ANALYSIS OF LITERACY AND NUMERACY SKILLS IN ENHANCING SCIENTIFIC CRITICAL THINKING IN STUDENTS: A CASE STUDY AT LANCANG KUNING UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Critical scientific thinking skills are essential for university students, particularly in addressing the demands of the information age and research development. This study aims to analyze the influence of literacy and numeracy skills on the scientific critical thinking abilities of Biology Education students at Universitas Lancang Kuning. Using an experimental method with a One Group Pretest-Posttest design, the study evaluates students' abilities in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, explanation, inference, and self-regulation before and after implementing an integrated literacy and numeracy-based learning approach. The findings reveal a significant improvement in students' critical scientific thinking abilities, with an average N-gain of 0.56, categorized as moderate. The aspects of interpretation, analysis, and evaluation showed the highest improvement, while explanation and self-regulation still require additional attention. These results suggest that integrating literacy and numeracy is an effective approach to enhancing students' critical thinking skills. The study recommends the development of supplementary learning strategies, such as project-based learning and digital technology utilization, to strengthen students’ explanatory and self-regulation skills further.