The Effectiveness of Blended Project-Based Learning (PBL) in Enhancing Spatial Visualization Skills and Computational Thinking among Year 4 Students in Learning Scratch

Abstract

The integration of technology in education and the growing need for computational expertise have significantly influenced and transformed current educational trends. In Malaysia, traditional teaching methods have been replaced by various student-centered approaches that incorporate ICT both inside and outside the classroom. For instance, the Malaysian Ministry of Education has launched the DELIMa learning platform, offering a range of learning tools, educational materials, and digital resources for educators and students starting from Year 1. As a result, it is unsurprising that entrance exams for specialized schools now include questions that assess computational thinking and spatial visualization skills, serving as benchmarks for evaluating students' intellectual capabilities. Therefore, developing this computational thinking and spatial vision abilities is critical in this rapid technology breakthroughs era. This study analyses the impact of Blended Project-Based studying (BPjBL) on developing these important competencies among Year 4 students while studying Scratch, a visual programming language. This research study uses a quantitative research design, specifically a pre-experimental approach with a one-group pre-test and post-test method. The data collection process took about three weeks with 30 students that were selected among Year 4 students in a primary school in Kedah as the sample of this research study that are selected by using purposive sampling. Data were obtained by using two types of instruments which include Mental Rotation Test and Computational Thinking Test. The students are required to answer both assessment test before and after the intervention process is done. Data were analysed by using descriptive analysis, normality test and inferential analysis which is Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test. Data analysis process is done by using version 29 of SPSS software. The findings of the study show that the blended project-based learning is effective to the students’ spatial visualization skills based on the positive marks difference of pre, and post Mental Rotation test (MRT) taken by the students. Descriptive analysis shows that there is a significant mean difference of students’ marks between pre-assessment tests (m=14) and the post-assessment test (m=32). Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test is done to further analyse the assessment tests data. The results indicate a significant difference between pre-MRT score and post-MRT score. Therefore, it can be concluded that there is a significant mean difference of students’ marks between pre-MRT and post-MRT. Additionally, the CT on the same sample showed that blended project-based learning also enhanced students' computational thinking, with a significant increase in scores from the pre-CTt (m=19) to the post-CTt (m=41). In conclusion, the researcher found that blended project-based learning is effective towards spatial visualization skills and computational thinking among Year 4 students in learning Scratch.