Effectiveness of the THINK Module in Teaching and Learning Health Education Based on the STEM Approach for Primary School Students

This study aims to develop a project-based learning module integrated with the concepts of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (THINK Module) for the Year 5 Health Education subject using a modified Design and Development Research (DDR) approach. The developed THINK Module achieved a high approval percentage of 90% for validity and demonstrated high reliability, with a Cronbach’s Alpha reliability index of 0.935. The effectiveness of the THINK Module in enhancing Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) and 21st-century skills was evaluated in the assessment phase using a pre-experimental one-shot case study involving three types of daily primary schools in the Seberang Perai Tengah district, Penang. The schools were randomly selected, and the study sample comprised three teachers and 93 students. A ten-week intervention program based on the THINK Module was implemented to assess its impact using the HOTS test and the M-21CSI questionnaire. The overall mean score for the HOTS test was recorded at M = 70.60, indicating a good level of HOTS mastery among students across all three schools. Meanwhile, the overall mean score for the M-21CSI questionnaire was M = 4.19, signifying a high level of 21st-century skill mastery. The results of the ANOVA test for HOTS mastery levels across the three schools indicated no significant differences at p > 0.05, F(2,90) = .181, p = .835. Similarly, data analysis for 21st-century skill mastery levels across the three schools showed no significant differences at p > 0.05, F(2,90) = .725, p = .487. The Pearson correlation coefficient, r, for the relationship between HOTS and 21st-century skills was .024 (r = .024), suggesting that the two variables did not exhibit a positive relationship and were not correlated. In conclusion, the implementation of the THINK Module in teaching and learning processes significantly enhances students’ HOTS and 21st-century skills.