Reflective and Critical Thinking Profiles in Numeracy Literacy-Based Thematic Learning: Indonesia and Malaysia

This study aimed to examine differences in students’ reflective and mathematical critical thinking following the implementation of a numeracy literacy-based thematic learning model in Indonesia and Malaysia. A comparative quasi-experimental design was employed involving 114 fifth-grade elementary school students, comprising 57 students from Indonesia and 57 students from Malaysia. The learning model was implemented in six sessions in each school. Data were collected using reflective thinking and mathematical critical thinking tests, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Shapiro–Wilk normality test, independent samples t-test, and chi-square test, while interview data were analyzed descriptively. The results showed significant differences between the two groups in reflective thinking (t = 6.239, df = 112, p < .001) and mathematical critical thinking (t = 4.328, df = 112, p < .001). The chi-square analysis also indicated significant differences in the distribution of reflective thinking categories (?² = 22.405, df = 2, p < .001) and mathematical critical thinking categories (?² = 24.025, df = 2, p < .001). Interview findings further illustrate differences in students’ approaches to understanding problems, developing strategies, evaluating solutions, and reflecting on their reasoning. The findings indicate that the implementation of numeracy literacy-based thematic learning was associated with different profiles of reflective and mathematical critical thinking across the two educational contexts.