The effect of the feaca model on students' academic achievement, analytical thinking and conceptual understanding skills

The Industrial Revolution and the ensuing process of industrialization led to fundamental transformations in educational paradigms across the world. During this era, the behaviorist approach dominated educational practices, emphasizing the transmission of knowledge from authority figures to passive learners. According to this approach, learning occurs as a result of the individual's responses to external stimuli, with correct behaviors being reinforced through rewards and incorrect ones being punished or ignored. Ivan Pavlov's theory of classical conditioning and B. F. Skinner's theory of operant conditioning laid the theoretical foundations of behaviorism. However, over time, this perspective was gradually replaced by constructivist learning theories, which position the learner as an active participant in the learning process. According to constructivism, knowledge is not transmitted directly but is constructed individually based on prior knowledge and personal experiences. In this framework, the role of the teacher shifts from being a transmitter of knowledge to a facilitator who guides and organizes the learning environment. Context-based learning, rooted in constructivist theory, focuses on establishing meaningful connections between new concepts and students' everyday experiences. It promotes active learning by engaging students in real-life contexts that are relevant and familiar to them. This approach has gained significant prominence since the 1990s, particularly in the fields of science and chemistry education, as it helps students understand abstract concepts in a more meaningful and lasting way. One of the prominent models of context-based learning is the FEACA Model, developed by Thai academic Kittima Panprueksa. The model, named after the initials of its instructional steps, aims to actively engage students in constructing knowledge through real-life contexts and experiences, thereby enhancing conceptual understanding and long-term retention. This study investigates the effects of the FEACA Model on eighth-grade students' academic achievement, analytical thinking skills, and conceptual understanding. Conducted in the 2023–2024 academic year in Amasya, Türkiye, the research employed a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design with a non-equivalent control group. The findings revealed statistically significant improvements in academic achievement and conceptual understanding among students taught using the FEACA Model. However, no significant difference was found in analytical thinking skills. It is recommended that future studies adapt the model with enriched activities targeting analytical thinking and test it across different subjects and educational levels.