Development of Learning Achievement and Physics Problem-Solving Skills on Wave Optics of Grade 11 Students Using 7E Inquiry-Based Learning Combined with the KWDL Technique

Abstract

The objectives of this research are as follows: 1) to determine the efficiency and the effectiveness index of the 7E Inquiry-Based Learning process integrated with the KWDL technique; 2) to compare students' academic achievement before and after the intervention, and to compare the achievement against a 70% criterion between the 7E-KWDL approach and conventional 7E instruction; 3) to compare physics problem-solving skills between the 7E-KWDL approach and conventional 7E instruction; and 4) to evaluate students' satisfaction towards the implemented learning management. The samples consisted of 81 grade 11 students of Suratpittaya School, Surat Thani Province, divided into 46 in the experimental group and 35 in the control group. The research instruments included lesson plans, pretest and posttest academic achievement tests, a physics problem-solving skill assessment, and a satisfaction questionnaire. The percentage, mean, standard deviation, and t-test statistics were used for data analysis. The research findings revealed that the learning management plan achieved an efficiency of 77.93/71.85, which exceeded the set criteria of 70/70. Additionally, the effectiveness index was 0.61, surpassing the established threshold of 0.50. The average post-instruction learning achievement was 14.37±3.16 out of 20 points, which was significantly higher than the pre-instruction score (5.54±1.70) at the 0.01 level, and also considerably higher than the post-instruction learning achievement of the control group receiving conventional instruction (10.69±3.55) at the 0.05 level. In addition, 56.52% of the students achieved post-instruction scores above the 70% criterion. Students’ overall physics problem-solving skills were at a very high level (4.63±0.51), and their overall satisfaction with the learning management approach was at the highest level (4.91±0.29). Furthermore, questioning techniques should be employed to enable students to analyze problem requirements more rapidly. Additionally, the continuous development of students' diverse learning skills is essential to further enhance their academic achievement effectively.