Differential Improvement of Scientific Literacy Indicators through Citizen Science Project-Based Learning in Higher Education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24252/jb.v14i1.66494Keywords:
citizen science project, differential improvement, higher education, project based learning, scientific literacyAbstract
This study aimed to analyze the differential improvement of each scientific literacy indicator among university students following the implementation of the Citizen Science Project learning model in higher education. A quantitative approach employing a one-group pretest–posttest design was used. The participants consisted of 40 students enrolled in the Occupational Health and Safety program who were taking the Human Anatomy and Physiology course. The research instrument was a scientific literacy test based on eight indicators, including identification of scientific arguments, evaluation of scientific information, understanding of research design, data representation and interpretation, quantitative problem-solving skills, basic statistical reasoning, and evidence-based inference. Data were analyzed descriptively to examine patterns of improvement across indicators. The results showed that the mean scientific literacy score increased from 51.72 on the pretest to 82.81 on the posttest. The highest improvement was observed in understanding and interpreting basic statistics (98.36%), followed by evidence-based inference (80.52%) and graphical data interpretation (80.26%). In contrast, the lowest improvement occurred in evaluating the use and misuse of scientific information (32.08%). These findings indicate that the Citizen Science Project learning model is effective in strengthening the data-driven and quantitative dimensions of scientific literacy, although the level of improvement varies across indicators.
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