Development of learning activities with mobile devices based on steam education concepts and lateral thinking technique to enhance creative problem solving ability of upper elementary students
Abstract:
The purposes of this research were: 1) to study the conditions and necessary needs for developing learning activities with mobile devices based on STEAM education concepts and lateral thinking techniques to enhance creative problem-solving ability; 2) to develop a model for organizing such learning activities; and 3) to study the effects on upper elementary students' creative problem-solving ability. The research sample consisted of 384 upper primary school teachers from schools under the Office of the Private Education Commission (OPEC). Additionally, to study the effects of the mobile learning activity model, 30 fourth-grade students from Assumption Samut Prakan School were selected. The research instruments included: 1) a questionnaire on the conditions and necessary needs for developing mobile learning activities; 2) a model for mobile learning activities based on the STEAM education concept; 3) a structured interview for experts; 4) an evaluation form for the mobile learning activity model; 5) a lesson plan for mobile learning activities; 6) a rubric for evaluating students' creative problem-solving abilities; and 7) a questionnaire on opinions regarding the mobile learning activity model. Data analysis consisted of: 1) analyzing the basic data of the sample group using descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation; 2) analyzing the conditions and needs by finding the modified Priority Needs Index (PNI); and 3) analyzing the creative problem-solving ability of upper primary school students through t-tests and content analysis. The research results showed that:1) The conditions and necessary needs for developing learning activities were divided into two areas: a) the teaching and learning process to promote creative problem-solving abilities, and b) the use of technology to enhance creative problem-solving abilities. The area with the highest demand was the teaching and learning process to promote creative problem-solving abilities. In this regard, instructors expressed the highest need (PNImodified = 0.51) for organizing learning processes that consistently integrate science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics into the teaching and learning process; 2) The mobile learning activity model comprised six components: 1) a set of learning activities, 2) the instructor, 3) the learner, 4) mobile learning, 5) the STEAM education concept, and 6) lateral thinking techniques. The model consisted of six steps: 1) understanding the purpose, 2) using previous experience, 3) gathering information, 4) finding possible solutions, 5) creating new work, and 6) presenting and evaluating results; 3) The results of implementing the learning activity model showed that the creative problem-solving ability scores of upper elementary students' posttest were significantly higher than pretest at the .05 level.