Implementation of Project-based Learning Innovation to Develop Students’ Critical Thinking Skills as a Strategy to Achieve Analytical Chemistry Competencies

Abstract

Background:The ability to think critically is one of the life skill targets that pharmacists and scientists want to achieve in learning, therefore it is necessary to do project-based learning innovations to guide students to learn actively and independently in developing critical thinking skills. Objectives: This study aims to implement project-based learning to facilitate active and independent learning through project implementation to build students' critical thinking skills and at the same time to facilitate students to achieve competencies in the analytical chemistry required by pharmaceutical and chemical scientists. Materials and Methods: Research includes the development of project packages and the integration of information technology on the topic of Distillation, standardization of learning resources, and implementation of Analytical Chemistry teaching. Results: An innovative project-based learning resource package was successfully developed for the Distillation topic. Implementation of learning resource packages effectively guides students to carry out their own projects in separating target compound contextually through distillation method. The learning facilities available in the learning package have proven to be able in guiding students to design project assignments suit to target analyte. The learning potential of students has been optimized. Students' knowledge and skills in separating target analytes by distillation have been fully mastered as desired in the competency-based curriculum. The results of the assessment showed that the students' critical thinking skills were very good (M = 84.51±7.41). Student learning outcomes based on the portfolio value of the project proposal (M = 88.46±6.74) and project reports (M = 92.85±1.98), and from the objective score of the formative exam (M = 85.59±3.09) are all classified very good, namely the competence in the analytical field is achieved. Conclusion: Project-based learning innovations are very effective in improving critical thinking skills as well as increasing student competence in the field of analytical chemistry. Recommendation: Project-based learning is suitable for implementation in teaching other subjects to achieve the competencies required by scientists. This learning model is effective in building student competence in a normal learning atmosphere, or when social restrictions are imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Project-based learning model to promote students critical and creative thinking skills

“…The stages of the Project-Based Learning model can train students' critical thinking skills. It can be seen in stages 1) Determining Fundamental Questions, where students are required to understand and interpret or formulate problems based on the phenomena or information presented [3], and 2) Design Project Planning, which leads students to explain (explanation) what is the uniqueness or characteristic of the project made, 3) Prepare a schedule, where students can self-regulate in designing a schedule for completing the project that is made. They are required to re-check whether the schedule compiled is correct.…”

“…This research's 21 st -century thinking skills training are skills to think critically and creatively. Critical thinking is a scientific skill that can build knowledge by analyzing information to solve a problem and draw conclusions so that students can understand the subject being studied in-depth [3]. Critical thinking has several indicators, including interpretation, explanation, analysis, evaluation, inference, and selfregulation [4].…”

Implementation of Innovative Digital-Based Learning Resources for Teaching Occupational Safety and Health in Mechanical Engineering

“…The availability of digital learning resources has succeeded in helping students learn quickly and efficiently, and OSH skills can become a culture in every aspect of the work they do [28][29][30]. Completeness in OSH learning has been achieved as evidenced by students' ability to complete assignments related to the OSH topics they are studying [31][32][33]. Students have been directly involved through the implementation of their assignments and projects, and the final product is the achievement of competency in the field of OSH [34][35][36].…”

The Development of Guided Inquiry-Based Learning Resources as a Strategy to Achieve Student Competence in Analytical Chemistry

“…Analytical chemistry as a compulsory subject for undergraduate students in the Department of Chemistry plays a very important role in building student competence in the analytical field, including separation, identification and determination of qualitative or quantitative [15,16]. Analytical skills must be practiced contextually carried out in the laboratory [17]. Global problems due to the Covid-19 pandemic have forced the implementation of learning to be carried out online to break the transmission of the corona virus, resulting in the teaching of Analytical Chemistry not being carried out holistically, and minus practices that build analytical skills in the laboratory [18,19].…”