DEVELOPMENT OF LEARNING ACHIEVEMENT IN THE COMPUTING SCIENCE SUBJECT THROUGH PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING (PBL) COMBINED WITH EDUCATIONAL GAMES FOR FIRST-YEAR PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

Abstract

This research aimed to 1) Compare the learning achievement in the Computing Science subject on the topic of simple problem solving of first-year primary school students before and after learning through Problem-Based Learning (PBL) combined with educational games, 2) Compare the students’ post-learning achievement with the 80 percent criterion, and 3) study the students’ satisfaction toward the aforementioned learning management. This study was quasi-experimental research using a one-group pretest-posttest design. The sample consisted of 27 first-year primary school students at Ban Nikhom Wang Hin School, selected by cluster random sampling using the classroom as the sampling unit. The research instruments included lesson plans, a learning achievement test, and a satisfaction questionnaire. Data were collected through a pretest, the implementation of learning activities according to the designated lesson plans, a posttest, and a satisfaction assessment. The statistics used for data analysis were mean, standard deviation, dependent samples t-test, and one-sample t-test. The research findings revealed that 1) The students’ mean learning achievement score increased from 10.78 to 16.96 out of 20 points, with a statistically significant difference at the .01 level; 2) When the post-learning achievement was compared with the 80 percent criterion, which was set at 16 points, the students’ post-learning mean score was 16.96, which was significantly higher than the criterion at the .01 level; and 3) The students’ overall satisfaction was at the highest level ( = 4.52, S.D. = 0.17). The instructional media aspect had the highest mean score, followed by the learning management aspect and the content aspect, respectively.