 9 classes. Sampling usedcluster random sampling technique gained from 2 classes as treatment classes:

2A class (control class/conventional class) consisted of 45 students where 15 studentshaving high academic ability (HA) and 15 studentshaving low academic ability (LA), and
2C class (experimental class/classroom using RMS learning model) consisted of 48 students where 16 studentshaving high academic ability (HA) and 16 students having low academic ability (LA).

Instrumentation

Observation Sheet
The observation sheet was used to measure if thelearning process or the intended-operational (IO) ran well or not. The researcher scored 1-5 for each learning aspect. The learning aspects cover introduction, main activity, closing, and classroom management. The average scores were referred to the intervals 1 < IO < 2 (very low), 2 < IO < 3 (low), 3 < IO < 4 (moderate), 4 < IO < 5 (high), dan 5 IO = 5 (very high). The minimum IO for good learning activity is score that is considered as high.

Student Observation Sheet
The observation sheet is used to observe the students’ activity. The researcher took note the students’ activity on the observation sheet. This sheet is used to examine the students’ learning activity.

Critical Thinking Test
The researcher constructed a critical thinking-integrated essay test consisted of 18 items which was adapted from Facione (2013:5) covers interpretation, analysis, evaluation, inference, explanation, and self-regulation. The essay test was scored 0-4 and has a high reliability, that is 0.712.The closer look of the critical thinking test can be seen in Appendix A.

Teaching Process

RMS learning model was tried out before being implemented. The try out was conducted twice in the research class, hence the researcher did not find any difficulties during the experimentation and learning process.

The credit point of Basic concept of Science is 3. The intervention learning model was conducted 10 times each was done in 3x50 minutes. The material delivered in both classes were: 1) The classification of plants, 2) vertebrate animals, 3) invertebrates, 4) Ecosystem, 5) the human respiratory parts and system, 6) the human digestive system, 7) the relationship between the living and the environment, and 8) biotechnology of plants.

The condition in each meeting was noted and scored by the observer using learning observation sheet and students’ activity sheet. The average score of the learning in conventional class was 4.91 (categorized as high) and in RMS class was 4.9 (categorized as high). Based on the average score and the learning process in both classes, it showed that the learning ran well.

Data Analysis

The data analysis technique used was descriptive statistics and parametric inferential statistics techniques. Descriptive analysis was used to describe the data of students' critical thinking skills. Besides, parametric inferential statistics analysis techniques used to examine the data ofstudents' critical thinking skills using anacova (covariance analysis) with analysis program SPSS 20 for Windows.