Boosting Year 11 Student Motivation and Science Understanding in Gce 'o' Level Combined Science Through the Tpack and Activity Theory (Tpack-at) Framework

This study examines the impact of science boost camp interventions, utilizing the activity theory and TPACK (AT-TPACK) framework, on the achievements of sixty-eight Year 11 combined science students following the new Cambridge 5129 syllabus, including Paper 3 components, in Muara, Brunei. These students, learning combined science in English as their second language for three years, scored below 60% in their SPE Year 8 science exams, placing them in the Applied Secondary Education Programme (one class of 20 students) and the Special Applied Program (three classes of 48 students). The study uses a pretest-posttest and delayed posttest experimental design to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed three-phase AT-TPACK model. The primary goal is to enhance students' combined science achievement and reduce the number of students receiving ungraded (below 30%) grades in the GCE O Level examinations. After the mock exams, the sixty-eight students were randomly assigned to fourteen intervention groups on the basis of their academic performance. Each group, led by a higher achiever (HA) student, participated in science interventions. The study employs an explanatory sequential mixed-method design, analysing both quantitative (preintervention, postintervention, and delayed postintervention test scores) and qualitative data (thematic analysis of transcripts). The results revealed significant improvement in achievement scores postintervention and a reduction in ungraded grades, with thematic analysis indicating sustained retention of scientific concepts even after the 20-week intervention period. Students' GCE O level exam performance improved, with the school achieving its 2023 target for combined science, increasing from 19–35%, placing the school at the second highest rank in the country. These findings underscore the potential of targeted interventions in addressing challenges in combined science education, offering insights for educators aiming to improve student outcomes in similar contexts.