<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Xiangying Xue</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Yuan Li</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Huanjing Wang</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">EFFECTS OF STEM PROJECT-BASED LEARNING ON ELECTRICITY ACHIEVEMENT, CRITICAL THINKING, AND INTEREST IN RURAL PHYSICS EDUCATION IN P. R. CHINA</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Journal of Baltic Science Education</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">critical thinking skills</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">electricity education</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">rural education</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">science learning interest</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">STEM project-based learning</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2026</style></year><pub-dates><date><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">August / 2026</style></date></pub-dates></dates><urls><web-urls><url><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">https://oaji.net/articles/2026/987-1789235644.pdf</style></url></web-urls></urls><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">25</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Continuous</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">STEM-integrated project-based learning (STEM-PjBL) can support science learning, but evidence from under-resourced rural schools in P. R. China remains limited. This study developed a low-cost STEM-integrated project-based learning module on electricity (STEM-E-PjBL, where “E” denotes electricity) and examined its effects on Grade 9 students’ electricity achievement, critical thinking skills, and science learning interest. A pragmatist mixed-methods approach was used, combining a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest nonequivalent control-group design with semi-structured interviews. One hundred students from two intact classes in one rural middle school participated. The experimental group (n = 50) completed the six-week STEM-E-PjBL module, whereas the control group (n = 50) received conventional physics lessons. Quantitative data were collected using an electricity achievement test, a critical thinking scale, and a science learning interest questionnaire. Thirty experimental-group students were interviewed and classified as high-, medium-, or low-gain students according to their pretest-posttest gains on the electricity achievement test, enabling differentiated analysis of students’ learning experiences. ANCOVA showed significant experimental-group advantages in all three outcomes, with large effect sizes. Interviews indicated that hands-on activities, authentic contexts, and collaborative inquiry supported understanding, reasoning, motivation, and engagement, with different gain groups emphasizing different forms of support and learning value. The STEM-E-PjBL module offers a feasible approach for improving rural students’ electricity learning and supporting equitable STEM education.</style></abstract><issue><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">4</style></issue><work-type><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Original article</style></work-type><section><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">739-762</style></section></record></records></xml>