Socio-critical and problem-oriented approach in environmental issues for students' critical thinking skills development in Chemistry learning

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of applying a socio-critical problem-oriented approach in environmental issues to develop students' critical thinking skills in chemistry learning. The qualitative methodology is conducted in which participants critically analyze articles relating to the effect of acids and bases in the environment. Participants are 36 grade 11 chemistry students from a high school in Jakarta, Indonesia. Data are collected by interviews, reflective student journals, teacher notes, observation sheets, worksheets, and critical thinking skills tests based on the five SCIT 1020 critical thinking indicators: problem identification, conceptual understanding, finding relationships between concepts, developing assumptions, and drawing conclusions. The results show an improvement in students’ critical thinking skills, motivation, and involvement in the learning process, providing support for using a socio-critical and problem-oriented approach to science learning. The socio-critical and problem-oriented can be used as an alternative approach to chemistry learning or other subjects that is applicable and contextual in daily life and the environment and can be used to increase student activity in the classroom and critical thinking skills on learning process.