Developing Problem-solving Competency through Community-based Science Projects Using Green STEM Principles and the Design Thinking Process (G-STEM-DT Model) for Vocational Certificate Students

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to: 1) develop problem-solving competency through community-based science projects using Green STEM and students’ design thinking process and 2) compare students' problem-solving competency before and after participating in the developed learning activities, as well as compare the problem-solving competency of students in the Industrial Trade Program and those in the Business Administration Program. This study employed a research and development (R&D) design. The research instruments included lesson plans, activity packages, and a problem-solving competency test. The target group consisted of 65 vocational certificate students at Satun Technical College enrolling in the Basic Science for Careers Course (20000-1301) during the first semester of the 2025 academic year, selected through purposive sampling. Data were analyzed by mean (), standard deviation (S.D.), and t-test.  The research findings were as follows
1) The developed learning activity packages demonstrated an efficiency (E₁/E₂) of 81.10/80.27, which exceeded the established 80/80 criterion.
2) Students’ problem-solving competency significantly increased following participation in project-based science learning using a community-based approach grounded in the Green STEM framework and integrated with the design thinking process (p < .05). In addition, students in the Business Administration program achieved significantly higher problem-solving competency scores than those in the Industrial program (p < .05), possibly due to their prior learning experiences related to customer understanding and service-oriented practices, which may have enhanced their ability to identify problems and communicate project outcomes effectively.