The Influence Of Teacher Competencies Through Classroom Climate And Self Regulation On Students Critical And Creative Thinking Skills In Social Studies Teaching And Learning

Research Article
Sri Hapsari
DOI: 
xxx-xxxxx-xxxx
Subject: 
science
KeyWords: 
Teacher competencies, classroom climate, self-regulation, critical thinking, creative thinking, social studies teaching and learning
Abstract: 

The purpose of this research is to find the factors influencing students’ critical and creative thinking skills. The population consisted of students of state junior high schools in South Tangerang City. The sample was taken with proportional random sampling technique with a size of 401 students, and the method employed was quantitative with survey strategy. Data were collected through questionnaire and critical and creative thinking skill test, while the analysis used the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Based on results of data analysis, it was found that: (1) Teacher competencies, covering pedagogical competency, professional competency, and personal competency, were the factors directly influencing classroom climate and indirectly influencing students’ critical and creative thinking skills. Professional competency had the greatest influence on classroom climate, followed by pedagogical competency and personal competency; (2) Teacher competencies encompassing pedagogical, professional, and personal competencies, were the factors directly influencing self-regulation and indirectly influencing students’ critical and creative thinking skills. Professional competency had the greatest influence, followed by pedagogical competency and finally personal competency; (3) Critical thinking was positively influenced by classroom climate and self-regulation. Hence, the more positive the classroom climate is, the higher students’ critical thinking skills will be, which will impact on the increasingly honed students’ reflective thinking skills. The variable with the greatest influence on critical thinking was classroom climate; (4) Creative thinking was positively influenced by classroom climate and self-regulation, with self-regulation as the variable with the greatest influence on creative thinking. It can be concluded that the higher the self-regulation is, the higher students’ creative thinking will be, which will impact on students’ increased creativity.