Guided inquiry-blended learning (GI-BL) to enhance the critical thinking skill of undergraduate biology students

Critical thinking skills are required by undergraduate biology students to be able to face global challenges and achieve success in life and at work. Guided Inquiry-Blended Learning (GI-BL) is a strategy that can be developed in the plant physiology lectures to promote students’ critical thinking skills. Online interactions complement the Guided Inquiry strategy to assist learner both in learning how to communicate and facing any difficulties. This study aimed to test the hypothesis whether GI-BL could affect biology students’ critical thinking skills. This study employed a quasi- experimental approach with pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design. The research was conducted at the Biology Department of Universitas Negeri Malang. The sample consisted of 35 students from the experimental class which was learned with Guided Inquiry-Blended Learning (GI-BL), 29 students from the first control class which was learned with Structured Inquiry-Blended Learning (SI-BL), and 25 students from the second control class which was learned with Structured Inquiry (SI). Data of the research was collected using a critical thinking test. Data on the students’ critical thinking skills was analyzed using paired t-test to determine the effectiveness of each strategy, ANACOVA with 5% significance level to investigate the difference in students’ critical thinking skills after learning with three learning strategies tested, and Cohen-d to determine the size effect of each treatment. The results showed that GI- BL and SI-BL had a significant effect on the students’ critical thinking skills; however, GI-BL was proven more effective in improving the ability of the students to recognize assumptions, evaluate arguments and interpret arguments. The present study provides an empirical basis for implementing GI-BL to improve the critical thinking of undergraduate biology students.