Impact of problem solving exercises with Minnesota strategy on learning outcomes and critical thinking skills

The purpose of this study was to obtain information related to the effect of implementing problem solving exercises with the Minnesota strategy on learning outcomes and critical thinking skills. The study used a quantitative approach, quasi-experimental method and one group pretest-posttest research design. A total of 18 students of class MIA-1 were used as samples for the experimental group and 18 students of class MIA-2 were used as samples for the control group. The treatment for the experimental group was physics problem solving exercises using the Minnesota strategy, while the control group used physics problem solving techniques with conventional strategies as is often used so far. The results of hypothesis testing with t-test and descriptive data analysis with the N-gain formula showed that the student learning outcomes data t-count = 0.001913 and t-table = 2.032, while critical thinking data t-count = 0.00000682 and t-table = 2.032. Thus it can be said that there is no significant difference in the use of physics problem solving exercises using the Minnesota strategy to improve student learning outcomes and critical thinking skills. One reason is that the Minnesota strategy is still alienated from the teachers who practice it and the students who use it. The increase in the N-Gain value is not all due to the treatment, but also because the initial understanding of the students is good, so the increase that occurs is very low. Inference, the results of the study become a reference for schools whose students are still low in learning achievement and also low in critical thinking skills. In other words, the use of Problem Solving Exercises is one solution to increase the two variables above.