1. Introduction
Partnership for 21st Century Learning (P21) has developed a learning framework that identifies several competencies and skills essential for success in life and career; one of the skills is critical thinking [
1]. Someone who thinks critically can identify problems, ask questions, convey an argument with ease, and find various information [
2]. Critical thinking skills can help a person deal with social, scientific, and practical problems effectively [
3]. Critical thinking brings the right way of thinking and working, allows a person to be more accurate and specific in recognizing what is relevant, and is useful in problem solving and project management [
4]. Critical thinking skills contribute to success at a higher level of education because higher education has defined critical thinking skills as the graduates’ primary skills [
5,
6,
7,
8].
Research shows that university students in Indonesia have poor critical thinking skills. The students’ lack of critical thinking may result from passive learning that cannot promote student engagement [
9]. Moreover, in a critical thinking test, pre-service Biology teachers performed poorly by achieving an average score of 61.39 with the lowest score (27.14) observed in the “drawing conclusions” indicator and the highest score (79.39) found in the “evaluating arguments” indicator [
10]. Several other related studies suggested that students’ critical thinking in universities needs to be developed [
11,
12,
13,
14,
15].
The observations indicate that the empowerment of critical thinking skills tends to below [
16] is in line with this study results found that lecturers rarely plan or perform activities that can facilitate critical thinking. Biology learning is apt to sharpen students’ low order of thinking skills limited to remembering and understanding a concept [
17]. Traditional learning still dominates learning processes with the lecture method.
Critical thinking in Biology needs to be developed since it is useful for analyzing the biology system’s complexity. Biology includes studying living things and their interactions with the environment to form complex systems that are hierarchical and consist of multilevel interactions [
18]. The development of students’ critical thinking in Biology is vital because it constitutes an integral part of the natural sciences. Biology learning has the potential to facilitate learners’ critical thinking. Plant Morphology is one of the branches of Biology that is a prerequisite for joining other Biology courses such as Plant Anatomy and Plant Bio-systematics. Plant Morphology course aims to help students (1) analyze the relationship between the external and internal structures of plants as well as their functions, (2) understand the growth of plant organs, (3) describe the shape of every plant part and understand the terms associated with the shapes, and (4) implement the knowledge for various purposes. Enrolling in the Plant Morphology course allows students to think comprehensively to analyze the plant kingdom’s phenomena. Comprehensive thinking is associated with students’ ability to promote thinking skills. Through the implementation of appropriate learning instruction, it is expected that the Plant Morphology course can improve students’ critical thinking skills.
Critical thinking is not innate; it needs to be stimulated and taught explicitly in the classroom [
19,
20]. The development of critical thinking helps students train their thinking skills [
21]. It can be done through (1) explicit instruction or general programs, (2) embedded instruction, and (3) mixed programs [
22]. Research on how direct instruction or general programs could improve students’ critical thinking has been conducted. It showed that students can perform better in critical thinking when they are explicitly trained using learning activities embedded in a planned instructional model [
23].
Lecturers in Indonesian universities, especially Biology lecturers, have applied various instructional models to improve students’ critical thinking. Constructivist-based instructional models, such as Problem-Based Learning, Inquiry, Discovery, Project-Based Learning, and Cooperative Learning have been implemented in the classroom. Still, no significant improvement was observed in the students’ critical thinking skills. Some research findings even reported unsatisfactory results of students’ critical thinking tests from implementing Problem-Based Learning alone without being combined with other learning strategies [
24,
25]. In higher education, the implementation of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) was less efficient than the implementation of conventional learning strategies [
26]. It is challenging to apply PBL in all classrooms, and PBL is not always compatible with all subjects taught in a university [
27]. Another issue that may arise in PBL classrooms is that the students have difficulty dealing with problem solving due to a lack of background knowledge. It is only possible because the students have low motivation in reading. In addition, cooperative learning cannot provide better results if it is not combined with a different learning strategy [
28]. When implementing a cooperative instructional model, lecturers will face difficulties in thoroughly assessing time constraints [
29].
