The effect of teaching using the problem tree strategy on acquiring historical concepts and self-confidence among sixth-grade female students in social studies

Abstract

Abstract :

The current research aims to identify the effect of teaching using the problem tree strategy in acquiring historical concepts and self-confidence among sixth-grade female students in social studies.

In light of the research objective, the researcher formulated the following two hypotheses:

1.There is no statistically significant difference at the level of (0.05) between the average scores of the students in the experimental group who study according to the problem tree strategy and the students in the control group who study according to the usual method in acquiring historical concepts in the post-social studies subject.

2.There is no statistically significant difference at the level of (0.05) between the average scores of the students in the experimental group who study according to the problem tree strategy and the students in the control group who study in the usual way in the post-test self-confidence scale.

To achieve the goal of the research and its hypotheses, the researcher adopted an experimental design that falls within the field of experimental designs with partial control for the posttest acquisition of historical concepts and the posttest self-confidence scale for the two research groups.

The researcher chose (Khawla Bint Al-Azwar Primary School for Girls) affiliated with the Holy Karbala Education Directorate/Hindi Education Department randomly, and by random drawing, a division was chosen.

(A) was randomly assigned to represent the experimental group that will study social subject according to the problem tree strategy, while section (B) represents the control group that will study social subject according to the usual method. It conducted equality between the students of the two research groups in the following variables: (chronological age calculated in months, parents’ academic achievement, mid-year grades in social studies, Raven’s intelligence test, and the tribal self-confidence scale).

The researcher determined the subject that would be taught during the experiment, which is (the second unit of the social studies book for the sixth grade of primary school), and formulated the behavioral objectives for the topics that would be studied. They were (75) behavioral objectives in Bloom’s three levels (definition, distinction, application). The researcher prepared daily plans for teaching the two groups. The research presented two of them to a group of arbitrators to determine their validity and suitability for sixth-grade primary school students.

The researcher prepared two tools for the research. The first was a test for the acquisition of historical concepts in the subject of social studies, a multiple-choice test consisting of (25) items. The validity, reliability, level of difficulty of the test items, the power of discrimination, and the effectiveness of its incorrect alternatives were confirmed. The second tool was a measure of self-confidence. It consists of (20) paragraphs, and its validity and reliability were also confirmed.

The researcher applied the two research tools to the two research groups after the end of the experiment period, which lasted from (3/7/2024 - until 5/30/2024), and the researcher herself studied the two research groups.

The researcher used the following statistical methods: (T-test for two independent samples, chi-square, Pearson correlation coefficient, difficulty coefficient equation, paragraph discrimination power equation, false primer effectiveness equation, and eta square equation). After analyzing the results statistically, the researcher concluded that the students in the experimental group excelled They taught the social studies subject using the problem tree strategy to the students of the control group who studied the same subject in the usual way in the test of acquiring historical concepts. The results also demonstrated that the students of the experimental group who studied the social studies subject using the problem tree strategy were superior to the students of the control group who studied the same subject in the usual way in the self-confidence scale.

In light of the research results, the researcher reached a number of conclusions, including:

1.The effectiveness of the problem tree strategy in improving understanding and acquisition of historical concepts compared to traditional methods.

2.The problem tree strategy is consistent with the goals of modern education, which considers the student to be the focus of the educational process.

In light of these conclusions, the researcher recommends the following:

1.Adopting the problem tree strategy in teaching social studies in the primary education levels by the Ministry of Education.

2.Training teachers to use the problem tree strategy to achieve modern education goals.

To complement the aspects of the research, the researcher proposes a number of proposals, including:

1.Conducting research to evaluate the use of the problem tree strategy in other subjects and different study samples.

2.Make comparisons between the problem tree strategy and other teaching methods to determine the diverse effectiveness of each of them.