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justifiable claim with valid, adequate and relevant evidences and justifications Wallace and Wray, 2011.
There are several criteria of a text in critical writing, particularly an argumentative essay. The criteria are used as the product indicators of students’
critical thinking skills in their critical writing in form of argumentative essay as their learning product. Below are five criteria summarized from the book Critical
Thinking, Reading, and Writing: A Brief Guide to Argument by Barnet and Bedau
2011 and the book Critical Reading and Writing for Postgraduates by Wallace and Wray 2011:
1. Arguable arguments
The essay has sharp-arguable thesis statement which is supported by acceptable arguments, significant counter arguments and counter evidences.
2. Relevant evidences
The arguments are supported by relevant, appropriate, and convincing evidences with persuasive material and statistical data if possible.
3. Particular target audience
The essay is aimed at a particular audience: neutral, sympathetic, or hostile audience on the topic. A good argumentative essay is able to persuade
neutrals to support the claim, reaffirms the sympathetic pros on their stand on the topic, or able to change the hostile cons to support the claim. A good
argumentative essay also uses appropriate language to appropriate audience. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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4. Effective logical organization
The essay has a logical structure, coherent sequence of arguments from each paragraph which support the thesis statement, effective introductory and
concluding paragraph. 5.
Reliable sources Reliable sources books, journals, especially websites; websites reliability
must be carefully considered are used to support the argumentative essay; all quotes, summaries, and citations are well written and credited; all
borrowed words and ideas are credited.
2. Collaborative Learning Method to Improve Critical Thinking Skills in
Writing Argumentative Essay
It is important for students to improve critical thinking skills nowadays. There are many ways to improve critical thinking skills. One learning method
which is found effective to improve critical thinking skills is collaborative learning.
Collaborative learning is an instructional learning method which allows students at various performance levels to work together in small groups to reach a
common goal in their learning. Students a re responsible for one another’s learning,
so that they can reach successful learning together by helping each other in their learning process Gokhale, 1995.
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a. Constructivism Approach as The Basis of Collaborative Learning
Method
Collaborative learning is a learning method which is based on particular approach as its basis. The basis of collaborative learning method is constructivism;
knowledge is constructed, and transformed by students Dooly, 2008. According to Bruning, Schraw, Norby, and Ronning 2004:
Constructivism is a psychological and philosophical perspective contending that individuals form or construct much of what they learn and understand.
as cited in Schunk, 2008, p. 235.
It is a learning theory which states that a person constructs most of his knowledge by himself. Constructivism states that knowledge is constructed by
people based on their interactions with environment or situation. Therefore, human becomes an active learner who constructs their knowledge through the interaction
between situation, social context, and their own being. Collaborative learning is supported by Vygotsky’s theory of Zone of
Proximal Development ZPD. It is a socio-cultural theory that has become the
cornerstone of constructivist movements. According to Tudge and Scrimsher 2003, Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory is a constructivist theory that emphasizes
the social environment as a facilitator of development and learning as cited in Schunk, 2008, p. 242. Social environment is deeply considered in Vygotsk
y’s theory; it helps learners to be critical in their learning process. Social interactions
in social environment help learners to coordinate three factors interpersonal social, cultural-historical, and individual factors to build a critical learning
process and achieve higher knowledge together with their partners Schunk, 2008. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
