Implementation of a Socio-Scientific Issues-Based ‘Question Shopping’ Student Worksheet to Foster Junior High School Students’ Engagement and Critical Thinking in Science Learning
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54065/pelita.6.2.2026.1855Keywords:
Critical Thinking, Junior High School Science, Student Engagement, Question Shopping’, Student Worksheet, Socio-Scientific IssuesAbstract
The urgency of this research is to implement a socio-scientific issues-based “Question Shopping” student worksheet to enhance students’ engagement and critical thinking in science learning. Science learning at the junior high school level still faces problems related to low student engagement and critical thinking skills due to teacher-centered instruction and the continued use of conventional student worksheets. This study aimed to describe the implementation of a Socio-Scientific Issues (SSI)-based ‘Question Shopping’ Student Worksheet (LKPD), students’ engagement, and the tendency of students’ critical thinking skills. The study employed a mixed-methods approach with an embedded design, in which qualitative data served as the primary data and quantitative data as supporting evidence. The participants were 25 Grade VIII students at SMP Raudlatul Musthofa. Data were collected through observation, semi-structured interviews, pretest-posttest assessments, and documentation. Qualitative data were analyzed using the Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña model, while quantitative data were analyzed descriptively. The results showed that the SSI-based LKPD was successfully implemented through the Discovery Learning stages, resulting in active, contextual, and student-centered learning. Student engagement increased from 68.7% to 75.0% and 81.2% across three meetings. Critical thinking performance also improved, with the mean score increasing from 58.32 on the pretest to 70.54 on the posttest. SSI-based learning helped students analyze problems, evaluate information, construct arguments, and formulate solutions to environmental issues.
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