Integrating Problem – Based Learning Worksheets as Supplemental Materials with Modular instruction: Its Effect on Learner’s Critical Thinking Skills on Earthquakes in Grade 8 Earth and Space

The poor performance of Philippines’ students as one of the participating countries in the TIMMS 2019 as supported by PISA 2018 coupled with the challenges of learning at home amidst the pandemic: this action research aimed to assist learners through the provision of problem – based learning worksheets as supplemental materials together with the prescribed modular approach. Specifically, it aims to determine the effect of integrating problem – based learning worksheets as supplemental materials with modular instruction on the performance of Grade 8 students on learning competencies focusing on earthquakes in Earth and Space. The participants of the study were 50 Grade 8 students of Lambunao National High School for the S.Y. 2020-2021. Researcher–made problem – based learning worksheets as supplemental materials together with the DepEd – prescribed modules were provided to the experimental groups while the control group solely received DepEd provided modules. Mean, Paired Samples t-test, and Independent Samples t-test were used as statistical tools in this study. Findings showed that the modular approach significantly improved the performance of both groups by comparing their pretest and posttest results. Significant differences were observed when comparing the posttest results of both the control and experimental group with the experimental group (incorporated problem – based learning worksheets with DepEd – prescribed modules) obtaining the higher mean scores. These findings led to the conclusion that the use of problem – based learning worksheets improved the academic performance of students in Grade 8 – Earth and Space on earthquake learning competencies. Recommendations include the incorporation of problem – based learning worksheets as supplemental materials together with DepEd prescribed modules as tools in learning Science.