PENGARUH STRATEGI KOOPERATIF GROUP INVESTIGATION TERHADAPKETERAMPILAN BERPIKIR KRITIS DAN MENGAMBIL KEPUTUSAN PADA MATAKULIAH PENGETAHUAN LINGKUNGAN

Abstract

A quasi-experimental research had been conducted in the course for Environmental Science at the Department of Mathematics and Science, Faculty of Teacher Education, Haluoleo University Kendari for one semester, from February to May  2012. The objectives of the research were: (1) to determine the effect of Cooperative Group Investigation (GI) Strategy and compare them with Conventional Learning (CL, teacher centered learning) on critical thinking and  decision making skills, (2) to determine the effect of academic ability on critical thinking and  decision making skills, and (3) to determine the effect of interaction of learning strategies and academic ability on critical thinking and  decision making skills. The quasi-experimental research had been conducted at 2 equivalent classes using different learning strategies, i.e GI and CL. Each class consisted of 32 students with two academic abilities, which are Higher Academic (HA) and Lower Academic (LA) abilities. Sampling used was purposive sampling (only science students). The data was collected using tests and observation sheets. The research data had been analyzed by MANOVA and post-hoc analysis had been performed by LSD test. The results showed that: (1) there was a significant effect of learning strategies on critical thinking and  decision making skills, (2) there was a significant effect of academic ability on critical thinking skills but did not significantly effect decision making, (3) there was a significant effect on the interaction between learning strategies and academic abilities on critical thinking and  decision making skills. TheLSDtestshowedthat: GI was better and significantly different from CL in improving critical thinking and  decision making skills;   HA was better and significantly different from LA in improving critical thinking and  decision making skills. Interaction of GI+HA and GI+LA; are better and significantly different from CL+HA and CL+LA in improving both critical thinking and  decision making skills in Environmental Science.

Keywords: cooperative GI, critical thinking, decision making