EJ1302127
EJ1302127
EJ1302127
52-57)
A b s t r ac t
Project-based learning is a modern teaching method aimed at students, connecting students’ experiences with school life and
stimulating serious thinking as students gain new knowledge. So that, this study aimed at investigating the impact of a teaching
strategy adopting project-based learning on improving the critical thinking among upper basic Stage Students from male and
female Science teachers’ perspectives. The researcher used the descriptive-analytical method, through a questionnaire which
applied to (111) male and female Science teachers teaching upper basic schools in Al-Kourah District, Irbid, Jordan. The results
show that there is a significant statistical difference (a= 0.05) attributed between the conventional method and the project-based
learning strategy. Thus, the differences came in favor of the project-based learning strategy. In addition, it is recommended
that the project-based learning strategy should be adopted, and the textbook content and activities should be organized to
commensurate with the project-based learning. In other words, this action requires the rehabilitation of the teachers to prepare
learning situations by using a project-based learning strategy. Moreover, conducting further studies on other subjects in the
method of learning thinking skills, such as creative thinking, reflective thinking, communication, and cooperation skills.
Keywords: Project-Based Learning, Critical Thinking Skills, Upper Basic Student’s, Science Teachers.
1. I n t r o d u c t i o n should refine learning skills to be able to overcome global
challenges. Here, the strategies that should be developed enable
In general, the twenty-first century is characterized by
the assimilation of these skills. And, among the strategies
the revolution of the knowledge explosion in science and
that can achieve this project-based learning (PBL) help the
technology, which is the driving force behind innovations and
students enrich their knowledge and develop various mental
speed up changes in social, political, economic, and cultural
skills (Kembara, Rozak, & Hadian, 2019).
systems. Therefore, education in this century is experiencing
Project-Based Learning (PBL) is one of the most prominent
a real change, which has contributed to highlighting the
strategies that have encroached on the traditional systems and
imperatives of this century for humanity to meet changing
their negative routine activities that kill the spirit of creativity.
needs and expectations. In addition, it created a basis for
As well, the students’ passive role lies in that. Moreover, they
predicting the skills to be acquired for students, such as critical
receive the information provided by the teacher, record a
thinking. Thus, requires educators to focus on their efforts in
set of notes, and complete homework assignments. Also,
addressing educational curricula and using their most effective
they perform tests, reduce their participation and classroom
teaching strategies to make science more useful for students’
interaction. The spirit of competition is low so that the routine
lives.
character prevails over these classrooms. Thus, an urgent need
From this standpoint, teachers form a pivotal role in
for the project-based learning strategy to provide students
education by sharing the educational system in reform
responsibility. Apparently, they should have the knowledge,
Corresponding Author e-mail: 2018230022@ses.yu.edu.jo
the theoretical and practical capabilities in teaching and
learning science. In other words, they should be familiar ORCID Number: 0000-0001-5926-8915
with modern and productive teaching methods to achieve How to cite this article: Issa HB, Khataibeh A (2021). The Effect of
the vision of science education. As well, explaining Students’ Using Project Based Learning on Improving the Critical Thinking
attitudes in educational studies are positive towards sciences among Upper Basic Students from Teachers’ Perspectives. Pegem
that are related to the science teachers, and to the number of Journal of Education and Instruction, Vol. 11, No. 2, 2021, 52-57
their experience (Al-Huwaidi, 2008). Source of support: Nil
Accordingly, the skills that should be studied by teachers
Conflict of interest: None.
and that should be mastered by students, are aimed at solving
problems in society. In other words, the competencies that DOI: 10.14527/pegegog.2021.00
should be mastered include critical thinking skills, the ability Submission : 14/12/2021 Revision: 03/03/2021
to communicate effectively, creativity, and problem-solving Acceptence: 04/04/2021 Publication : 23.04/2021
through negotiation and cooperation. Moreover, the students
The Effect of Using Project Based Learning on improving the Critical Thinking among Upper Basic Students
with active and varied cognitive patterns such as motivation, training students in cognitive activities (Abu Jadu & Nofal,
curiosity, inquisitive, tendencies, attitudes, and self-reliance 2017).
