Equipping Learner’s with Critical Thinking Skills Development Through Project-Based Learning and Differentiated Instruction
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65339/ijsis.V1.I3.220Keywords:
Critical Thinking Skills, Differentiated Instruction, Educational Sustainability, Inclusive Education, Learner-Centered Instruction, Learning and Development Program, Project-Based Learning, Sustainable Development Goals, Teacher Professional DevelopmentAbstract
This study examined teachers’ implementation of Project-Based Learning (PBL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI) and their relationship with learners’ critical thinking skills in selected public elementary schools in Dagohoy District, Schools Division of Bohol, during School Year 2026–2027. Anchored primarily in constructivist and social constructivist theories, differentiated instruction theory, and Bloom’s Taxonomy, the study employed a quantitative descriptive-survey design with a correlational approach. The respondents comprised 58 school personnel, including three school heads and 55 teachers, selected through purposive and stratified random sampling procedures. Data were collected using an expert-validated, pilot-tested, modified questionnaire and analyzed through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and Spearman rank-order correlation. Findings revealed that PBL (WM = 3.29) and DI (WM = 3.55) implementation were Highly Evident, with strengths in developing 21st-century skills and differentiating instructional content, respectively. Learners’ critical thinking skills were assessed as Satisfactory (WM = 2.89), with remembering rated highest (WM = 3.55) and creating lowest (WM = 2.31). PBL implementation showed no statistically significant relationship with critical thinking (ρ = −0.156, p = 0.256), whereas DI demonstrated a statistically significant weak positive relationship (r = 0.268, p = 0.048). The study recommends strengthening differentiated learning experiences, authentic projects, higher-order thinking activities, and sustained teacher professional development through the proposed Project DI-THINK Learning and Development Program. The study supports Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by emphasizing inclusive instruction and equitable learning opportunities. Its potential sustainability impact includes improved instructional quality, continuous professional development, institutional capacity building, and community-responsive educational practices.
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