Improving Critical Thinking Skills of Vocational School Students Using Problem-Based Learning

Abstract

This study aims to determine the differences in critical thinking skills between students who learn using the problem based learning model and STAD model. This research is a quantitative study with a quasi-experimental method. The population of this study is the X grade students of SMK Negeri 3 Surakarta in the academic year 2017/2018. Samples were obtained by using cluster random sampling technique consisting of two classes namely X PM 1 class as the experimental class with problem-based learning and X PM 3 class as the control class with STAD learning. The technique of collecting data uses a multiple choice test to determine students' critical thinking skills. Data Analysis is using MANOVA. The results of the study indicate that there is a significant influence between the learning model on critical thinking skills. The application of the problem-based learning model proved to be more able to improve students' critical thinking skills compared to the STAD learning model.

Efficacy of Problem-Based Learning Strategy to Enhance EFL Learners’ Paragraph Writing and Grammar Skills

“…The findings from this study are among the sea of data supporting the notion that PBL enhances students' writing skills. The PBL model has also been associated with an improvement in students' thinking and ability to deduce meaning from instructions (Lapuz & Fulgencio, 2020). According to Fried-Booth (2002), PBL can be a student-centered approach to education motivated by meeting the intended purposes.…”

“…When students explore situations or cases relating to solving problems, the activities involved trigger engagement and motivation (Bosuwen & Woodrow, 2009). According to Lapuz and Fulgencio (2020), PBL enhances the improvement of critical thinking skills levels among students, and it also ensures the improvement of the process of teaching and learning. The PBL model guides the students in thinking, analyzing, researching, and investigating; these activities are conducted either in groups or independently, and it remains the core of the PBL model.…”

“…The outcome indicates the need for students to be perfectly trained in the practices and theory of PBL for the success of the implementation. According to Lapuz and Fulgencio (2020), PBL improves student critical thinking as well as the learning and teaching process. Vygotsky (1980), a renowned theorist, discovered the significance of social interaction in the development of cognition.…”

Understanding Middle School Students’ Self-Efficacy and Performance in a Technology-Enriched Problem-Based Learning Program: A Learning Analytics Approach

“…Research has also indicated that PBL has the potential to improve students’ higher-order thinking skills, attitudes about learning, and self-efficacy. Lapuz and Fulgencio (2020) found PBL effective in enhancing critical thinking among middle school students. Valdez and Bungihan (2019) found that PBL improved high school students’ problem-solving in chemistry.…”

Mathematics education for relevance, responsiveness, and viability in Africa within the Fourth Industrial Revolution era

“…Similarly, MacDonald and Savin-Baden (2004, p. 13) state that in PBL the emphasis is on organising the module content, focusing on case studies or scenarios, while Savery (2006, p. 9) defines PBL as a method that requires formulating sound or practical solutions to some real-world issues through doing self-directed research for information. More recent definitions of PBL describe it as an approach that uses problems to encourage students to acquire knowledge of a discipline or subject (Lapuz & Fulgencio 2020) or as a learner-centred teaching and learning approach that challenges students to do a self-directed search of sources, and then apply their acquired knowledge to formulate possible solutions to a real-world problem (Corrêa & Martins 2016, p. 159). This chapter will refer to the definition of Torp and Sage (2002).…”