(Ambosaidi & Al Balushi, 2011). Apparently, students who can think critically have
Project-based learning (PBL) is one of the constructivist important basic skills in the learning and teaching process.
teaching strategies in teaching science (Frank & Barzilai, They can critically investigate problems, produce and test
2004) which has been considered as an important classroom relevant ideas, theories, and hypotheses. They are able to
strategy in recent years. Students are expected to construct make logical decisions considering evidence and arguments
and interpret their new knowledge rather than memorize it. for solving problems (Kilbane & Milman, 2017).
On the other hand, the researchers emphasized these strategies In this regard, students need skills that focus mainly on
eliminate students’ misconceptions and encourage them to critical thinking, which Kim and Han (2016) described as one
learn meaningfully (Kizkapan & Bektas, 2017). of the most important features of success in the twenty-first
According to Filippatou and Kaldi (Filippatou & Stavroula, century.
2010), project-based learning is one of the most frequently Also, they are essential to the practice of learning, and as
used strategies in science classes. (Frank & Barzilai, 2004) who a criterion for distinguishes between students. Thus, helps in
comment on the rapid increase in its use confirms that. As well, acquiring a set of skills, abilities, and personal characteristics
the benefit of students’ active participation in project-based that make them qualified for professional success by focusing
learning lies in working collaboratively to solve problems, on scientific knowledge, and employing it in real-world
then discuss what they have learned (Doppelt, 2003; Krajcik, situations. In the past few decades, the need for educational
Blumenfeld, Marx & Soloway, 1994). methods that facilitate the development of skills increases,
Chiu (2020) notes that project-based learning (PBL) is especially in the education of sciences in all its branches and
a group-work approach in teaching and learning, through stages (Shurman & Khataibeh, 2015; AL-Zboun, 2020). These
which students are exposed to situations regarding real-life skills are adapted to the new requirements and to the change
issues and practices. Moreover, this learning process includes of the world.
a series of complex tasks that occupy students’ minds by Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of
working on projects. In other words, open-ended, problem- using project-based learning, its usefulness, and its impact on
solving, decision-making, or investigative activities, are used improving some skills for students such as critical thinking
to achieve desired goals and evaluate their performance and among Upper Basic Students from Teachers’ Perspectives.
progress. Projects are designed based on issues and needs that
students define. 1.1 Study Questions:
Project-based learning (PBL) improves the students’ skills Do teachers’ perspectives differ regarding the acquisition
are needed to meet the global community. It supports student of critical thinking by the upper basic stage students at the
learning outcomes and develops students’ abilities especially Al-Kourah District, Irbid City, Jordan, according to the
for communication, cooperation, creativity, and especially teaching strategy (Project-based learning, Conventional
critical thinking. As students take part in the learning process, Method)?
this develops a deeper understanding of the content and the
required skills in schools, universities, work, and life in general 2. M e t h o d
(Bell, 2010).
2.1 Research Design
Niu, Behar-Hornstein, and Garvan (2013) showed that
critical thinking skills refer to the ability to analyze and test The selected sample is the male and female schools are
information and to apply these capabilities as a high-level affiliated to the Directorate of Education in the Koura
cognitive ability. In addition, students should be able to decide District, Irbid, Jordan, which teaching the upper basic stage
their professional and personal life. for the academic year 2020-2021. The descriptive-analytical
The National Council for Excellence in Critical Thinking method was followed, one independent variable is teaching
(2020) noted that it is an intellectually disciplined process strategy, and it has two levels: project based learning (PBL)
of conceptualizing and applying information resulting and conventional method. The dependent variable is critical
from observation, experience, reasoning, inference, or thinking skills.
communication, as a piece of evidence for belief and action.
Critical thinking helps students to self-control, adhere to 2.2 Population and Sample
accuracy, reliability, and clarity towards the topics and issues The sample in this study are all male and female science
they are exposed to. It enables them to form appropriate and teachers who teaching upper basic stage in schools affiliated
deliberate judgments and decisions away from prejudice. with the Directorate of Education in the Koura District,
Additionally, the process of critical thinking requires Irbid, Jordan, as many as (111) teachers. The study sample
distribution In light of educational qualification, years of Table 2. Correlation coefficients between the paragraph and the overall
experience, and gender is shown in Table 1. score of the scale.
