The Biology Education study programme, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Jakarta has held a ‘Visiting Lecture’ activity which was held on 5 March 2025 and took place in the Conference Room, KH Hasyim Asy’arie Building on the 6th floor. The theme of the event was ‘Enhancing Science Education: Strategies for Improving Science Process Skills and Critical Thinking’. The speaker at this event was Prof. Ricky M. Magno, LPT, Ph.D, moderated by, and attended by around 100 biology education students.
Prof. Ricky M. Magno, LPT, Ph.D :
“It’s his second time in Indonesia. He says that it’s his responsibility to guide his (Philipine student) in doing the SEA Teacher program in Indonesia, especially in UNJ. He also hopes that we (as a student) can finish our academics in 4 years (As normally do). He also hopes that his lecture can encourage the students to achieve their goals in UNJ.”
Prof. Dr. Diana Vivanti Sigit, M.Si as Moderator greets all the participants, and also thanks the participant for coming to the event. The Moderator also introduced the lecturer in the Biology Education program and also say sorry that the coordinator program that is not yet coming to the event.
Lecture Summary
Indonesia and Filipina have a low index in critical thinking. He says maybe the language or material can be misunderstood. Philiphina often change the curriculum.
4 Basic of any curriculum:
- Curriculum Goals
- Learning Content
- Teaching Approaches
- Assesment
Development of Scientifically, technological and environmentally literate and productive members of the society who are:
- Critical Problem Solvers
- Responsible Stewards of Nature
- Innovative and Creative Citizens
- Informed Decision Makers
- Effective Communication
Inquiry model is the great strategy for improving science process skills and critical thinking.
What is Inquiry?
- Study the natural world and propose explanations based on the evidence gathered.
- Activities of students in which they develop knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, as well as an understanding of how scientists study the natural world.
Essential characteristic of inquiry
- Students begin with a question that can be answered in a scientific way
- Students gather evidence in attempting to answer the question
- Students form an explanation to answer the question based on the evidence collected
- Students evaluate their explanation based on scientific knowledge
- Students communicate and justify their proposed explanations.
How can scientific inquiry be incorporated into the curriculum?
- Student prior experience (Knowledge)
- Students ownership of learning
- Students construct their own knowledge (Learning)
Based on all the 3 points above, it is an important pillar in Constructivism.
Built by prior experience and understanding is the core of constructivism. Prof. Ricky Magno said that we should address the fact that knowledge is built by the student according to their experience. Students have to learning by doing.
Pioneer of the Cons.
- John Dewey (Learning and experience go hand in hand and knowledge comes from a personal interaction between the learner and his or her environment)
- Lev Vygotsky (Language and social interaction were extremely important in developing knowledge)
- David Asubel
Believed that without linkages to prior knowledge, retention suffers.
“Tell me and I forget, show me and I remember, let me do it and I understand.”
“The single most important factor influencing learning is what the learner already knows; ascertain this, and teach him accordingly.”
Students need to do Hand’s on
Prof. Ricky Magno also said that facing the problem is better than running from it.
“Teacher not the dispenser of the knowledge in class, instead knowledge can come from anyone and anything” – Prof. Magno
