Authors : Sombat Appamaraka, Paitool Suksringarm and Adisak Singseewo
Abstract: This study aimed to study the effects of the 5Es-learning cycle using the metacognitive moves and the teacher’s handbook instruction on learning achievement, integrated science process skills and critical thinking of 82 high school (Grade 9) students from 2 classes, were selected by the use of the cluster random sampling technique. These students were randomly assigned to an experimental group who learned using the 5Es-learning cycle using metacognitive moves and a control group who learned using the teacher’s handbook instruction, 41 students each. Research instruments included, 6 plans of learning organization by using the 5Es-learning cycle with 3 metacognitive moves: intelligibility, plausibility and wide-applicability; 6 plans of learning organization using the teacher’s handbook, each plan for 3 h of learning in each week; the learning achievement test with 40 items; the integrated science process skills test with 5 subscales and 30 items and the critical thinking test with 5 subscales and 54 items. The data were analyzed by a percentage, a mean, a standard deviation and for testing hypotheses the t-test and the F-test (Two-way MANCOVA) were employed. The major findings revealed as following: The students as a whole, the male students and the female students in the experimental group showed gains in learning achievement, integrated science process skills in general and in 4-5 subscales and critical thinking in general and in 4-5 subscales from before learning (p<0.05). The students with different gender did not statistically indicate those mentioned learning outcomes differently (p>0.05). The experimental group indicated more learning achievement, integrated science process skills in general and critical thinking in general and in 3 subscales: interpretation, deduction and evaluation of arguments, than did the counterparts (p<0.05) and the statistical interactions of gender with learning model on these 3 learning outcomes were not found to be significant (p>0.05).
Sombat Appamaraka, Paitool Suksringarm and Adisak Singseewo, 2009. Effects of Learning Environmental Education Using the 5Es-Learning Cycle Approach with the Metacognitive Moves and the Teacher’s Handbook Approach on Learning Achievement, Integrated Science Process Skills and Critical Thinking of High School (Grade 9) Students. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, 6: 287-291.