Effectiveness of the Guided Inquiry Learning Model in Improving Junior High School Students' Science Process Skills

Abstract

Science process skills are essential in science learning because they enable students to understand concepts through systematic investigation. This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of the guided inquiry learning model in improving junior high school students' science process skills on the topic of the human digestive system. The study employed a pre-experimental method with a one-group pretest-posttest design involving 28 eighth-grade students at SMP Negeri 15 in Sorong Regency. The research instrument consisted of five essay questions measuring the abilities to formulate problems, formulate hypotheses, identify variables, analyze data, and draw conclusions. Data were collected through pretest and posttest administration and analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test and normalized gain analysis. The results showed a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores (Z = -4.632; p < 0.05). The mean normalized gain was 0.67, categorized as moderate; 46% of students achieved a high-gain category and 54% achieved a moderate-gain category. The greatest improvement occurred in hypothesis formulation, whereas data analysis showed the lowest gain. The study concludes that guided inquiry is effective in strengthening students' science process skills.