Development of an Interactive Problem-Based Learning E-Module to Improve Higher-Level Thinking Abilities in Thermochemistry

Abstract

Abstract: Development of An Interactive Problem-Based Learning E-Module to Improve Higher-Level Thinking Abilities in Thermochemistry. 21st-century education demands the development of students' Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). However, the abstract and calculation-heavy nature of the eleventh-grade thermochemistry material makes it difficult for students to comprehend when relying solely on conventional textbooks. Furthermore, the learning process in schools is still heavily dominated by teacher-centered lecture methods. As a solution, an interactive e-module was developed by integrating multimedia and the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model to stimulate analytical thinking and problem-solving skills. This study is a Research and Development (R&D) project using the 4D development model, which consists of the Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate stages. The instrument trial subjects involved 35 eleventh-grade students in class XI C at SMA Negeri 17 Medan. The feasibility of the e-module was evaluated through validation by material and media expert lecturers. The validation results showed an average score of 93.93% from the material experts and 92.15% from the media experts, classifying the e-module as highly valid. Additionally, the e-module received a highly positive response from students, achieving a practicality percentage of 88.17%. The use of the interactive PBL-based e-module is proven effective in improving students' Higher Order Thinking Skills. This is demonstrated by the increase in the average score from the pretest (28.19) to the posttest (82.09), yielding an N-Gain score of 0.74, which falls into the medium category.