The chemistry-oriented critical thinking skills are vital in establishing critical scientist, as well as producing quality society especially at the age of internet where there are boundless information can be found. Integrating critical thinking skills in a already- implemented higher order thinking skills in a difficult and abstract subject such as chemistry can provide not only basic knowledge to the students, moreover integrating the skills in the subject can help students to solve problems related to chemistry itself, and real life problem in general. In this paper, a discussion on the role of critical thinking using suitable cognitive skills is presented to understand the link between Chemistry content and the cognitive skills of critical thinking. Through selected chemistry problems, critical thinking skills and its role in solving the problem is highlighted.
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Scientific Reasoning Skills And Stem Education: Why, When, How?
Corrienna Abdul Talib1, Shamini A/P Thanga Rajan2 & Marlina Ali3
1,2&3
Faculty of Education, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Malaysia
[email protected] Abstrak:
The education system has become an important tool to produce an individual with multiple talents and knowledge. In order to be all rounded and excellent performing student, it is important for students to acquire scientific reasoning skill. Students are able to manipulate science concept they learn if they acquire scientific reasoning skill. Students will master what they have learned and apply in daily life with this skill. One of the learning approaches integrates the content knowledge and skill to find a solution for real world problem is STEM learning. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) aims to produce students with good quality to compete in real world challenges. One of the core elements of STEM is scientific reasoning skills. There are numerous research has been done to measure students scientific reasoning skills through several available establish instruments. This paper will discuss about scientific reasoning skills in STEM education. The study finds that it is important to develop scientific reasoning skill among students. It is also important to measure if students have acquired the scientific reasoning skill. Assessment is the bridge between teaching and learning. Thus, an accurate instrument is needed to measure students scientific reasoning skill.
Keywords: Scientific reasoning, Science, Malaysian student, Assessment, STEM
1.0 Introduction
It was the vision of the Malaysian government to be developed country by 2020. The vision can be achieved by producing more individuals with the expertise of science and technology (Hamdan, 2012). Malaysian education system since then, giving importance and priority in developing scientifically talented individuals (Nor Ain, 2016). Aligned with this aim, the Malaysian Science Integrated Curriculum focusing on improving students thinking, reasoning skill at a deeper level. Since 2010 Malaysian education has introduced the scientific reasoning skills in science curriculum (Suhaimi, 2010).
Science is one of the main subjects taught in Malaysian schools starting from primary one to tertiary education. In the beginning stage, science is taught in basic skill involves reading, writing and arithmetic and move forward to other skills in deeper stage. The main objective of science education is to produce scientifically literate individuals (Hand, 2010).
The current curriculum emphasizes the involvement of students in learning science content (Chen, 2011). Students must possess scientific reasoning skills in order to actively involved in the learning process.
In international assessment such as Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and Programme of International Student Assessment (PISA), performance of Malaysian students are not in the satisfactory level. The results indicated only 2-10% of the students
exceled in solving problems that are abstract and able to make conclusion (Mullis, 2012).
According to Mullis report, 60% of the students are in low international benchmark. It can be interpreted that Malaysian students have difficulty in transferring their knowledge to situational questions. In a study conducted by Osborne (2013) it revealed that science students showing lower levels of thinking skill. This is aligned with the statement released by the National Science Foundation (2010) stating students not able to solve real world problems due to lack of science literacy or scientific reasoning skill.
TIMSS assesses students’ thinking skills in three main cognitive domains, namely knowing, applying and reasoning (Mullis, 2012). According to Gonzales (2008), sixty percent of the assessment is covered by applying and reasoning domains. It would be difficult for students with inadequate scientific reasoning skills to solve the assessment. PISA is another international assesement for students aged fifteen years, which measure students scientific reasoning skill (OECD, 2013). Students should be able to understand the science issues, explain the issue scientifically and draw a reasoning for the issue.