Problem-based learning blended with online interaction to improve motivation, scientific communication and higher order thinking skills of high school students

The purpose of biology education in high school is to motivate students to explain the world of living things and prepare students to understand biology concepts through scientific process skills and scientific thinking. Problem-based instruction (PBI) blended with online interaction is designed to improve motivation, scientific communication and higher order thinking skills of senior high school students. This research was focused on the development of a PBI integrated instructional module that combined face to face and online interactions using the 4D model (Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate). At the Define phase, we identified the problem situation and conducted need assessment. At the Design phase, we formulated an instructional web design and created instructional tools in order to obtain the initial draft of the instructional module. At the Develop stage, module development and writing, expert validation, and module testing and revision were conducted to generate the final product. The instructional module was then validated by science education experts, biology teachers, and online learning media experts. The dissemination of the valid instructional module was conducted at the fourth stage. A quasi-experimental method was applied at the next stage. A pretest and a posttest were administered to identify the improvement of students’ motivation, scientific communication skill and higher order thinking skills. The results showed that the integration of PBI and online interaction could enhance students’ motivation, scientific communication and higher order thinking skills. Findings also indicated that the implementation of PBI blended with online interaction was able to encourage students’ motivation and help them to improve their achievement in biology and as a result be successful in attaining the goals of the 21st century learning.