Enhancing Experiment Planning Skills Using Unguided Experiment Worksheets: Indicator-Based Analysis, Learner Autonomy, and Theoretical Insights

Unguided Experiment Workshee Experiment Planning Skill Learner Autonomy Cognitive Load Theory Self-Regulated Learning

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Kerihi, E. C. G., Bunyani, N. A., & Hunaepi, H. (2025). Enhancing Experiment Planning Skills Using Unguided Experiment Worksheets: Indicator-Based Analysis, Learner Autonomy, and Theoretical Insights. Reflection Journal, 5(1), 18-28. https://doi.org/10.36312/rj.v5i1.2900

This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of using Unguided Experiment Worksheets (UEWs) to enhance university students’ experiment planning skills. Employing a one-group pretest-posttest design with 15 biology education students, the descriptive analysis showed an increase in average scores from 11.0 (pretest) to 17.3 (posttest), accompanied by improved uniformity in student understanding. The paired sample t-test yielded a t-value of 34.49 (p < 0.05), indicating a statistically significant improvement. Per-indicator analysis revealed substantial progress in hypothesis formulation, experimental variable identification, and scientific procedure design. The findings are discussed within the frameworks of Cognitive Load Theory, Self-Regulated Learning, constructivism, and the cognitive apprenticeship model, emphasizing the importance of balancing student autonomy with instructional scaffolding. This study offers novel contributions by demonstrating that UEWs benefit not only high-achieving students but also support lower-performing students in improving their skills, thereby promoting equitable science learning outcomes. The study recommends lecturer training, curriculum integration, multi-institutional research, and long-term retention evaluations to strengthen UEW implementation across educational levels.