Design Thinking Skills, and Scientific Research Skills Among Grade 7 Students: Basis for Designing Learning Activity Sheet for Research 7

Aim:The study primarily aimed to evaluate the level of design thinking skills and scientific research skills among 124 out of 182 Grade 7 students at the Regional Science High School for Region VI, District of Kalibo II, Division of Aklan served as the foundation for designing Learning Activity Sheets (LAS) for Research.Methods: A survey-correlational method of research design using a 30-item Design Thinking Skills Questionnaire, adapted from Brown (2009), Change by Design, IDEO.U (2019), The Design Thinking Field Guide, and Kelley and Kelley (2013), Creative Confidence.Additionally, a 30-item Science Research Skills checklist aligned with the Most Essential Learning Competencies for Grade 7 Research was employed.Descriptive statistics such as frequency count, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, along with Pearson r and linear regression for inferential analysis, were applied, with a 0.05 level of significance.Results: The finding revealed that Grade 7 students demonstrated "very high" levels of both design thinking skills and scientific research skills.A significant positive relationship was observed between these variables, with design thinking skills identified as a significant predictor of scientific research skills.In response, Learning Activity Sheets (LAS) was developed to enhance critical thinking, observational skills, and scientific reasoning through hands-on, inquiry-based activities, supporting students' continued growth in both competencies. Conclusions:The results confirmed the students demonstrated great empathy, creativity, and collaboration during problem-solving and addressing complex real-world problems in a user-centered way.This ability to view things from various perspectives and become recipients of feedback sparks creative thought and collaborative ability-qualities that modern technology, engineering, and social innovation crave.Furthermore, the grade 7 students excelled in various research skills.Therefore, the students may lead on to research-oriented projects foster young student's critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills.It is these very traits in students that would render them capable of bringing sanity-based analysis to the study process, enabling passable analysis of drafts during scientific research studies and the proper decision-making atmosphere in themselves to back-up their arguments with evidence.