ELS Journal On Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities
Vol. 9 No. 3 (2026): SEPTEMBER

A Quasi-Experimental Study: Integrating To’dopuli Mandar into Debate Camp for the Development of Senior High School Students’ Critical Thinking Skills

Nirmala Ayuningtyas (Universitas Sulawesi Barat)
Mardewi Mardewi (Universitas Sulawesi Barat)
Jey Firdaus (Universitas Sulawesi Barat)
Abd. Rahman (Universitas Sulawesi Barat)
Andi Ummu Kalzum (Universitas Sulawesi Barat)
Rahmatullah Syaripuddin (Universitas Sulawesi Barat)



Article Info

Publish Date
18 Jul 2026

Abstract

Critical thinking is a core twenty-first-century competency essential for addressing complex global challenges. However, PISA 2022 results indicate that Indonesian students’ critical thinking skills remain relatively low, partly due to teacher-centered and less contextualized learning practices. This study examines the effectiveness of a To’dopuli Mandar-based Debate Camp model in enhancing students’ critical thinking skills. A quantitative approach was employed using a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest nonequivalent control group design involving two eleventh-grade classes at SMAN 2 Majene. Data were collected through a validated critical thinking test and analyzed using the Shapiro–Wilk test, Mann–Whitney U test, and N-Gain analysis. The results show a statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups (p < 0.001), with an N-Gain score of 0.49, indicating a moderate level of improvement. These findings suggest that while the model effectively enhances critical thinking development., the development of higher-order thinking skills remains gradual and requires sustained instructional support. This study highlights that the effectiveness of debate-based learning should be understood not only in terms of measurable improvement but also in relation to the depth and progression of cognitive

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Journal Info

Abbrev

jish

Publisher

Subject

Languange, Linguistic, Communication & Media Social Sciences Other

Description

ELS-JISH is, a journal on Interdisciplinary Studies in Humanities: Linguistics, Literature, Language Teaching, Translation, and Culture, a scholarly peer-reviewed international scientific journal published quartely by the Faculty of Cultural Sciences Hasanuddin University Publication, focusing on ...