Abstract:

The ultimate objective of education is not only to impart academic knowledge to students but also to equip them with the necessary skills essential for them in today's world. Those skills include critical thinking, problem-solving and effective communication, which enable students to become lifelong learners and actively engage inside and outside the classroom environment. However, one of the significant challenges that the higher education sector is currently facing is the shift towards online learning, which has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent studies show that although online learning provides more flexibility and accessibility but also poses challenges, such as a lack of interaction, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, learning experiences and a lack of peer support outside the classroom.

Therefore, to enhance student learning outcomes through peer problem-solving and critical thinking practices, it is essential to provide them with not only the delivery of content but also the right skill set for the future and positive learning experiences to support their learning inside and outside the class. Recent research suggests that implementing Wenger's Community of Practices (COP) with its three elements:
1) domain,
2) community, and
3) practice, significantly contributes to the promotion of peer support, and Gee's game-based learning (GBL) elements:
1) Empowerment,
2) Understanding and
3) Problem-Solving to increase their understanding of the content and interaction, motivation and engagement within a learning environment.

This, in turn, facilitates the development of individuals' community-based critical thinking and problem-solving skills and increases their understanding of the domain they are working in.

In this research, a model named GBCoP has been designed to incorporate the community of practices elements within an online and technology-backed learning environment where the class content was integrated with the latest digital tools and learning activities. The class redesign consisted of lectures, Education 4.0-based activities, practical labs, feedback sessions, competitive and fun quizzes, input from industry experts, and a WhatsApp group created for group communication.

In this study, a mixed-method approach was employed to collect data, and the results were triangulated to increase their validity. A Likert scale survey was administered to measure the perceptions of 48 students regarding the community-based problem-solving environment at the end of the trimester.

The survey aimed to evaluate several crucial constructs of the students, including:
1) Motivation,
2) Engagement,
3) Critical thinking and problem-solving, and
4) Team collaboration.

The results of the survey were particularly noteworthy and revealed that the students displayed high levels of motivation and engagement, as well as strong proficiency in the areas of critical thinking, problem-solving, and team collaboration within a community-based learning environment. These findings reinforce the notion that the GBCoP model can be effectively utilised in an online classroom setting as a teaching strategy. The survey results provide a compelling argument for utilising the GBCoP model as an instructional strategy in online classrooms.

Keywords:

Community-Based Learning, Student Learning, Game-based learning, Problem-Solving Learning.