Enhancing higher-order thinking skills in rural elementary schools: A culturally responsive 3D animation intervention

Information from the abstract

Higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) are crucial for academic success, but fostering these abilities is challenging in rural and economically disadvantaged areas. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a 3D animated cartoon series integrating Thai local wisdom to enhance HOTS among elementary students in the Mekong River Basin area. A developmental research design was utilized to create a four-episode series (15 min per episode) targeting analytical thinking, problem-solving, critical thinking, and creative thinking, with internal validity assessed through expert evaluation and external validity tested via a single-group pre-post (pre-test–post-test) assessment of students’ HOTS using four separate skill-specific instruments . Expert evaluation yielded high internal validity scores (average 4.65/5) for content, animation, and design, while the external assessment showed statistically significant pre-to-post gains in the three components examined in this study: problem-solving (38.63% to 74.82%, d = 1.42), critical thinking (37.00% to 73.91%, d = 1.33), and creative thinking (37.94% to 76.59%, d = 1.52). Results for the analytical-thinking component of this same intervention were reported separately (Authors, 2024) and are not re-analyzed here. Because the study used a single-group pre-test–post-test design without a control group, these gains are interpreted as associated with the intervention rather than as conclusive causal effects. The findings nonetheless suggest that a culturally relevant 3D animated series is a promising approach for supporting HOTS development among rural primary students while preserving local knowledge, and they offer a replicable design model that warrants confirmation through controlled studies.

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Related topics: Indigenous and Place-Based Education · Education Methods and Practices · Art Education and Development