The Effect of the Realistic Mathematics Education Approach on Critical Thinking Skills as Viewed from Students' Self-Confidence

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the effect of the Realistic Mathematics Education (RME) approach on students’ mathematical critical thinking skills in terms of self-confidence. This research employed a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental method using a nonequivalent posttest-only control group design. The study was conducted at SMP Negeri 1 Sape in the 2025/2026 academic year. The sample consisted of 55 eighth-grade students selected through cluster random sampling, comprising 29 students in the experimental class and 26 students in the control class. The research instruments included a critical thinking skills test and a self-confidence questionnaire using a 1–4 Likert scale. Data analysis was carried out using the Mann-Whitney test and Kruskal-Wallis test. The results showed that students taught using the Realistic Mathematics Education approach achieved higher critical thinking skills compared to students taught using conventional learning. The Mann-Whitney test yielded a significance value of 0.001 (p < 0.05), indicating a significant difference between the two groups. Furthermore, the Kruskal-Wallis test on self-confidence categories produced a significance value of 0.827 (p > 0.05), indicating that self-confidence independently did not significantly affect students’ critical thinking skills. However, the interaction test between learning approach and self-confidence showed a significance value of 0.005 (p < 0.05), indicating a significant interaction between the learning approach and self-confidence toward students’ critical thinking skills. The findings imply that the Realistic Mathematics Education approach is effective in improving students’ mathematical critical thinking skills, particularly when combined with appropriate affective support such as self-confidence