Paragraph Correlation Paragraph Correlation Correlation Paragraph
Table 1: Frequencies and percentages in light of educational number coefficient number coefficient coefficient number
qualification, years of experience, and gender. .51** 6. .63** 11. .44*
The Ratio Repetition Categories .59** 7. .59** 12. .43*
69.4 77 Bachelor Qualification .61** 8. .45* 13. .52**
30.6 34 Graduate Studies .55** 9. .54** 14. .49**
21.6 24 Less than 5 years years of experience .62** 10. .51** 15. .40*
36.9 41 From 5-10 years * Statistical function at the significance level (0.05).
** Statistical significance at the significance level (0.01).
41.4 46 More than 10 years
35.1 39 Male Gender instruments such as the questionnaire. As well, the impact of the
64.9 72 Female teaching strategy adopts project-based learning on improving
100.0 111 Total critical thinking from Science teachers’ perspectives, testing
the validity and reliability of the instrument. The second stage
The data was taken by using critical thinking skills’ is collecting the questionnaire data answered by the selected
questionnaire. The Critical Thinking Questionnaire was science teachers’ schools. Then the data were analyzed using
created with the help of the Watson-Glaser Classification SPSS statistics software.
(1980) of Critical Thinking (19,20), including 5 skills,
namely, assumptions, interpretation, deduction, inference 2.4 Data Analyzing Technique
and evaluation of arguments, which consisting of 15 items The data were analyzed through the use of the SPSS. The
using a Five-level Likert Scale 1-5. Was adopted to correct the calculation was done of frequencies and percentages,
instrument by giving each of its items one of the (Strongly arithmetic averages, and standard deviations. The costs
Agree, Agree, neither agree nor disagree, Disagree, Strongly calculation is associated to the paragraph score of the scale
Disagree), represented digitally (5, 4, 3, 2, 1), respectively. The for extracting the indications of the scale construct validity.
following scale has been adopted for the purposes of analyzing Also, the reliability coefficient is calculated by the method of
the results: the consistency coefficient according to the Cronbach alpha
• From 1.00 - 2.33 is few equation to ensure the stability of the factor.
• From 2.34 - 3.67 is medium
• From 3.68 - 5.00 is great
3. R e s u lts and Discussions
• And so on
• The scale was calculated by using the following equation: 3.1 Study Questions:
• [Upper limit of scale (5) - lower limit of scale (1)]/ Number Do teachers’ perspectives differ regarding the acquisition
of required classes (3) of critical thinking by the upper basic stage students at the
• [5 - 1]/3 = 1.33 Al-Kourah District, Irbid City, Jordan, according to the teaching
• Then add the answer (1.33) to the end of each category. strategy (Project-based learning, Conventional Method)?
This study used a questionnaire about the impact of a
The instrument was validated through a panel of judges. teaching strategy that adopts the project based learning on
The paragraph correlation coefficients with the total score of improving the science teachers’ perspectives, which will be
the scale (the axis to which it belongs) ranged between (0.40- described as follows. Based on the results of the questionnaire,
0.63). It should be noted that all the correlation coefficients there is a significant statistical difference (a= 0.05) attributed
have acceptable scores and statistically significant. Therefore, between the conventional method and the project-based
none of these paragraphs was omitted as shown in Table 2 learning strategy. As well, the differences came in favor of the
below. Apparently, the reliability for the questionnaire was project based learning strategy, as shown in Table 3.