The fruitfulness of implementing an instructional model in the classroom depends on the quality of learning experiences provided for the students. The first learning experience that needs to be optimized in the learning process is reading. Reading aims to form thinking skills, including critical thinking through capturing, understanding, imagining, applying, and expressing ideas [
30]. The second important learning experience is connecting prior knowledge and new knowledge to see the course material’s relevance to real-life situations [
31]. Another important thing is to provide students with meaningful learning experiences through observation or investigation-based activities [
32]. Based on observations or investigations, students can continue exploring the material or the topic [
33]. The fourth learning experience that students need to focus on during the learning process is discussing. Discussing will support student academic achievement through the development of critical thinking skills [
34]. Fifth, students need to be competent at evaluating. Evaluating helps students develop critical thinking through self-reflection and self-assessment [
35].
Based on the explanations above, it is clear that an instructional model and instructional tools that can facilitate critical thinking need to be developed. Instructional models will function properly if they provide meaningful learning experiences for students, such as reading, connecting background knowledge and new knowledge, observing, discussing, and self-evaluating. These learning experiences can be accommodated in an instructional model called ReCODE (Reading, Connecting, Observing, Discussing, and Evaluating). Therefore, this study aimed to develop a constructivist-based instructional model that can facilitate critical thinking.
2. Methods
This study was a Research and Development study that adopted the development model by Plomp, T. etc. [
36]. It consisted of three main phases: preliminary research, prototyping phase, and assessment phase.
2.1. Preliminary Research
Preliminary research covered students’ critical thinking profile investigations, instructional tools that can support the instructional model being developed, and instrument development.
Preliminary research on the instructional model. Empirically, this activity was conducted to analyze the instructional models used by Biology lecturers at FMIPA, Universitas Negeri Makassar (UNM), Makassar, Indonesia. At this stage, relevant learning theories underlying ReCODE and the instructional model’s development were also analyzed. The empirical study was performed through interview and course syllabus analysis. The empirical study’s result was a conceptual framework of ReCODE that can be applied to facilitate critical thinking.
Preliminary research on students’ critical thinking profile and reading motivation. The students’ critical thinking profile was obtained through a critical thinking test, while the students’ reading motivation was examined by administering a questionnaire to Biology students at FMIPA, UNM, Makassar, Indonesia.
Preliminary research on the instructional tools used in the Plant Morphology course at the Department of Biology Education, FMIPA, UNM. The instructional tools that were investigated included the course syllabus, lesson plan, worksheet, and assessment. The result of the analysis was thus used to develop new instructional tools suitable for the characteristics of ReCODE and that can be applied at UNM.
Preliminary research on instrument development. The instrument development theories analysis was also conducted to support the development of the ReCODE instructional model regarding data validity, practicality, and effectiveness.
2.2. Prototyping Phase
The prototyping phase consisted of the design stage, the realization of the prototype construction, and product validation and revision. The activity conducted at the design stage was to design the components of ReCODE included syntax, social system, reaction principle, supporting system (the conditions required for the implementation of the model, such as classroom setting, instructional system, instructional tools, learning facility, and media), and instructional impact (instructional and nurturant effect). The format of product validation and observation sheets was adapted from Arsyad, N. [
37]. The design of instruments consists of a questionnaire and a critical thinking test. The students’ responses to the test were assessed using a critical thinking rubric (with a reliability score of 0.896) modified from Zubaidah, S. etc. [
38] and referred to Finken and Ennis (2001).
