THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SETS-BASED PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT INCORPORATING ETHNOSCIENCE IN IMPROVING CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS ON THE HUMAN MOVEMENT SYSTEM

Abstract

Critical thinking is an essential 21st-century skill that needs to be developed in biology learning. However, students’ critical thinking skills remain relatively low, as assessments tend to focus on cognitive learning outcomes and do not authentically evaluate learning processes. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of a performance assessment based on Science, Environment, Technology, and Society (SETS) integrated with ethnoscience in improving students’ critical thinking skills on the topic of the human movement system. This research employed a quasi-experimental method using a pretest-posttest control group design. The population consisted of all eleventh-grade students at SMA Negeri 1 Teluk Kuantan, with a sample of 66 students divided into an experimental class (33 students) and a control class (33 students). The research instruments included a critical thinking skills test and a performance assessment. Data were analyzed using the N-Gain test and independent t-test. The results showed that the average N-Gain score of students’ critical thinking skills in the experimental class was 0.64 (moderate category), while the control class obtained 0.38 (moderate category). The t-test results indicated that the Asymp. Sig. (2-tailed) value was 0.000 < 0.05, showing a significant difference between the experimental and control classes. In addition, the performance assessment results in the experimental class showed an average score of 28.15, categorized as very good. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that SETS-based performance assessment integrated with ethnoscience is effective in improving students’ critical thinking skills on the topic of the human movement system.