The Effects of Problem Based Learning With Cooperative Learning on Preschoolers’ Scientific Creativity

This research aimed to determine the effects of Problem based learning (PBL) with cooperative learning (CL) and ‘Numbered Heads Together’ (NHT) on preschoolers’ five trait dimensions of scientific creativity: Fluency, Originality, Elaboration, Abstractness of title, and Resistance to premature closure. A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test control group design was employed in the research. The sample consisted of 216 six-year-old preschoolers from three randomly selected preschools and assigned to PBL-CL‘NHT’ (n=72), PBL (n=72), and hands-on (TG) (n=72) instructional methods. The Figural Scientific Creativity Test was used as the pre-test (Form A) and post-test (Form B). Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA) was conducted on the post-test scores with pre-test scores as the covariates to determine whether a significant difference existed across the three methods. The results indicated that preschoolers taught in the PBL-CL‘NHT’ method significantly outperformed their peers in the PBL method who, in turn, significantly outperformed their peers in the TG method in Fluency, Originality, Elaboration, Abstractness of title, and Resistance to premature closure. Large effect sizes were obtained for comparing PBL-CL ‘NHT’ with PBL and TG method. The findings suggest that the PBL-CL ‘NHT’ method has a significant positive impact on fostering preschoolers’ five trait dimensions of scientific creativity. Key words: cooperative learning, preschoolers, problem based learning, scientific creativity, trait dimensions.