The Effect of the SPAWN Strategy on the Achievement and Coordinative Thinking of Second-Grade Intermediate Female Students

Abstract

   The current research aims to identify the effect of the SPAWN strategy on academic achievement and coordinative thinking among second-grade intermediate female students. To achieve this objective, the experimental method was adopted due to its suitability for the nature of the study. The research was limited to second-grade intermediate female students, with a sample of 69 students from public schools in Wasit Governorate. The sample was randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group of 35 students who studied using the SPAWN strategy in the subject of biology, and a control group of 34 students who studied using the conventional method in the subject of biology. The two groups were matched in several variables: (prior achievement in biology, Raven's Intelligence Test, parental educational level, and chronological age calculated in months).

After determining the scientific content, the researchers formulated (57) behavioral objectives and prepared model teaching plans for each topic in the experiment. To measure student achievement, the researchers developed an achievement test consisting of 30 questions distributed across the four levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. Additionally, the researchers adopted a test for coordinative thinking. At the end of the experiment, the achievement test and coordinative thinking test were administered to the students. The data were statistically analyzed using the t-test for two independent samples.

The results revealed that the experimental group, which studied biology topics using the SPAWN strategy, outperformed the control group, which studied using the conventional method, in both the achievement test and the coordinative thinking test. Thus, the researchers conclude that this strategy clearly contributed to raising the academic achievement level of second-year middle school students, as it was effective in supporting the learning of scientific concepts and consolidating them in their minds effectively, and it also helped in developing students' thinking skills, along with improving their scientific communication and collaborative work skills, and taking into account individual differences by providing diverse opportunities for thinking and participation. Therefore, the two researchers recommend promoting and employing the SPAWN strategy and fostering coordinative thinking in diverse educational environments, due to their positive and effective impact on developing students' higher-order thinking skills and deepening their understanding of scientific material. They also encourage conducting further studies exploring this strategy with other educational variables and across different educational stages, contributing to the development of pedagogical practices in educational institutions.