Abstract:
The purpose of this research were to 1) study factors of the problem-solving ability of Grade 8 students, 2) develop a science learning management model to promote the problem-solving ability of Grade 8 students and 3) to study the result of using a science learning management model. The research procedure consisted of 3 phases as follows. Phase 1: Study the factors of the problem-solving ability, The population was 9,577. The samples of this research consisted of 633 Grade 8 students who were studying in the first semester of the academic year 2013 of the Office of the Basic Education Commission in central region, selected by stratified random sampling. The research instrument was 100 items of a five-point rating scale questionnaire. The statistic used in data analysis included exploratory factor analysis by using Lisrel Version 9.10 with activation code: DP-14-07291412727. Phase 2: Develop a science learning management model to promote the problem-solving ability of Grade 8 students according to the concept of the four principles of noble truth. The five experts who checked the appropriateness and possibility of the developed model in phase 1 studies the results of the synthesis of the concept and related theories. The result indicated that the developed model was appropriate and had the possibility to be used in promotion of the problem-solving ability of Grade 8 students. Phase 3: Study the result of using a science learning management model according to the four principles of noble truth. The experimental research methodology was carried out by the time series design. The samples of this research included 80 Grade 8 students during the second semester of 2013 academic year of Prathomthammasat School by using multistage random sampling and simple random sampling to divide into control group of 40 students and an experiment group of 40 students. The period of study lasted 10 weeks. The instruments were: 1) tools used in learning management consisting of lesson plan, learning management handbook and student handbook and 2) evaluation tools of learning management model consisting in problem solving and an observation behavior. The experts checked the appropriateness and possibility of the learning management model. The statistics for data analysis were mean, standard deviation and statistic for hypothesis was Repeated Measures One-way ANOVA.
The findings of the study were as follows:
(1. The problem-solving ability consisted of 4 factors as follows: the critical thinking ability, the creative thinking, the decision ability, and the problem solving ability with the construct validity of structural model by the exploratory factor analysis, the chi-square goodness of fit test was 154.39, df =113, p-value = 0.00590, RMSEA = 0.024, GFI = 0.97, AGFI = 0.96, CFI = 0.99, RMR = 0.01.
(2. A science learning management model to promote the problem-solving ability of Grade 8 students was the model of activities based on content as the main course of substance science learning group for Grade 8 students learning activities focused on the practice of activities that was PAIWAT contained 6 sequential steps as follows: 1) formulation of the problems, 2) analysis the activities, 3) Integrated learning management, 4) workshop, 5) evaluation and 6) the notable success.
(3. The result of a science learning management model to promoting the problem-solving ability of Grade 8 students found that the students who learned by a science learning management model to promoting the problem-solving ability had higher ability in the problem-solving than the students who learned by the traditional approach at a statistically significant 0.05 level.