Development and Rasch Validation of a Critical Thinking Scale for Adolescents in the Post-Truth Era
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17977/um065.v7.i4.2027.13Keywords:
Adolescents, Critical thinking, Rasch modelAbstract
Critical thinking is an essential competency for adolescents in the post-truth era, particularly when responding to complex digital information. This study developed and evaluated a critical thinking instrument for adolescents using the Rasch Model, involving 758 students from senior high schools and vocational high schools in Yogyakarta. The instrument was constructed based on four indicators: interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and drawing conclusions. Data were analyzed using Winstep to assess item quality, reliability, difficulty, item fit, and unidimensionality. The results showed very high item reliability (0.99) with a 10-item fit, although participant reliability was low (0.40). Raw variance was explained by 24.9%, indicating acceptable unidimensionality. The implications of this study are that the developed instrument can be utilized by teachers and counselors as a tool to map students’ initial critical thinking abilities, thereby enabling the design of learning programs that are more targeted and data-driven.
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