The realization of the prototype was the follow-up of the prototyping stage. At this stage, the initial prototypes of the ReCODE model, instructional tools, and research instruments were generated. The realization of the ReCODE instructional model consisted of (a) planning the learning steps (syntax), (b) determining the social system, (c) organizing the reaction principle, (d) determining the supporting system, and (e) organizing the instructional impacts. The realization of the ReCODE instructional tools consisted of (a) lesson plan that contained identity, learning objective(s), indicator(s), instructional model, learning steps, learning tools, and resources and assessment and (b) worksheet. The realization of the research instruments consisted of (a) validation sheet format, (b) observation sheet, (c) student questionnaire, (d) questionnaire, and (e) critical thinking test instrument.
The activity conducted at the validation stage was to validate and revise prototype 1 to generate prototype 2 that was then tried out at the assessment phase. Three experts (two experts in the instructional model and one expert in Plant Morphology) performed the instructional model’s book’s validation, instructional tools, and research instruments. The model’s book’s drafts, instructional tools, and research instruments were given to the experts for evaluation. Product revision was thus made according to the suggestions from the experts. The category of product validation is shown in
Table 1.
A small group tryout was conducted for three meetings on Animal Structure material to identify problems that appeared during the ReCODE instructional model implementation. According to the expert validation and small group tryout results, revisions were made to generate prototype 2.
2.3. Assessment Phase
The assessment phase aimed to investigate the practicality and effectiveness of the ReCODE instructional model. The data on the product’s practicality was the model’s components’ compliance and the learning process conducted using the model. Meanwhile, the product’s effectiveness was seen from the N-gain score achieved after implementing the instructional model and obtained from the lecturer’s and students’ responses toward the implementation of ReCODE. The ReCODE instructional model was implemented in the Plant Morphology course for 11 meetings. Eight observers observed the implementation of the model. The model’s implementation employed one group pretest-post-test design (
Table 2). The pretest was conducted in the first meeting to examine the students’ initial critical thinking skills.
2.3.1. Participants
The experimental study participants were 38 students (from Class B) registered in the even semester of 2019/2020 at the Department of Biology Education, UNM, Makassar, Indonesia. All of the participants stated their informed consent to participate in the study before doing the pretest. The Dean approved the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, UNM (Number: 2066A/UN36. 1/PG/2019).
2.3.2. Data Analysis
The practicality of ReCODE was determined based on the criteria suggested by Hobri [
40] shown in
Table 3.
The effectiveness of ReCODE was observed from the students’ critical thinking scores after the implementation of the model. The critical thinking pretest and post-test results were analyzed using the normalized gain formula to obtain the N-gain score. The categorization of the N-gain score analysis is presented in
Table 4.
ReCODE was considered effective in improving students’ critical thinking if the mean N-gain score achieved >0.30 or if it was in the medium or high category. The instructional model’s effectiveness was also determined based on the lecturer and the students’ responses. The model was considered effective if 70% of the students provided positive responses toward the model and if the lecturer responded positively to at least 70% of the questionnaire items on every aspect examined.
4. Discussion
This study showed that ReCODE was valid, practical, and effective in improving students’ critical thinking skills as indicated by the N-gain medium score. According to the questionnaires’ analysis, the lecturer and the students positively responded to the instructional model. These findings suggest that meaningful learning experiences can support the development of critical thinking. The increase in the students’ critical thinking scores after implementing ReCODE is strongly associated with the model’s learning stages, including reading, connecting, observing, discussing, and evaluating.
The first stage, reading, requires students to read before class to search for information regarding the topic that will be discussed in the classroom. Reading is a means of acquiring knowledge [
44]. Reading is a complex process that requires the ability to recall and reflect on the previous memory [
45]. Researchers agree that knowledge that is constructed during reading is obtained through cognitive strategies [
46]. By practicing reading, students are encouraged to plan, understand, and monitor material and self-assessing [
47,
48]. Reading trains students to develop their thinking skills, and understanding a text can help improve learning effectiveness [
49,
50].
