SISSCA Learning Model Proven Effective in Boosting Higher-Order Thinking Skills for Pre-Service Biology Teachers
FORMOSA NEWS — A innovative pedagogical study demonstrates that combining project-based learning, drill reinforcement, and interactive digital modules significantly elevates higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) and assessment-design competence among prospective biology educators
The study comprehensively evaluated four core pedagogical quality parameters—validity, reliability, practicality, and effectiveness—for the SISSCA learning model (Stimulating, Identifying Problems, Solving Problems, Strategizing, Creating Instruments, Appraising)
Assessment Literacy Challenges and Educational Relevance
Designing higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) test instruments remains a persistent hurdle for pre-service biology teachers across teacher-education programs
At the same to time, instructional design research often suffers from fragmented measurement
The SISSCA model directly addresses this gap by unifying these three pedagogical traditions into a structured, six-phase syntax
Simplified Research Methodology
Following a three-phase Research and Development (R&D) framework based on Tjeerd Plomp's educational design research model, the study analyzed four parameter families during its assessment phase
- Validity and Reliability Testing: Five expert validators—specialists in biology education, learning assessment, and educational technology—evaluated the SISSCA design products (blueprint, lecturer guidebook, student e-module) across eight rubric dimensions
. - Practicality and Effectiveness Field Testing: Sixty-eight fifth-semester students enrolled in the Evaluation of Biological Learning Processes and Outcomes course in West Sumatra participated in the trial
. Participants were divided into an experimental group ($n = 34$) taught via the SISSCA e-module model and a control group ($n = 34$) taught through conventional lecture and discussion .
Data collection involved expert rubrics, classroom observation checklists across SISSCA's six syntax phases, student-response questionnaires, and pre-test/post-test HOTS instruments constructed around Anderson and Krathwohl's revised Bloom's taxonomy
Key Findings: All Four Quality Parameters Exceed Scientific Thresholds
The empirical results confirm that the SISSCA learning model clears established acceptance thresholds across all four evaluated parameter families
- High Content Validity (Mean Index: 0.89): Across all eight rubric dimensions, expert ratings yielded an overall mean validation index of 0.89 out of 1.00, placing the model firmly in the "very valid" category
. The social system dimension—measuring lecturer-student and peer roles—scored highest at 0.92 . - Exceptional Reliability (Score: 0.983): Internal rating consistency (Cronbach's Alpha) and inter-rater agreement (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient / ICC) both reached 0.983
. This far exceeds the standard 0.70/0.75 acceptance thresholds, confirming near-perfect scoring agreement among expert validators . - Very High Practicality (Composite Index: 0.99): Classroom observations and student feedback generated a composite practicality index of 0.99
. The initial Stimulating and Identifying Problems phases achieved perfect implementation fidelity scores of 1.00 . - Statistically Significant Effectiveness ($p = 0.001$; Cohen's $d = 1.02$): Pre-service teachers instructed under the SISSCA model achieved an average HOTS gain score of 34.27 points (rising from 45.20 to 79.47)
. In contrast, the control group recorded a gain score of only 21.40 points (rising from 44.85 to 66.25) . An independent-samples t-test confirmed the statistical significance of this difference ($t = 7.643$; $p = 0.001$), with a Cohen's $d$ effect size of 1.02 representing a large educational effect .
Real-World Impact and Institutional Implications
The successful validation of the SISSCA model provides immediate benefits for higher-education teacher-training programs
From a methodological standpoint, the convergence of validity, reliability, practicality, and effectiveness data offers a transferable quality-assurance template
"When validity, reliability, practicality, and effectiveness parameters are measured independently and still point in the same direction, the resulting claim of pedagogical quality is considerably stronger than any single figure could support alone," the authors concluded in their report
Author Profiles
Siska Nerita, M.Pd. (Lead & Corresponding Author): Lecturer and Researcher at Universitas PGRI Sumatera Barat, Indonesia. Expertise in biology education, digital e-module development, and instructional assessment innovation
. Prof. Dr. Lufri, M.S.:
Senior Professor and Researcher at Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia, specializing in biology learning methodologies, active learning strategies, and curriculum development. - Dr. Helendra, M.S.: Lecturer and Researcher at Universitas Negeri Padang, Indonesia, focusing on educational evaluation, higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) instrument development, and science instruction
.
Research Source Information
- Article Title: Measuring Pedagogical Quality: Validity, Reliability, Practicality, and Effectiveness Parameters of the SISSCA Learning Model
- Journal Name: International Journal of Contemporary Sciences (IJCS)
- Publication Volume & Year: Vol. 4, No. 9, September 2026 (Pages: 2249–2260)
- Authors: Siska Nerita, Lufri, Helendra
- Digital Object Identifier (DOI):
https://doi.org/10.55927/dvntac78 - Official URL:
https://journalijcs.my.id/index.php/ijcs
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