Students' critical thinking in numeracy problem-solving through moderate self-Efficacy: A mixed-methods study

The urgency of improving c in solving numeracy problems in elementary school students underlines the importance of this study. This study aims to determine the effect of self-efficacy on critical thinking skills and describe the critical thinking skills of students with moderate levels of efficacy in solving numeracy problems. This study is a mix method study. The subjects of the study were female students in grade V-B at SD Ketintang 1 Surabaya. Data collection involved administering self-efficacy questionnaires and assessing numeracy tests, focusing on topics related to cubes and rectangular prisms. The quantitative analysis process with regression tests while qualitative analysis included data condensation, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. Based on the results of the self-efficacy questionnaire, a student in grade VI-B with moderate self-efficacy was selected for an in-depth assessment of critical thinking skills. The findings revealed that there was an influence of self-efficacy on students' critical thinking skills. Students with moderate self-efficacy showed prominent strengths in certain critical thinking processes. During basic clarification, the student met the indicators for analyzing arguments and formulating statements, presenting arguments effectively. When providing reasons for decisions, the student demonstrated the ability to assess the credibility of sources and select appropriate problem-solving strategies, although occasional calculation errors due to inaccuracies were observed. In the process of inferring, the student met the indicators for making and evaluating decisions, successfully constructing a conclusion that was coherent with the problem and the final answer. These findings highlight the potential for students with moderate self-efficacy to demonstrate critical thinking strengths while also highlighting areas for improvement, such as accuracy in calculations. This study provides valuable insights for educators seeking to foster critical thinking in students with a self-efficacy profile.