At the second stage, connecting, students are provided with the opportunity to connect the reading activity results to the classroom topic. This activity shows a real-life phenomenon to the students and asks them challenging questions about the situation. It is important that the students can understand the relationship between real-life situations and information that they are going to learn [
51]. The reading activity equips students with prior knowledge that can be used in the connecting stage. Prior knowledge contributes to an understanding of a particular topic [
52]. Such constructivist-based activity will motivate students to relate background knowledge with the information shared during the learning process, thus indirectly affecting the students’ thinking skills.
The third activity, observing, has the biggest contribution to improving students’ critical thinking skills. At this stage, students are asked to do an observation and discover a concept using a worksheet. The students are then encouraged to conduct the observation outdoors and use the result to verify the concept. Direct observations help students develop thinking skills by asking various questions [
53]. In observing, the lecturer plays a role as a facilitator who guides the students. The lecturer may ask scaffolding questions to help students explore the concept, construct new knowledge, and organize arguments based on the evidence obtained from the exploration/investigation stage [
54]. The questions can be in the form of leading, convergent, and divergent questions [
55]. According to Averkieva, L etc. [
56], critical thinking can be enhanced through scaffolding, motivation, and cooperative learning. Besides scaffolding, cooperative learning components are also included in the observing stage, where students work together in groups to discover a concept.
The fourth stage, discussing, provides the support of students’ academic success. Social constructivist theory suggests that students must interact with each other to reflect on and develop thinking skills [
57]. Discussion is a constructivist-based learning activity that can facilitate critical thinking [
58]. The activities conducted at the discussing stage are sharing and giving presentations. Students can improve critical thinking during the discussion activity because they can directly confirm the presenters’ knowledge. The interpretation and evaluation of information can also be found in students’ attempts to present the topic. The discussion-presentation strategy is deemed useful in improving students’ critical thinking [
59,
60].
The fifth stage is evaluating. The success of learning can be identified through evaluation. At the end of the lesson, ReCODE students are encouraged to reflect on the learning process and put it into journal writing. Students’ involvement in the reflection and evaluation activities allows them to develop critical thinking [
35,
61,
62]. The discussion can be done in an online platform called Google Classroom to accommodate the lecturer’s feedback. To reinforce student reflection, the lecturer should provide challenging, detailed, sincere, and friendly feedback [
63]. Dialogue through Google Classroom also has the potential to foster critical thinking skills. Research by Koh, E. etc. [
64] reported that organized dialogue in networking learning promotes critical thinking skills. In addition, the provision of an online platform can familiarize lecturers with practicing digital skills according to the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) framework. This is in line with Pozo-Sánchez, S etc. [
65] which stated that to develop pedagogical skills and content knowledge, the teachers/lecturer are also required to integrate technology in learning.
Based on the description above, the ReCODE model developed in this study is expected to improve the classroom’s learning process, which will enhance the quality of education. It is also hoped that this study’s results can provide information for readers who wish to conduct relevant research.
5. Conclusions
Based on the study results, it can be concluded that there was no difference in critical thinking between students from different batch groups in South Sulawesi; they were all in the medium category. The majority of the students had good reading motivation, less than half of the students had proper reading motivation, and only a few students had high reading motivation. The course syllabus analysis also showed that lecturers rarely used innovative learning methods that can improve students’ poor critical thinking skills. It is necessary to improve the learning process in higher education by implementing various strategies to empower thinking skills or developing a learning model to enhance students’ thinking skills. The ReCODE learning model developed in this study was proven valid, practical, and effective in improving students’ critical thinking skills.
According to experts, ReCODE was valid in terms of content, syntax, social system, the lecturer’s role or task in management, support system, and instructional impacts. This instructional model was also deemed practical because the model’s components and learning stages were feasible and effective because it can improve students’ critical thinking skills. Therefore, it is recommended to implement ReCODE in the classroom to facilitate student critical thinking development. This study was limited to higher education; thus, future studies may consider exploring the effectiveness of ReCODE in middle schools. The instructional model, ReCODE, should also be applied to various disciplines besides Biology.