Mathematical Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking Skills: How Does Their Relationship Influence Mathematical Achievement?

Abstract

This paper examines the correlation of mathematical critical thinking and creative thinking skills towards students' mathematical achievements. A total of 115 eighth grade students from three schools in Sleman Regency were involved as the subject of this research. Data were obtained from the results of critical thinking skills test, the results of creative thinking skills test, and the results of mathematical achievement test on the learning material that students had studied in the previous semester. The instrument for testing critical thinking skills was the essay questions which measure the aspects of critical thinking skills, namely inference, analysis, evaluation, and interpretation, while the instrument for creative thinking skills test was also the essay questions which measure the aspects of creative thinking skills, namely originality, flexibility, and fluency. Besides, the data for the students' mathematical achievements were obtained from the report of mathematics achievement test prepared by the Mathematics Teachers' Working Group. The correlation of these variables was analyzed through multiple regression test. The analysis resulted a positive relationship between the mathematical critical thinking and creative thinking skills towards the mathematical achievement indicated by the regression coefficient R = 0.721 and R2 = 0.52. These values showed that the influence of mathematical critical thinking and creative thinking skills on the students' mathematical achievements was 52%, whereas 48% was influenced by other factors. Then, the coefficient value of creative thinking variable was β1 = 0.363 and the coefficient value of critical thinking variable was β2 = 0.477. These values indicated that if the creative thinking skill increases by one unit, the mathematical achievement increases by 0.363, on the other hand, if the critical thinking skill increases by one unit, the mathematical achievement increases by 0.477.