To help young students succeed in problem-based learning (PBL), researchers suggested investigating students' need for cognition (NFC), one's inclination to exert mental effort during learning. How one puts mental effort into a learning task is related to motivation. If motivated, students are more likely to engage in challenging tasks, put in…

In this study, a collaborative problem solving-based STEM course was implemented in a seventh-grade class. This study aimed to examine the effects of students' prior knowledge on their CPS-based STEM learning processes by using a mixed-methods approach. First, a lag sequential analysis was used to investigate individual cognitive and metacognitive…

Background/purpose: This study investigates the effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) integrated with scaffolding in enhancing problem-solving skills among students with varying levels of prior knowledge. The main objective is to determine how scaffolding, when combined with PBL, can support students in developing stronger problem-solving…

Self-explanation prompts in example-based learning are usually directed backwards: Learners are required to self-explain problem-solving steps just presented ("retrospective" prompts). However, it might also help to self-explain upcoming steps ("anticipatory" prompts). The effects of the prompt type may differ for learners with…

Many empirical studies about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) curriculum present problems for students to solve. This paper draws upon the data collected from the enactment of an integrated STEM curriculum to discuss problems as constitutive of problem spaces where four Grade 5 Singapore students engage with the…

Maker education can enhance learners' creativity. Design thinking can facilitate the innovative resolution of complex problems. The design thinking literature and most maker teaching modes are limited in their promotion of learning and ability development in various dimensions. Learners have stereotypes about some professions; interventions can…

This research aimed to explore the effect of problem-based STEM activities on middle school students' perceptions related to problem-solving skills and their critical thinking tendencies. The sample consisted of 81 students. A mixed method was employed in the research. The quantitative data collection tools were the "Critical Thinking…

In this study, we investigated whether playing an escape room game after explicit instruction (instruction-first group, N = 20) is more effective to learn about copyright and media law than playing the game before explicit instruction (problem-solving-first group, N = 21). This is an important question as escape room games are complex,…

Functional models of anxiety based on dispositional variables have gained scientific acceptance. Their application to investigate constructs such as statistical anxiety can facilitate understanding and intervention. This study aimed to estimate whether dispositional variables such as worry and its negative consequences mediated the relationship…

The present study was designed to understand and optimize self-assessment accuracy in cognitive skill acquisition through example-based learning. We focused on the initial problem-solving phase, which follows after studying worked examples. At the end of this phase, it is important that learners are aware whether they have already understood the…

Providing test questions after an initial study phase is a common instructional technique. In theory, questions that require higher-level (deep) processing should be more beneficial than those that require lower-level (shallow) processing. However, empirical evidence on the matter is inconsistent. To shed light on two potential reasons for these…

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an innovative educational approach that dates back to the 1960s. However, the twenty-first century goal of sustainable education poses a challenge to PBL, especially as it relates to isolation. Here we discuss the underlying issue of isolation in three respects. First, the information-processing model of PBL depends…

Recent literature emphasises the role of exploration, designerly play, creative thinking, and handling of materials in the beginning years of learning. This paper reports findings from a study involving 24 children (aged 4 to 10 years), where the researchers engaged with four-story contexts (tasks) that had embedded problem scenarios. In response…

This study used an explanatory mixed methods research design to examine the scaffolding strategies of middle school teachers during a design problem-based learning (PBL) unit. Both quantitative and qualitative techniques were used in data collection and analysis, and the findings were integrated for interpretation. Our analysis of classroom…

The learning model is one of the critical factors in boosting student to have good learning motivation (LM) and cognitive competencies (CC). In two academic years (2016-2017), only 19.6% of Senior High School (SHS) students in Samarinda passed minimal competence in Biology subject. This research was conducted to find out a better learning model in…