The lack of practices of Curriculum Merdeka cause science teachers to worry about the results, especially related to environmental awareness. As such, this study aimed at exploring the role of biotechnology learning with embedded sustainable development goals (SDGs) to accomplish the academic purposes of the curriculum. In doing so, Pre-service Science Teachers (PSTs) were required to develop projects in biotechnology as well as problem-solving skills to be induced into their teaching competencies. This study used one-group pre-test and post-test design and involved twenty PSTs as participants. The parameters were perception, knowledge, and development of scientific projects. The instruments consisted of questionnaire, paper-pencil test, and rubrics. The data were then analysed in a descriptive manner. The results showed that most students perceived that biotechnology learning provides access to sustainability in human life. Also, there is a significant increase of student knowledge about innovating science with P-value of 0.00<0.05. For scientific projects, students in groups successfully created five titles in relation to SDGs issues, such as food nutrients, agricultural pests, fish-pond management, dengue fever control, and water quality. In terms of learning outcomes and themes, the contents within PSTs projects are relevant to two learning outcomes and four different project themes of Curriculum Merdeka, including lifestyle for sustainability, technology to support Indonesia, entrepreneurship, and local wisdom. Therefore, there is potential to bring PSTs projects to practice Curriculum Merdeka.

This research aims to examine undergraduate students’ argumentation skills during and after the learning process in the classroom setting and their responses toward the implementation of socioscientific issues (SSI) through debate in the learning process. This research involved 32 undergraduate students and implemented design-based research with pretest and posttest in a natural classroom setting using three topics of SSI debate that widely discussed in Indonesia: Nuclear Powerplant (Topic 1), Food Preservation (Topic 2), and Genetically Modified Organism (Topic 3). Data was collected using observation sheets, tests, and questionnaires. Observation is to measure argumentation ability when applying the debate method in class settings, the test measures the improvement of argumentation skills, and questionnaires measure students’ responses to the application of the debate method. In this study, argumentation scores were obtained from six indicators and divided by a maximum score of 24 times 100. Normalized gain (N-gain) was calculated to determine the effectiveness of the intervention in the classroom. T-test was also conducted to test the significance of the differences in the pretest and posttest results on argumentation skills. The results obtained in this study are: the argumentation skills score during the learning process for six groups were 95, 80.6, 90.3, 95, 83.3, and 77.5; the mean score of pretest and posttest were 52.22 ± 6.62 and 85.78 ± 4.72. The consistency of opinions shows the change from “agree” to “disagree” for Topics 1 and 3. The undergraduate students agree and consistently agree toward Topic 2. The paired t-test result also shows that the intervention statistically has a significant difference between the two means, indicating that the undergraduate students’ argumentation skills are better than before the intervention. Otherwise, most of the undergraduate students respond positively toward the implementation of the debate related to SSI. Despite some limitations, the debate on SSI can improve argumentation skills in classroom settings, especially in science education majors.

Changes in the national education curriculum and learning approaches in the Merdeka Curriculum become problems for teachers. In contrast, the key to successful curriculum implementation depends on the understanding and ability of teachers to translate and develop the curriculum itself. This study purposed to reveal science teachers’ knowledge and understanding on differentiated learning and the Merdeka Curriculum. This study involved sixty-five participants with a professional background as science teachers at the Lower Secondary School level. Small-scale surveys were conducted using complex multiple-choice item questions. This study reveals the average science teacher’s understanding of differentiated learning and the changes in science subjects in terms of content and process according to the Merdeka Curriculum only 37.85%. Furthermore, the findings show that current training had minimal impact on the science teachers’ preexisting knowledge. Therefore, according to the Merdeka Curriculum, the training pattern’s vital role must be concerned with developing teacher knowledge and understanding of changes in science subjects for the Lower Secondary School and the learning process. However, despite some limitations, we also think that the spaces for teachers’ curriculum agency patterns can be used to improve the science teachers’ knowledge and understanding on differentiated learning and the Merdeka Curriculum.

The CinQASE Learning Model is a collaborative-based learning that is designed to improve students' collaborative critical thinking skills. The CinQASE Learning Model has a syntax consisting of (1) Problem Presentation, (2) Individual Work, (3) Team Work in Collaboration, (4) Class Discussion, and (5) Evaluation and feedback. The purpose of this research is to improve the collaborative critical thinking skill of physics education students through implementing CinQASE learning model. This research used one group pre-test and post-test design toward 56 physics education students of Halu Oleo University at academic year 2017/2018. The collaborative critical thinking skills of physics education students were measured by using Direct Assessment of Collaborative Critical Thinking (DACCT) with following indicators: questioning, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating. Data analysis technique used Paired t-test, n-gain and ANOVA test. The results showed that: (1) Average post-test score was 79.35 (2) the improvement on collaborative critical thinking skill of physics education students was at α = 5%, (3) Average n-gain score of collaborative critical thinking skills was 0.62 ; and (4) No difference of n-gain on collaborative critical thinking skills in all groups; and (5) Students responded in good category toward the implementation of CinQASE learning model. Therefore the CinQASE learning model has proven to be effective to improve students' collaborative critical thinking skills.

The Ammatoa Kajang indigenous community maintain cultural authenticity from generation to generation, especially in protecting and preserving customary forests from the threat of damage. This research aims to describe the implementation of forest conservation policies based on local wisdom of the Ammatoa Kajang indigenous community. The research method uses a literature/library study approach. Reference documents from 2001-2021. Data analysis methods with data minimization, data visualization, data analysis, and data validation and concluding. The results of the research showed that the Kajang orthodox community in day-to-day forest management is guided by the Pasang ri Kajang, which contains rules, implementation and sanctions for all forms of forest utilization and management, monitoring tools and control over all activities related to forestry, positively correlated with forestry policies governance. The concept of customary forest management is to divide the forest into three areas with certain specifications and rules as well as prohibited from destroying flora and fauna. In the end, the forest is sustainable and indigenous community behave sustainably; it can be concluded that the implementation of forest conservation policies based on local wisdom of the Ammatoa Kajang indigenous community is going well.