Vol. 11 No. 12 (2025): December
Open Access
Peer Reviewed

Unlocking Critical Thinking in Learners: RQA and Concept Maps Working Together

Authors

DOI:

10.29303/jppipa.v11i12.9308

Published:

2025-12-31

Downloads

Abstract

Critical thinking plays a vital role in the learning process, as it supports knowledge development and involves evaluating topics, content, and challenges. This research sought to assess the impact of Reading, Questioning, Answering (RQA)-Integrated Concept Maps (RQA-Integrated CM) on improving students' critical thinking abilities. Using a quasi-experimental with a purpose sampling pretest-posttest one group design, 30 biology students from Patompo University in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia were sampled for the study. The data were collected through essay tests focused on Human Anatomy and Physiology, designed around critical thinking criteria such as basic clarification, bases for a decision, inference, advanced clarification, supposition and integration, strategies and tactics. The tests consisted of 12 valid and reliable questions. The data were analyzed using Wilcoxon test at a 5% significance level. The findings demonstrated that RQA-Integrated CM positively influenced students' critical thinking. Based on these results, it is recommended that educators utilize RQA-Integrated CM to enhance critical thinking in the classroom

Keywords:

Biology Student Concept Maps Critical Thinking Skills RQA

References

Amin, A. M., & Adiansyah, R. (2023). The Contribution of Communication Skills and Digital Literacy to Students’ Critical Thinking Skills. Formatif: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan MIPA, 13(2), 279–294. http://dx.doi.org/10.30998/formatif.v13i2.16525 DOI: https://doi.org/10.30998/formatif.v13i2.16525

Andariana, A., Zubaidah, S., Mahanal, S., & Suarsini, E. (2019). Incorporating Remap-STAD Into Learning Cycle 5E to Improve Preservice Biology Teachers’ Critical Thinking Skills. Proceedings of the 2019 3rd International Conference on Education and Multimedia Technology-ICEMT 2019, 114–119. https://doi.org/10.1145/3345120.3345140 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1145/3345120.3345140

Asmara, R., Zubaidah, Siti, Mahanal, S., & Sari, N. (2023). Levels of Inquiry and Reading-Questioning-Answering (LoIRQA) to Enhance High School Students’ Critical and Creative Thinking. International Journal of Instruction, 16(3), 325–342. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2023.16318a DOI: https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2023.16318a

Bahri, A., & Idris, I. S. (2018). Development and Validation of Learning Strategy for Metacognitive Skills Empowerment: PBLRQA (PBL integrated with Reading, Questioning, and Answering). Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1028, 012028. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1028/1/012028 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1028/1/012028

Bahri, A., Suryani Idris, I., Nurman, R., & Ristiana, E. (2019). PBLRQA strategy potential in enhancing metacognitive skills of students with different academic achievement. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1317(1), 012199. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1317/1/012199 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1317/1/012199

Bandyopadhyay, S., & Szostek, J. (2019). Thinking critically about critical thinking: Assessing critical thinking of business students using multiple measures. Journal of Education for Business, 94(4), 259–270. https://doi.org/10.1080/08832323.2018.1524355 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08832323.2018.1524355

Brown, D. S. (2003). High school biology: A group approach to concept mapping. The American Biology Teacher, 65(3), 192–197. https://doi.org/10.1662/0002-7685(2003)065[0192:HSBAGA]2.0.CO;2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/4451473

Dowd, J. E., Duncan, T., & Reynolds, J. A. (2015). Concept Maps for Improved Science Reasoning and Writing: Complexity Isn’t Everything. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 14(4), ar39. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.15-06-0138 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.15-06-0138

Edwards, L. C. (2023). Infusing critical thinking skills into course content. In In their own words: What scholars and teachers want you to know about why and how to apply the science of learning in your academic setting. (pp. 511–520). Society for the Teaching of Psychology.

Eggen, P. D., & Kauchak, D. P. (2012). Strategies and models for teachers: Teaching content and thinking skills (6th ed). Pearson.

