STEM-Based Guided Inquiry in Colloid Practicums and Its Influence on Students' Concept Mastery

The rapid development of science and technology in the 21st century necessitates an educational approach that fosters students' critical thinking, problem-solving, and conceptual mastery skills, particularly in complex topics such as colloids. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of applying a STEM-based guided inquiry approach in colloid practicums on improving students' conceptual mastery. The research design used was a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group study involving 34 second-semester students in the Chemistry Education Program at UIN Ar-Raniry. The research instruments consisted of a two-level multiple-choice concept mastery test and a STEM learning effectiveness questionnaire. The study was conducted over six weeks through several colloid laboratory sessions. Statistical analysis using ANCOVA (p < 0.005) showed a significant difference in posttest scores between the experimental and control groups. The high effect size (Cohen's d = 0.8) indicates that this approach has a significant impact on student learning outcomes, particularly in developing higher-order thinking skills at levels C4 to C6. This study indicates that integrating a contextual, student-centered STEM-based learning model into chemistry laboratory sessions can enhance conceptual understanding and 21st-century skills. However, limitations such as a small sample size, research location restricted to a single institution, and relatively short treatment duration should be considered when generalizing the study's findings. Further research with a longitudinal design and a broader sample scope is highly recommended.