Pengaruh Model Pembelajaran Inkuiri untuk Meningkatkan Keterampilan Berpikir Kritis Peserta Didik pada Materi Momentum dan Implus Kelas XI

Abstrak

The inquiry learning model is an independent learning approach that encourages students to formulate questions, design procedures, collect data, and draw conclusions based on self-directed exploration. This study aims to analyze the effect of the inquiry learning model on improving the critical thinking skills of eleventh-grade students on the topic of Momentum and Impulse, considering that conventional teaching methods are often not optimal in empowering students’ analytical abilities. The research employed a quasi-experimental method with a pretest–posttest control group design. The research sample was divided into an experimental group that applied the inquiry learning model and a control group that used lecture and discussion methods. Data were collected using an essay test instrument to measure critical thinking skills, and the improvement was analyzed using the Wilcoxon test and the Mann–Whitney test on Normalized Gain (N-gain) scores. The results showed a significantly higher improvement in the group that applied the inquiry learning model, with an N-gain value of 79.9944% (approximately 80%), compared to only 52% in the control group. These findings demonstrate that the inquiry learning model is effective in encouraging students to actively formulate hypotheses, collect data, and draw conclusions, thereby substantially enhancing their critical thinking skills in understanding the concepts of Momentum and Impulse.