AN INSTRUCTIONAL INNOVATION INTEGRATING DESIGN THINKING AND YONISO MANASIKARA PRINCIPLE TO ENHANCE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS: A CASE STUDY OF AN OPPORTUNITY EXPANSION SCHOOL

Abstract

Contemporary education systems aim to develop quality learners through learner-centered instructional design. The availability of effective tools and innovative learning media is an important factor in promoting meaningful learning. This study therefore aimed to develop an integrated instructional media innovation combining Design Thinking with the Yoniso Manasikara principle for lower secondary school students in an intensive learning environment (Bootcamp). The learning process emphasized hands-on innovation creation to address real-life problems through critical thinking, which is an essential 21st-century skill. The participants consisted of 33 lower secondary school students aged 13-15 years from an opportunity expansion school in Samut Sakhon Province. They participated in Bootcamp activities for five weeks using the integrated instructional media innovation, which consisted of a Design Thinking pop-up book and Yoniso Manasikara learning cards (YOCARD). The findings revealed that students’ critical thinking skills after participating in the activities were significantly higher than those before participation at the 0.05 significance level, with mean scores showing a continuous upward trend across the weeks. In addition, three months after the completion of the activities, 85.7% of the participants were able to clearly remember the tools and processes and apply them in their daily lives, such as summarizing lessons and improving group work. In conclusion, the development of critical thinking skills through the aforementioned integrated instructional media innovation helped promote learners’ quality and can serve as a guideline for instructors in developing instructional practices in the future