Rattikorn Chanchumni The Innovation Development of Digital Social Education Learning Through the Makerspace Approach to Promote Creative Thinking Skills for Students of Mahamakut Buddhist University Lanna Campus

Abstract

This research aimed to: 1) examine the learning environment and creative thinking space through a 4P learning-by-doing process for students at Mahamakut Buddhist University, Lanna Campus; 2) develop a Digital Social Studies Learning Innovation based on the Makerspace approach to promote creative thinking skills; and 3) transfer the developed innovation for practical implementation. The study employed a Research and Development (R&D) methodology using a mixed-methods approach. The population comprised undergraduate students enrolled in the Bachelor of Education Program in Social Studies Teaching at Mahamakut Buddhist University, Lanna Campus. The sample consisted of 35 fourth-year students and 20 experts, selected through purposive sampling. Research instruments included semi-structured interview forms, focus group discussion guidelines, questionnaires, pretest–posttest creative thinking assessment forms, and learner satisfaction questionnaires. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis, while quantitative data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and the paired-samples t-test.

The findings revealed that: 1) the overall learning environment and creative thinking space based on the 4P learning process were rated at a high level. Among the evaluated dimensions, the learning environment received the highest mean score, followed by learning management and measurement and evaluation. 2) The development process resulted in the 4P Learning Model, comprising four sequential stages: Product (Problem Analysis), Price (Knowledge Discovery), Place (Design and Learning by Doing), and Promotion (Presentation and Reflection). The model integrates Makerspace learning environments, digital technology, and experiential learning to effectively enhance learners' creative thinking skills. 3) Following the implementation of the innovation, students' posttest achievement scores were significantly higher than their pretest scores at the .05 level. Their creative thinking skills were rated at a high level, while overall satisfaction with the innovation was at the highest level. The study generated a new body of knowledge in the form of the Digital Social Studies Makerspace Learning Innovation (4P Learning Model), which integrates experiential learning, digital technology, and Makerspace environments to transform learners from knowledge consumers into knowledge creators and innovators. This instructional innovation effectively promotes creative thinking skills and cultivates the essential competencies required of 21st-century learners, providing a sustainable learning model applicable to higher education.