tested by alpha Cronbach, reaching (0.78). These values were It was shown that PBL model affected on the students’
considered appropriate for the purposes of this study. The final critical thinking ability in science. Then the students in the PBL
questionnaire is attached as in appendix (1). classes have the highest average value of critical thinking skills
compared to students who are learning through Conventional
2.3 Research Procedure Method from teacher’s perspective. In accordance with the
The first stage of the procedures starts with specifying the previous studies, it is stated that PBL model can give positive
schools are intended for research, preparing the research results to the students’ results of improving the critical
Table3. Means, Standard deviations, and T-test for correlative data for which begins with the students’ previous knowledge, setting
critical thinking for project-based and Conventional learning. and formulating questions allows students to expand their
Standard Critical perceptions and thinking upon the activities are built in the
Sig. DF F Deviation Mean N Learning method Thinking
project-based learning strategy. As well as practicing the skill
.000 110 -8.065 .436 3.86 111 Conventional of recognizing assumptions, evaluation of arguments through
Method
class discussions of the project stages and implementation steps
.442 4.03 111 project-based
learning
of data collection and analysis, followed by the evaluation stage
and presenting the students’ findings (Bell, 2010).
Accordingly, students learn by linking their previous
thinking compared to the traditional classes (Desouki, 2012; k nowledge w it h new k nowledge, a nd mea n i ng f u l
Anazifa & D Djukri, 2017; Priyatni & Abdur Rahman, 2019; understanding is achieved. Students are allowed to build
Al-Mutawa, 2018; Al-Rawi & Zaytoon, 2016). knowledge independently, and to decide what to learn and
The results of the current study were in agreement with how to learn. The PBL model has stages that invite students
the study of Al-Mutawa (2018), which showed the effectiveness to build knowledge independently and also make students
of project-based learning in developing critical thinking active to have a role not only in the classroom, also outside
skills and academic achievement, as project learning stages the classroom in searching for answers to the given problems
contributed to the development of critical thinking skills. Also, (Rini & Diana, 2020).
Al-Rawi and Zaytoon’s study (2016) confirmed that the use of The PBL is an educational curriculum that satisfies the
project-based learning as a teaching strategy contributes to independence of the students’ learning and helps to encourage
developing students’ scientific thinking skills, raises the level the learners’ academic excellence through using what they
of performance and improves it, and provides students with know to explore and find alternatives. Moreover, it meets the
new knowledge and skills. needs of learners with different levels of skills and learning
As well as, the study of Yunus and Ahmed (2011), styles, through positive communication and cooperative
which revealed the effect of the project method on students’ relationships between groups (Al-Rawi & Zaytoon, 2016).
achievement in biology and the development of their critical In addition, the activities that students have done during
thinking. In addition, Ahmad’s study (2000), investigates the the learning process based on investigation and exploration,
impact of the students’ scientific thinking development and could stimulate students to think more critically. Thus, project
it improved their cognitive beliefs. As well, the study of Scott based learning can be defined as the activities carried out by
(1994), where the researcher noticed an improvement in the an individual or group to achieve clear and specific goals in
critical thinking of project strategy students and improvement a social setting, with all desire and enthusiasm (Al-Halfi &
in their superiority in social skills. Al-Mousawi, 2019). So project based learning will certainly
This result may be attributed to the possibility of upgrading provide students with the ability to think better.
and developing students’ critical skills through project strategy
teaching. Basically, the project-based learning strategy is an 4. C o n c lu s i o n s
inquiry-based approach in which the student is the researcher Considering these results, the researcher recommended the
who acquires experience while the teacher is the supervisor necessity of adopting a project-based learning strategy and
and instructor (Zaytoon, 2007). organizing textbook content and activities in line with the
The learning context is provided by real questions and project-based teaching strategy. This procedure requires
problems in real-world practices (Al-Yamani & Askar, 2010) qualified teachers to prepare educational activities using project-
that play a role in meaningful learning experiences. based learning, besides conducting more studies on other topics
AL-Ali (2010) added that the use of inquiry in all the to identify their impact on the degree of their effectiveness
project stages led to an increase in the students’ ability and in bringing changes in the style of learning such as creative
stimulated their thinking Additionally, it contributes in thinking, reflective thinking, communication, and cooperation
obtaining information from various sources in the traditional in different stages of the study. And conducting more studies
methods, and it helps to find solutions to problems increased on developing variables such as conceptual comprehension,
the skill of constructing explanations. And it helps them to decision-making ability, and self-learning skills.
be free and responsible to make the appropriate decisions on
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