Effects of Using Problem-based Learning for Critical Thinking and Learning Achievement of Mathayomsuksa 2 Students

Abstract

The study aimed to 1) compare students' critical thinking abilities before and after using problem-based learning management; 2) compare their learning achievements before and after utilizing problem-based learning management; and 3) evaluate students' satisfaction with this approach. The sample of this study consisted of 30 Mathayomsuksa 2/1 students from Thesaban 2 (Wat Chong Lom) School in Ratchaburi Province, enrolled in the second semester of the academic year 2023, selected through a classroom unit-based simple random sampling method. The research instruments included: which was reviewed by five experts and deemed highly appropriate, receiving an average rating of 4.04 with a standard deviation of 0.42; 2) a critical thinking skills assessment with IOC ranging from 0.60 to 1.00, item difficulty between 0.23 and 0.88, item discrimination from 0.15 to 0.62, and item reliability of 0.63; 3) an academic achievement test with item difficulty ranging from 0.40 to 0.75, item discrimination from 0.30 to 0.80, and item reliability of 0.89; and 4) a questionnaire on student satisfaction with problem-based learning management which exhibited an IOC of 0.80 to 1.00. The data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and t-test for dependent samples. The result revealed that after the implementation, the experimental group had higher average scores in both critical thinking abilities and learning achievement than before the implementation of problem-based learning management, with statistical significance at the .01 level. Additionally, the experimental group expressed high satisfaction with problem-based learning management, achieving a mean score of 4.14 and a standard deviation of 0.17.