The Effectiveness of a Proposed Strategy in Science Based on Social Learning in Developing the Depth of Knowledge and some Methods of Scientific Thinking among Middle School Students in Iraq

Abstract

This study aimed to develop knowledge depth and some scientific thinking skills in science among the intermediate stage students in Iraq utilizing a strategy of integrating segmented information “cooperative tasks” based on the social learning. The study made use of the quasi-experimental design to find out the effectiveness of the strategy in developing knowledge depth and some scientific thinking skills. Participants were 56 students in the second year of the intermediate stage at Al-Hikma Secondary School for Girls, the second Rusafa Education Directorate, Baghdad Governorate, Iraq. Participants were randomly assigned into two groups, experimental and control groups (N=28 students in each group). The study utilized a test of knowledge depth and scale of thinking techniques in science in the second semester of the academic year 2018-2020. The results revealed the effectiveness of the strategy in developing both knowledge depth and some scientific thinking skills in science among the intermediate stage students in Iraq. It was recommended that the results of this study should be generalized in both public and private sectors in addition to giving the due attention to knowledge depth in science through intended activities. The study also recommended the need for designing proposed programs for developing thinking techniques and adopting social learning strategies, especially information segmentation strategy.