Improving students’ communication skills and critical thinking ability with ICT-oriented problem-based learning and the assessment instruments with HOTS criteria on the immune system material

This study aims to facilitate high school students’ communication skills and critical thinking ability with ICT-oriented problem-based online learning and assessment instrument with HOTS criteria. This research approach is pre-experimental, with the one group pre-test- post-test design. This study involved 36 students of XI MIPA 4 and biology teacher at a high school in Jepara, Indonesia. The number of samples determined using the purposive sampling technique. The data collected includes data on students’ critical thinking skills, students’ communication skills, implementation of the learning process, teacher and student response data regarding teaching materials, and the learning process. Data of critical thinking skills were analyzed using the n-gain test. Other data were analyzed descriptively qualitatively. The results showed that students achieved a critical thinking skill level with N-Gain 0.31 (medium category) and communication skills 83.00 (very good category). The average score of the implementation of the learning process is in a good category, meaning that all syntax is carried out well. Teachers and students consider that ICT-based teaching materials are quite practical to use. According to them, the learning process is in a good category (positive). Conclusion: students’ critical thinking skills and communication skills can be facilitated through online learning with ICT-oriented PBL approach teaching materials and ICT-oriented HOTS assessment instruments.