Enhancing Third Graders' Understanding of the Water Cycle through Problem-Based Learning and Wordwall Integration

problem-based learning wordwall water cycle conceptual understanding elementary education

Authors

June 3, 2025
July 2, 2025
This study examines the effectiveness of integrating Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Wordwall (WW) to enhance third-grade students' understanding of the water cycle. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, three groups of students (n = 105) were compared: a PBL+WW group, a PBL-only group, and a control group receiving conventional instruction. Over six sessions, each group was taught using its designated approach, with conceptual understanding assessed through pretests and posttests, separated by a 45-day interval. Statistical analyses, revealed that the PBL+WW group demonstrated higher posttest performance compared to the control group, although improvements were similar to those of the PBL-only group. These findings suggest that PBL effectively enhances conceptual understanding, with Wordwall providing additional support in reinforcing key vocabulary. The study highlights the potential of combining PBL and Wordwall to improve elementary science education and suggests further research into their application across diverse learning contexts