The Effect of Guided Inquiry Learning Using PhET Media on Students’ Problem Solving Skill and Critical Thinking

Abstract

The research aimed to know whether there is influence of guided inquiry learning using PhET media to students' problem solving skill, to know whether there is influence of guided inquiry learning using PhET media to students' critical thinking skill, to know whether there is correlation or positive correlation between students' problem solving skill and critical thinking taught by guided inquiry learning using PhET media. This research was quasi experiment research. The population was all students of class X-MIA SMA Negeri 4 Medan Perak Academic Year 2016/2017. The sample selection was done by using random class technique of two classes. The first class was the X-MIA 4 class as the experimental class taught by guided inquiry learning using PhET media and second class was X-MIA class 7 taught by conventional learning. The instruments consisted of a validated tested problem solving skills and critical thinking. The data in this study were analyzed by using one-way ANOVA. The results showed that students’ problem solving skills and critical thinking of who were taught by guided inquiry learning using PhET media were better than students taught by conventional learning. The guided inquiry learning using PhET media has an influence on students’ problem solving skills and critical thinking in physics learning. There was a positive correlation between students' problem solving skills and critical thinking.

Keywords: Guided Inquiry, PhET, Problem Solving Skill, Critical Thinking