Ennis, R. H. (2018). Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum: A Vision. Topoi, 37(1), 165–184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11245-016-9401-4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11245-016-9401-4

Facione, P. A. (2020). Critical Thinking: What It Is and Why It Counts.

Fatmawati, A., Zubaidah, S., Sutopo, S., & Mahanal, S. (2023). The effect of learning cycle multiple representation model on biology students’ critical thinking perceived from academic ability. 020022. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0112430 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0112430

Fisher, A. (2011). Critical thinking: An introduction (2. ed). Cambridge University Press.

Fitriani, H., Asy’ari, M., Zubaidah, S., Mahanal, S., & Samsuri, T. (2024). Enhancing prospective biology teachers critical analysis skills: An evaluation of plant anatomy and development textbook effects. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 27(3), 533–548. https://doi.org/10.36681/tused.2024.028 DOI: https://doi.org/10.36681/tused.2024.028

Fong, C. J., Kim, Y., Davis, C. W., Hoang, T., & Kim, Y. W. (2017). A meta-analysis on critical thinking and community college student achievement. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 26, 71–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2017.06.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2017.06.002

Greenstein, L. (2012). Assessing 21st century skills: A guide to evaluating mastery and authentic learning. Corwin Press.

Hariyadi, S., Corebima, A. D., Zubaidah, S., & Ibrohim. (2018). Contribution of Mind Mapping, Summarizing, and Questioning in the RQA Learning Model to Genetic Learning Outcomes. Journal of Turkish Science Education/2014, 11(1),3-23, 15(1), 80–88. https://doi.org/10.36681/

Hariyanto, H., Hikamah, S. R., Maghfiroh, N. H., & Priawasana, E. (2023). The potential of the discovery learning model integrated the reading, questioning, and answering model on cross-cultural high school students’ problem-solving skills. Journal of Education and Learning (EduLearn), 17(1), 58–66. https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v17i1.20599 DOI: https://doi.org/10.11591/edulearn.v17i1.20599

Hi̇dayati̇, N., Zubai̇dah, S., & Amnah, S. (2022). The PBL vs. Digital Mind Maps Integrated PBL: Choosing Between the two with a view to Enhance Learners’ Critical Thinking. Participatory Educational Research, 9(3), 330–343. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.22.69.9.3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17275/per.22.69.9.3

Kim, S., Raza, M., & Seidman, E. (2019). Improving 21st-century teaching skills: The key to effective 21st-century learners. Research in Comparative and International Education, 14(1), 99–117. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745499919829214 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1745499919829214

Leasa, M., Abednego, A., & Batlolona, J. R. (2023). Problem-based Learning (PBL) with Reading Questioning and Answering (RQA) of Preservice Elementary School Teachers. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 22(6), 245–261. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.22.6.14 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.22.6.14

Lee, W., Chiang, C.-H., Liao, I.-C., Lee, M.-L., Chen, S.-L., & Liang, T. (2013). The longitudinal effect of concept map teaching on critical thinking of nursing students. Nurse Education Today, 33(10), 1219–1223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2012.06.010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2012.06.010

Li, S., Tang, S., Geng, X., & Liu, Q. (2022). Constructing a critical thinking evaluation framework for college students majoring in the humanities. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1017885. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1017885 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1017885

Maksum, H., Yuvenda, D., & Purwanto, W. (2022). Improvement of Metacognitive and Critical Thinking Skills through Development of the a ‘Teaching Factory Based on Troubleshooting (TEFA-T) Model in Automotive Vocational Learning. Journal of Turkish Science Education, 3. https://doi.org/10.36681/tused.2022.161 DOI: https://doi.org/10.36681/tused.2022.161

Nainggolan, E. D. A., & Sirait, M. (2022). The Effect Of Rqa (Reading, Questioning, Answering) Learning Strategy Assisted By Google Classroom For. Indonesian Physics Education Research, 3(2), 61–67. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24114/iper.v3i2.35535

Odebiyi, O. M., & Odebiyi, A. T. (2021). Critical Thinking in Social Contexts: A Trajectory Analysis of States’ K-5 Social Studies Content Standards. The Journal of Social Studies Research, 45(4), 277–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssr.2021.05.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jssr.2021.05.002

