Creativity, Learning Attitude and Critical Reasoning as Predictors of Students’ Soft Skills Evidence from an Indonesian Vocational High School

  • Basman Master Program in Economic Education, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies, Universitas Patompo, Makassar, Indonesia
  • Syarifuddin Master Program in Economic Education, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies, Universitas Patompo, Makassar, Indonesia
  • Rego Devilla Master Program in Economic Education, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies, Universitas Patompo, Makassar, Indonesia
Keywords: vocational education; soft skills; creativity; learning attitude; critical reasoning

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines whether creativity, learning attitude and critical reasoning predict the soft skills of Grade X students at SMK Negeri 5 Pangkep, Indonesia. Design/methodology/approach: The research used a quantitative ex post facto design. From a population of 120 Grade X students, 60 respondents were selected through purposive random sampling, with each class represented by ten students. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed with validity testing, reliability testing, classical assumption testing and multiple linear regression using SPSS 26. Findings: The results indicate that creativity, learning attitude and critical reasoning each have a positive and statistically significant relationship with students’ soft skills. The simultaneous regression model was significant (F = 47.761; p < 0.001), with R = 0.848 and R² = 0.719, indicating that 71.9% of the variance in soft skills was explained by the three predictors. Critical reasoning was the strongest predictor (B = 0.526; β = 0.630; p < 0.001). Originality/value: The study offers empirical evidence that soft-skill development in vocational education should be designed around cognitive, attitudinal and creative learning processes rather than treated as a separate non-academic outcome.

References

Abdurokhman Savi’i. (2019). Pengaruh prakerin untuk peningkatan soft skill dalam menghadapi dunia industri dan dunia usaha mahasiswa Pendidikan Teknik Otomotif Universitas Muhammadiyah Purworejo. Jurnal Pendidikan Teknik Otomotif Universitas Purworejo, 14(1), 33–34.
Arikunto, S. (2015). Prosedur penelitian. PT Rineka Cipta.
Dachmiati, S. (2015). Program bimbingan kelompok untuk mengembangkan sikap dan kebiasaan belajar siswa. Faktor: Jurnal Ilmiah Kependidikan, 2(1), 10–22.
Djaali, H. (2020). Psikologi pendidikan. Bumi Aksara.
Emalia, & Farida. (2019). Inovasi pendidikan dengan memanfaatkan teknologi digital dalam upaya menyongsong era Revolusi Industri 4.0. Prosiding Seminar Nasional Pendidikan Program Pascasarjana Universitas PGRI Palembang, 169.
Florea, N. M., & Hurjui, E. (2015). Critical thinking in elementary school children. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 180, 565–572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.02.161
Ghozali, I. (2019). Aplikasi analisis multivariate dengan program IBM SPSS 25. Badan Penerbit Universitas Diponegoro.
Khodijah, N. (2014). Psikologi pendidikan. PT Raja Grafindo Persada.
Maryati, N., & Apriana, D. (2019). Kompetensi siswa SMK dalam menyongsong Revolusi Industri 4.0. Prosiding Seminar Nasional Pendidikan Program Pascasarjana Universitas PGRI Palembang, 641.
Mufanti, R. (2015). Penumbuhan soft skill siswa dalam proses pembelajaran. Prosiding Seminar Nasional Pendidikan, 208.
Munandar, U. (2009). Pengembangan kreativitas anak berbakat. Rineka Cipta.
Priyatno, D. (2011). Teknik mudah dan cepat melakukan analisis data penelitian dengan SPSS dan tanya jawab ujian pendadaran. Gaya Media.
Riduwan. (2015). Belajar mudah penelitian untuk guru-karyawan dan peneliti pemula. Alfabeta.
Riwahyudin, A. (2015). Pengaruh sikap siswa dan minat belajar siswa terhadap hasil belajar IPA siswa kelas V sekolah dasar di Kabupaten Lamandau. Jurnal Pendidikan Dasar, 6(1), 11–23.
Rizki, O., et al. (2019). Upaya peningkatan soft skill dan hard skill siswa SMK. Jurnal Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Berkarakter, 2(1), 4–5.
Setiani, F., & Rasto. (2016). Mengembangkan soft skill siswa melalui proses pembelajaran. Jurnal Pendidikan Manajemen Perkantoran, 1(1), 163–164.
Sugiyono. (2012). Metode penelitian pendidikan: Pendekatan kuantitatif, kualitatif, dan R&D. Alfabeta.
Suliyanto. (2011). Ekonometrika terapan: Teori dan aplikasi dengan SPSS. ANDI.
Suryanto, D. (2013). Relevansi soft skill yang dibutuhkan dunia usaha/industri dengan yang dibelajarkan di sekolah menengah kejuruan. Teknologi dan Kejuruan, 36(2), 117.
Ulum, R., & Arsana, I. M. (2018). Penerapan pendekatan scientific learning dengan model pembelajaran langsung untuk meningkatkan aktivitas siswa kelas X Teknik Kendaraan Ringan di SMK Dharma Bahari Surabaya. JPTM, 7(1), 83–88.
Widarto, et al. (2012). Pengembangan model pembelajaran soft skill dan hard skill untuk siswa SMK. Cakrawala Pendidikan, 1(3), 420.
Widarto. (2013). Penelitian ex post facto. Fakultas Teknik Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta.
Wulandari, D., & Madlazim. (2019). Penerapan model pembelajaran inkuiri terbimbing metode STEM untuk meningkatkan keterampilan berpikir kreatif pada materi pemanasan global. IPF: Inovasi Pendidikan Fisika, 8(3), 781.
Published
2026-05-03
How to Cite
Basman, Syarifuddin, & Rego Devilla. (2026). Creativity, Learning Attitude and Critical Reasoning as Predictors of Students’ Soft Skills Evidence from an Indonesian Vocational High School. International Journal of Education, Vocational and Social Science , 5(02), 1027-1038. https://doi.org/10.63922/ijevss.v5i02.3404