Investigating the impact of a possibility-thinking integrated project-based learning history course on high school students' creativity, learning motivation, and history knowledge

Due to the rigid teaching methods commonly used in social studies, especially in history education, students' learning motivation and active learning may be hindered. Thus, many students become passive recipients of historical knowledge and witnesses of historical events. Identifying and reconsidering the teaching methods used in history education is crucial. In response to the emergent call to revitalize history courses, the current study developed the PT-PBL framework, which systematically integrated Possibility Thinking and Project-based Learning into a high school history course. 140 participants aged 15–16 years old were recruited. Two classes of students were assigned to the experimental group (PT-PBL learning, N = 75), whereas the other two classes were assigned to the comparison group (didactic teaching approach, N = 65). A quasi-experimental design was used to investigate the impact of experimental teaching on students' learning motivation, creativity, and mastery level of history knowledge in history courses. The results indicated that the students in the experimental group significantly outperformed the students in the comparison group in creativity (fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration) and learning motivation (self-efficacy). Nonetheless, no statistically significant difference was found between both groups' mastery level of history knowledge. Educational implications and recommendations for future research and practices are offered.