The Effect of the Discovery Learning Model on the Critical Thinking Abilities of Geography Students

The discovery learning model, a mainstay in the Indonesian 2013 curriculum, can help hone students’ critical thinking skills. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the discovery learning model on critical thinking skills in terms of students’ perceptions of geography subjects. Critical thinking ability, the dependent variable, was measured by a test of critical thinking skills. The moderator variable, namely students’ perceptions of geography subjects, was measured by a subjective questionnaire. The study took place over three meetings and ended with a post-test and questionnaire. The hypothesis was tested using independent sample t-tests and ANOVA using SPSS and a significance level of 0.05. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the scores of the experimental group and the control group. The average critical thinking skills value of students who used the discovery learning model was higher than that of the other students. Keywords: discovery learning, critical thinking, perceptio