Improving pre-service chemistry teachers’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills using project-based learning

Abstract

Studies confirmed that students’ critical thinking skills (CTS) and their problem-solving skills (PSS) tend to be low. Thus, this quantitative study aims to improve students’ CTS and PSS using Project-Based Learning (PjBL). In a quasi-experimental design, a total of 50 pre-service chemistry teachers from a public university in Indonesia were recruited as participants. To collect data, the Critical Thinking Skills Test (CTST) and the Problem-Solving Skills Test (PSST) were pre- and post-tested. Paired and independent samples t-tests and Cohen’s d were executed to explain the difference in CTS and PSS scores before and after treatment. The results indicated that there was a significant increase from pre- to post-test in terms of CTS and PSS scores. In addition, there is a significant difference in the CTS and PSS scores between the two groups in favor of the experimental group. It can be concluded that PjBL is an effective method to promote CTS and PSS in the General Chemistry course. As a powerful method, we recommend that lecturers implement PjBL to promote CTS and PSS as an alternative to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Critical thinking, pre-service teachers, problem-solving skills, project-based learning, general chemistry