The Effect of Using a Strategy Based on Blending between Self-Questioning and Illustrations in Developing Generative Thinking Skills and the Acquisition of Mathematical Concepts Among Tenth-Grade Students

Abstract

The study seeks to examine the effect of using a strategy based on blending between self-questioning and illustrations in developing generative thinking skills and the acquisition of mathematical concepts among tenth graders in the Southern Hebron Directorate of Education. To achieve the objectives of the study, the quasi-experimental method was employed, where the study was applied to a sample of 109 students in the 10th grade, distributed among 4 sections in two schools (two sections had male students, and two sections had female students). The schools were public schools affliated to the Southern Hebron Directorate of Education. The research was conducted during the second quarter of the school year 2018/2019. A section that had male students and another that had female students were randomly selected to represent the experimental group. They were taught using a strategy based on blending between self-questioning and illustrations. Two separate sections, one male and one female, were selected to represent the control group. They were taught using the traditional method.
The results of the analysis of students’ marks in the two tests, the generative thinking test and mathematical concepts test, using the analysis of the ANOVA test, showed that there were statistically significant differences. These differences were in the generative thinking skills test among 10th graders, due to the variable method of teaching, in favor of the experimental group students, and also due to the gender varaible, in favor of females students. There were no differences due to the interaction between the variables of method of teaching and gender. The results also showed significant differences in the test of the acquisition of mathematical concepts due to the variable method of teaching, in favour of the experimental group, and due to gender, in favor of females students. There were also differences due to the interaction between the variables of method of teaching and gender in favor of female students in the experimental group.