Developing Learning Activity Packages to Foster Critical Thinking in Social Media Risk Literacy among Lower Secondary School Students in Nakhon Ratchasima Province

Abstract

             This basic research aimed to: 1) examine the current conditions and needs for developing critical thinking in social media literacy among students, 2) identify the learning management needs of lower secondary school teachers, and 3) develop a learning activity package to enhance students’ critical thinking in social media literacy in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The study was conducted in three phases. Phase 1 investigated the conditions and needs of 372 Grade 7 students selected through multistage random sampling. Phase 2 explored the needs of five purposively selected lower secondary school teachers in the first semester of the 2025 academic year. Phase 3 involved the development of the learning activity package. Research instruments included questionnaires, structured interviews, and the activity package. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and content analysis.
             The findings revealed that 1) students’ current critical thinking development was at a moderate level, while the need for enhancing critical thinking skills in recognizing online social media threats was high; 2) learning management should incorporate activities analyzing fake news, credibility assessment using SIFT and CRAAP Test methods, discussions, and role-playing scenarios, along with digital media and real case studies, integrated across multiple subjects, with evaluation through debates, tests, and behavioral observation; and 3) the activity package designed to develop critical thinking in recognizing online social media threats for lower secondary students in Nakhon Ratchasima Province consisted of three sets covering Facebook, Line, and Games, totaling nine activities requiring 18 hours of instruction. Each activity included a title, learning objectives, procedural steps, media and equipment, assessment methods, and appendices to effectively foster analytical thinking skills.