The Effectiveness of Inquiry Learning Models Intervened by Reflective Processes to Promote Critical Thinking Ability in Terms of Cognitive Style

Abstract

This study aims to explore the effectiveness of inquiry learning models inter-vened by the reflective process to promote the critical thinking ability of preserv-ice teachers in terms of cognitive style. This study is a quasi-experimental re-search with one-group pretest posttest design. The research sample involved 24 preservice physics teachers who studied at the Physics Education Department - Mandalika University of Education (Undikma). Cognitive style measurement us-es the Group Embedded Figures Test (GEFT) to identify groups of preservice teachers into the field dependent (FD) or field independent (FI) cognitive style. Measurement of critical thinking ability using test instruments in the form of es-says consisting of 8 test items. Critical thinking ability score is analyzed descrip-tively and statistically, where the normality test and paired t-test was conducted. The results of the study show that as many as 13 preservice teachers are catego-rized into the FD cognitive style and 11 categorized into the FI cognitive style. The average pretest score of the two cognitive style groups (FD and FI) was 0.87 with the criteria of "less critically", and after the implementation of the inquiry learning model intervened by the reflective process, the average posttest score was 16.25 with the criteria of "critically," and n- a gain of 0.64 with the criteria of "moderate." These results indicate that the inquiry learning model intervened by the reflective process is effective to promote critical thinking ability of preservice teachers with FD and FI cognitive styles.