Developing Learning Achievement and Analytical Thinking Skills in Science on the Topic of Separation of Substances among Grade 8 Students through Experimental-Based Learning Activities

Abstract

This research aimed to: 1) compare students’ learning achievement before and after instruction 2) compare students’ post-instruction learning achievement with the established criterion as 80%; and 3) compare students’ analytical thinking skills after instruction. The study was conducted with Grade 8 students enrolled in Science course on the topic of Separation of Substances, using experimental-based learning activities. The target group consisted of 38 students from class 2/2 in the first semester of the 2025 academic year at Wachiraprakran Witthayakhom School under the Secondary Educational Service Area Office Kamphaeng Phet. The research instruments included: 1) Five experimental-based lesson plans totaling 10 instructional hours 2) The 20-item four-choice multiple-choice test measuring learning achievement on the topic of Separation of Substances and 3) The 15-item four-choice multiple-choice test assessing analytical thinking skills. The findings revealed that the implementation of experimental-based learning activities in Science on the topic of Separation of Substances significantly improved students’ learning achievement after instruction compared to before instruction at the .05 level of statistical significance. In addition, students’ post-instruction learning achievement was significantly higher than the established 80% criterion at the .05 level. Furthermore, students’ analytical thinking skills after instruction were significantly higher than those before instruction at the .05 level of statistical significance.