Enhancing Students’ Scientific Literacy through Socio-Scientific Issues-Based Project-Based Learning in Physics Education
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26618/57rfvs81
contextual learning, physics education, project-based learning, scientific literacy, socio-scientific issues
Abstract
Students’ scientific literacy in physics remains a major concern because classroom instruction often emphasizes conceptual understanding and mathematical problem-solving without sufficiently connecting physics concepts to real-life socio-scientific contexts. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Socio-Scientific Issues-based Project-Based Learning (SSI-PjBL) in improving eleventh-grade students’ scientific literacy in physics education. A quantitative quasi-experimental method with a non-equivalent control group design was employed. The study involved 67 students from a private senior high school in Bandung, Indonesia, divided into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group received SSI-PjBL instruction, while the control group received conventional instruction. Data were collected using a scientific literacy test developed based on three core competencies: explaining scientific phenomena, evaluating and designing scientific inquiry, and interpreting data and scientific evidence. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, normalized gain (N-Gain), an independent samples t-test, and Cohen’s d effect size. The results showed that the experimental group achieved a greater improvement in scientific literacy than the control group. The experimental group obtained an N-Gain score of 0.61, categorized as moderate, whereas the control group obtained an N-Gain score of 0.33, categorized as low. The independent-samples t-test indicated a significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.05), with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 0.92). Improvement was observed across all scientific literacy indicators, with the highest gain in explaining scientific phenomena. The novelty of this study lies in integrating socio-scientific issues with project-based learning as a contextual instructional strategy for physics education. The findings conclude that SSI-PjBL effectively enhances students’ scientific literacy by supporting the application of physics concepts to authentic problems. This study contributes to physics education by providing empirical evidence for a student-centered, contextual, and project-based approach aligned with 21st-century science learning goals.
References
Apriyani, Y., Supriyati, Y., & Margono, G. (2021). The influence of learning models on scientific literacy in physics course: A meta-analysis research. International Journal of Science and Society, 3(4), 44–51. https://doi.org/10.54783/ijsoc.v3i4.392
Aqilah, S., Pursitasari, I. D., Permana, I., Ardianto, D., & Rachman, I. (2025). Opportunities and challenges in enhancing students’ science literacy. JIPI (Jurnal IPA dan Pembelajaran IPA), 9(2), 342–356. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24815/jipi.v9i2.44946
Azura, F., Jatmiko, B., Ibrahim, M., Hariyono, E., & Prahani, B. K. (2021). A profile of scientific literacy of senior high school students on physics learning. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2110(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2110/1/012029
Bennett, J., Lubben, F., & Hogarth, S. (2007). Bringing science to life: A synthesis of the research evidence on the effects of context-based and STS approaches to science teaching. Science Education, 91(3), 347–370. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.20186
Chen, C. H., & Yang, Y. C. (2019). Revisiting the effects of project-based learning on students’ academic achievement: A meta-analysis investigating moderators. Educational Research Review, 26, 71–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2018.11.001
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Fadilah, N., Nurlaela, A., & Romadhon, D. R. (2024). Optics learning transformation through project-based learning: Enhancing scientific abilities and affective learning outcomes in students with the pinhole camera project. Jurnal Pendidikan Fisika, 12(3), 131–140. https://doi.org/10.26618/jpf.v12i3.15358
Field, A. (2023). Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2023). How to design and evaluate research in education (11th ed.). McGraw-Hill.
Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2024). Multivariate data analysis (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Hernandez, J., Skiba, J., German, M., Scherr, R., Huynh, T., Mathis, C., & Araya, M. (2022). Exploring sociopolitical landscapes in physics education. Sustainability and Climate Change, 15(4), 279–288. https://doi.org/10.1089/scc.2022.0023
Hmelo-Silver, C. E., Duncan, R. G., & Chinn, C. A. (2007). Scaffolding and achievement in problem-based and inquiry learning: A response to Kirschner, Sweller, and Clark. Educational Psychologist, 42(2), 99–107. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520701263368
Holbrook, J., & Rannikmäe, M. (2009). The meaning of scientific literacy. International Journal of Environmental & Science Education, 4(3), 275-288. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ884397.pdf
Holubova, R. (2024). Does generation Z (and Alpha) need physics as a separate school subject? Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2715(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2715/1/012003
Kokotsaki, D., Menzies, V., & Wiggins, A. (2016). Project-based learning: A review of the literature. Improving Schools, 19(3), 267-277. https://scispace.com/pdf/project-based-learning-a-review-of-the-literature-3dd3ofeuuu.pdf
Krajcik, J. S., & Shin, N. (2014). Project-based learning. The Cambridge handbook of the learning sciences (2nd ed), 275–297. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139519526.018
Kujović, V., Džaferović-Mašić, E., & Popara, M. U. (2022). Teaching physics for high-school students through real-life questions and situations. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2415(1), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/2415/1/012011
Lakens, D. (2013). Calculating and reporting effect sizes to facilitate cumulative science: a practical primer for t-tests and ANOVAs. Frontiers Psychology, 4, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00863
Lederman, N. G., Lederman, J. S., & Antink, A. (2013). Nature of science and scientific inquiry as contexts for the learning of science and achievement of scientific literacy. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 1(3), 138-147. https://ijemst.com/index.php/ijemst/article/view/284
McNeill, K. L., & Krajcik, J. S. (2007). Scientific explanations: Characterizing and evaluating the effects of teachers’ instructional practices on student learning. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 45(1), 53–78. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20201
Miller, E. C., & Krajcik, J. S. (2019). Promoting deep learning through project-based learning: A design problem. Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research, 1(7), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43031-019-0009-6
Nurroniah, N. S., Irvani, A. I., & Muhajir, S. N. (2025). Contextual problem-based learning model to improve students’ critical thinking skills in physics learning. Kasuari: Physics Education Journal (KPEJ), 8(1), 174–186. https://journalfkipunipa.org/index.php/kpej/article/view/873
OECD. (2023). PISA 2022 results: The state of learning and equity in education. OECD Publishing. https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2023/12/pisa-2022-results-volume-i_76772a36/53f23881-en.pdf
Praptama, S. S., Purwaningsih, E., Taufiq, A., & Setiyoaji, W. T. (2023). Module development through project-based learning to enhance students’ creative thinking. Jurnal Pendidikan Fisika, 11(2), 215–224. https://doi.org/10.26618/jpf.v11i2.10731
Rediani, N. N. (2024). The impact of project-based learning on students’ scientific literacy and autonomy. Indonesian Journal of Educational Development (IJED), 5(1), 67–78. https://doi.org/10.59672/ijed.v5i1.3747
Sadler, T. D. (2004). Informal reasoning regarding socioscientific issues: A critical review of research. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 41(5), 513–536. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.20009
Sartika, D., Nurlina, N., Mutmainna, M., Aris, N. A., & Musliana, M. (2023). The scientific literacy profile of senior high school students based on science competence dimension. AIP Conference Proceedings, 2619. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0122563
Sokolowski, A. (2021). Unpacking structural domain of mathematics to aid inquiry in physics: A pilot study. Physics Education, 56(1). https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6552/abc4db
Susilawati, S., Hayati, C., Syukri, M., Ngadimin, N., Wahyuni, A., & Shandi, T. (2025). The use of STEM integrated project-based learning media assisted by TikTok application to improve students’ creative thinking skills. Jurnal Pendidikan Fisika, 13(3), 586–599. https://doi.org/10.26618/v1de7526
Zeidler, D. L., Herman, B. C., & Sadler, T. D. (2023). New directions in socio-scientific issues research. Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research, 1(11), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s43031-019-0008-7
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Doni Nurdiansyah, Dadan Ramdany, Duden Saepuzaman
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright:
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
Licence:
Authors are free to:
1. Share: Copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format
2. Adapt: Remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.
The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as the authors follow the license terms, which include the following:
1. Attribution: You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
2. ShareAlike: If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
3. No additional restrictions: You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.
Jurnal Pendidikan Fisika is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
