Problem-Based Learning Integrated with the Direct Creative Thinking Process (PBL-DCT) Module in Enhancing Creativity in Chemistry

Chemistry education is a field that applies fundamental problem-solving skills in daily life. Past studies have shown that creativity is one of the skills required to implement chemistry learning. Boosting creativity in Chemistry learning is important as it is aligned with 21st-century learning. Currently, students in secondary schools are categorized as having low levels of creativity due to a lack of mastery in the creative domains (Fluency, Flexibility, Originality, and Elaboration). Creativity in chemistry involves generating diverse (fluency, flexibility), unique (originality), and well-developed (elaboration) ideas that are crucial for solving real-world problems and meeting 21st-century education demands. The study evaluated the module’s impact using the Chemistry Creativity Test, which measured students’ creative thinking across four domains: fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration. However, traditional teaching methods fail to nurture these skills. Therefore, this research aimed to evaluate the impact of a developed module based on Problem-Based Learning integration with the Directed Creative Thinking Process (PBL-DCT) to influence creative thinking. This study was designed to follow a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data were collected using the Chemistry Creativity Test. The findings showed an increase in median value in students’ overall level of creativity before and after the module implementation. The student’s level of creativity was categorized as a moderate level of creativity. The detailed findings proved an increase in the level of fluency of students categorized as less creative, a decrease in the level of flexibility categorized as less creative, no change in the level of originality categorized as very creative, and an increase in the level of description categorized as very creative. In conclusion, this module could enhance the domain creativity of students as well as help teachers improve their practices of teaching chemistry. However, this study’s constraint is having one group experiment, and it can use quasi-experiments in the future.