The Effectiveness of Inquiry-Based Learning to Improve the Analytical Thinking Skills of Sixth-Grade Elementary School Students

This analysis dissects a piece of information into its parts and determines how they interact in constructing a concept. This study focuses on enhancing the analytical thinking skills of grade 6 students in science and technology courses by implementing inquiry-based learning management. The aim is to meet the minimum requirement of 70 percent and assess student satisfaction with the approach. This work follows a classroom action research approach involving planning, action, observation, and reflection steps. The target group comprises 25 grade 6 students studying in the first semester of the 2022 academic year at an elementary school in Northeast Thailand, selected through purposive sampling. The research tools include six 5E inquiry-based learning plans, an analytical thinking skills test, and a satisfaction questionnaire. Data collection involves implementing the learning plan in two operational cycles, conducting analytical thinking tests, and administering satisfaction questionnaires. The collected data are analyzed to determine achievement levels and satisfaction ratings. The statistics used are mean, standard deviation, and percentage. The findings from the first operational cycle indicate that 76.0% of students did not meet the evaluation criteria. After the second operational cycle, the mean score improved, and all students met the assessment criteria of 70.0%. Overall, the inquiry based learning approach has the potential to enhance analytical thinking skills, and student satisfaction levels were generally positive. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating effective learning management strategies, such as analytical thinking, to improve students' higher-order thinking skills.