Rosba, E., Zubaidah, S., Mahanal, S., & Sulisetijono. (2021). College students’ critical thinking skills and creativity. 070016. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0043294 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0043294

Rusmansyah, R., Yuanita, L., Ibrahim, M., Isnawati, I., & Prahani, B. K. (2019). Innovative chemistry learning model: Improving the critical thinking skill and self-efficacy of pre-service chemistry teachers. Journal of Technology and Science Education, 9(1), 59. https://doi.org/10.3926/jotse.555 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3926/jotse.555

Saleh, R., Zubaidah, S., & Mahanal, S. (2023). The Correlation between Critical Thinking and Metacognitive Skills on Student Retention Across Genders in Senior High School. Uniciencia, 37(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.15359/ru.37-1.7 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15359/ru.37-1.7

Sumampouw, H., Rengkuan, M., Siswati, B. H., & Corebima, A D. (2016). Metacognition skill development in genetic lecture at the State University of Malang Indonesia. International Journal of Educational Policy Research and Review, 3(3), 36–42.

Thalib, M., Corebima, A. D., & Ghofur, A. (2017). Comparison on Critical Thinking Skill and Cognitive Learning Outcome among Students of X Grade with High and Low Academic Ability through Reading Questioning Answering (RQA) Strategy. Jurnal Pendidikan Sains, 5(1), 26–31.

Thompson, C. (2011). Critical Thinking Across The Curriculum: Process Over Output. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(9).

Ti̇Muçi̇N, M., & Çi̇Mer, A. (2022). A Conceptual Framework for Critical Thinking-Based Implementations. Journal of Instructional Technologies and Teacher Education. https://doi.org/10.51960/jitte.1071069 DOI: https://doi.org/10.51960/jitte.1071069

Torre, D. M., Durning, S. J., & Daley, B. J. (2017). Concept Maps: Definition, Structure, and Scoring. Academic Medicine, 92(12), 1802–1802. https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000001969 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/ACM.0000000000001969

Wechsler, S. M., Saiz, C., Rivas, S. F., Vendramini, C. M. M., Almeida, L. S., Mundim, M. C., & Franco, A. (2018). Creative and critical thinking: Independent or overlapping components? Thinking Skills and Creativity, 27, 114–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2017.12.003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2017.12.003

Xu, X., & Pang, W. (2020). Can Concept Mapping Facilitate Verbal Divergent Thinking? Creativity Research Journal, 32(4), 344–356. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2020.1843124 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2020.1843124

Zubaidah, S., Hayati, N., Ismirawati, N., Bahri, A., & Mahanal, S. (2023). Students’ Reading Interest and Metacognitive Awareness in the Reading Concept Map (Remap) Model Integrated to Cooperative Learning in Biology. In M. Setiyo, Z. B. Pambuko, C. B. E. Praja, A. Setiawan, F. Yuliastuti, L. Muliawanti, & V. S. Dewi (Eds.), Proceedings of the 4th Borobudur International Symposium on Science and Technology 2022 (BIS-STE 2022) (Vol. 225, pp. 384–397). Atlantis Press International BV. https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-284-2_44 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-284-2_44

Zubaidah, S., Rosba, E., Mahanal, S., Jamaluddin, A. B., & Jono, S. (2024). Students’ Critical Thinking Skills during the Pandemic through Online GI-DMM. Pegem Journal of Education and Instruction, 14(4), 245–252. https://doi.org/10.47750/pegegog.14.04.21 DOI: https://doi.org/10.47750/pegegog.14.04.21

Author Biographies

Andi Andariana, Universitas Patompo

Author Origin : Indonesia

Rezeki Amaliah, Universitas Patompo, Makassar

Author Origin : Indonesia

Depi Triana, Universitas Patompo, Makassar

Author Origin : Indonesia

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

How to Cite

Andariana, A., Amaliah, R., & Triana, D. (2025). Unlocking Critical Thinking in Learners: RQA and Concept Maps Working Together . Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA, 11(12), 1092–1097. https://doi.org/10.29303/jppipa.v11i12.9308