Analyzing Students' and Lecturers' Prior Knowledge of Basic Physics Laboratory: Perspectives on Local Wisdom Integration, Critical Thinking, and Science Process Skills

Tri Ariani
Maison
Sri Purwaningsih
Bambang Hariyadi

COMPTON: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Fisika
Vol 12 No 2 (2025): Compton: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Fisika

This study aims to map the prior knowledge of students and lecturers regarding the implementation of basic physics laboratories, the integration of local wisdom, as well as the mastery of critical thinking and science process skills, in order to identify learning gaps that require instructional innovation. The research employed a descriptive explorative method involving 60 students from the Physics Education Study Program and 10 lecturers from Universitas PGRI Silampari through a validated questionnaire survey measuring four key aspects: laboratory implementation, integration of local wisdom, critical thinking and science process skills, as well as learning constraints and expectations. Data were analyzed descriptively and quantitatively with interpretations based on Likert scale criteria. Findings revealed that 92% of students still follow a procedural "cookbook" laboratory approach, with only 37% having the opportunity to formulate hypotheses, while 67% of lecturers acknowledged limitations in providing inquiry-based learning. Although 79% of students felt that laboratory activities supported conceptual understanding and expressed strong enthusiasm toward integrating local wisdom, a paradox emerged in which 89% were able to analyze data, yet 59% perceived that their science process skills were not optimal. The main challenges include limited facilities (66% of lecturers considered them inadequate) and a lack of contextual guidelines. However, the motivation for transformation is very high, with 84% of students desiring inquiry-based approaches and 100% of lecturers expressing the need for specialized training. The gap between current teaching practices and the demand for developing critical thinking skills confirms the urgency of designing inquiry-based basic physics laboratory instruction integrated with local wisdom as a strategic solution to transform the paradigm from a verification model toward authentic scientific exploration that strengthens cultural identity and the relevance of learning.