Organizing Science and Technology Activities to Develop Problem-Solving Competence for 5–6-Year-Old Children in Vietnam

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a four-step procedure for organizing science and technology activities in developing problem-solving competence among preschool children aged 5–6 years in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods research design, the study conducted an experimental intervention with 126 preschool children in Ho Chi Minh City. A regression analysis accounting for baseline scores and the Group × pre-test interaction indicated a significant advantage for the experimental group at the mean baseline level (b = 5.16, 95% CI [3.35, 6.97], p < .001, after accounting for school as a fixed effect). The significant Group × pre-test interaction indicated that the magnitude of the group difference varied according to children’s initial problem-solving scores (b = 0.69, p < .001). The experimental group showed a markedly higher increase in mean scores compared with the control group. The findings confirm the importance of structuring science and technology activities toward experience, experimentation, and reflection in the context of early childhood education reform.