Effect of using the brain based learning theory in teaching the History subject on developing the historical imagination the lateral thinking skills in the primary stage pupils

Research Abstract

Effect of using the brain based learning theory in teaching the History subject on developing the historical imagination the lateral thinking skills in the primary stage pupils Problem of the research The research problem lies in the weakness of the historical imagination skills and the lateral thinking in the primary stage pupils. This may be attributed to that traditional teaching strategies and methods used in teaching the social studies (history) which don't help develop these skills in the pupils. So as an attempt for overcoming such problem the current research tries to provide an answer for the following main question: What is effect of using the brain based learning theory in teaching the social studies subject on developing the historical imagination skills and the lateral thinking in the primary stage pupils? Off the main question branch the following sub-questions? • What are the appropriate historical imagination skills for the primary stage pupils? • What are the appropriate lateral thinking skills for the primary stage pupils? • What is the effect of using the brain based learning theory in teaching the social studies subject on developing the historical imagination skills in the primary stage pupils? • What is the effect of using the brain based learning theory in teaching the social studies subject on developing the lateral thinking skills in the primary stage pupils? • What is the correlation between the historical imagination skills and the lateral thinking skills in the primary stage pupils? Hypotheses of the research • There is statistically significant difference at 0,05 among the mean scores of experimental and the control groups in the post test of the historical imagination skills and its different dimensions in favor of the experimental group. • There is statistically significant difference at 0,05 among the mean scores of experimental in the pre-posttest of the historical imagination skills and its different dimensions in favor of posttest. • There is statistically significant difference at 0,05 among the mean scores of experimental and the control groups in the post test of the lateral thinking skills and its different dimensions in favor of the experimental group. • There is statistically significant difference at 0,05 among the mean scores of experimental in the pre-posttest of the lateral thinking skills and its different dimensions in favor of posttest. • There is a correlation between the mean scores of the experimental group pupils in the posttest of the historical imagination skills and their scores in the posttest of the lateral thinking skills. Objectives of the research The current research aims to identify the following: • The effect of using the brain based learning theory in teaching the social studies subject on developing the historical imagination skills in the primary stage pupils? • The effect of using the brain based learning theory in teaching the social studies subject on developing the lateral thinking skills in the primary stage pupils? • The correlation between the historical imagination skills and the lateral thinking skills in the primary stage pupils? Significance of the research Significance of the research lies in that it may be of much use in the following: • Providing a procedural model for how to use the brain based learning theory in the social studies subject in a way that helps the social studies subject teachers use the theory in carrying out their lessons inside the classroom, and in turn help treat some aspects of deficiencies regarding the social studies teaching and learning methods in the primary stage. • Providing two checklists of the historical imagination and the lateral thinking skills which can be included and developed in the social studies subject in the primary stage. • Supplying the social studies subject teachers with a teacher's guide for how to teach the social studies lessons using the brain based learning theory in a way that may guide them during teaching social studies lessons in the classroom. • Supplying the social studies subject teacher with a host of educational activities (a note book of pupil's activities and drills prepared by the researcher) designed in the light of the brain based learning theory which may be of much help in developing the historical imagination skills and the lateral thinking skills. Moreover, this may help in designing similar activities while teaching the curriculum. • Provision of objective instruments for the social studies subject teachers represented in a historical imagination skill test and a lateral thinking skill test which can be utilized for measuring and evaluating those aspects in pupils. • Attracting attentions of officials in charge of developing the social studies subject in the prep stage towards significance of including the historical imagination skills and the lateral thinking skills in the curriculum contents and dimensions systematically and intentionally. Instruments of the research • A historical imagination skill test • A lateral thinking skill test Steps and procedures of the research For answering the research questions and validating its hypotheses, the following steps and procedures were followed: • Constructing a historical imagination skill checklist which can be developed during teaching the social studies subject for the primary six and showing it to a host of jury for identifying its validity, then modifying it in the light of their view points; so as to reach its final form. • Constructing a lateral thinking skill checklist which can be developed during teaching the social studies subject for the primary six and showing it to a host of jury for identifying its validity, then modifying it in the light of their view points; so as to reach its final form. • Constructing a student's book where the history curriculum lessons were carried out using the brain based learning theory. The student's book was constructed for guiding pupils towards how to study the unit using the brain based learning theory and included the general aims, the curriculum lessons, the educational activities and the evaluation. • Constructing a teacher's guide: a teacher's guide was constructed for guiding social studies subject teachers with regard to teaching history subject (third and fourth units) in the social studies subject textbook of primary six according to stages of the brain based learning theory. We have taken into consideration while constructing the teacher's book that it should include the following aspects: the introduction, the objectives, the teacher's role in using the brain based learning theory an applications, procedural objectives of the lesson, the educational aids and the textbook lessons. After that, the teacher's guide and the student's book were shown to a host of jury for identifying their validity, then modifying them in the light of their view points; so as to reach their final form. • Constructing the research instruments which include the following: the historical imagination skill test and the lateral thinking skill test, then showing them to a host of jury for identifying their validity, then modifying them in the light of their view points; so as to reach their final form. • Determining the experimental design used in the research where the experimental approach design was in use (the experimental group and the control group). • Selecting the research group from the primary six • Pre-application of the research instruments on the experimental and control group pupils. • Teaching the two units using the brain based learning theory to the experimental group pupils, while the control group pupils were taught using the regular teaching method. • Post-application of the research instruments on the experimental and control group pupils. • Recording and analyzing the findings, then discussing and interpreting them. • Providing recommendations and suggestions. Findings of the research • There was statistically significant difference at 0,05 among the mean scores of experimental and the control groups in the post test of the historical imagination skills and its different dimensions in favor of the experimental group. • There was statistically significant difference at 0,05 among the mean scores of experimental in the pre-posttest of the historical imagination skills and its different dimensions in favor of posttest. • There was statistically significant difference at 0,05 among the mean scores of experimental and the control groups in the post test of the lateral thinking skills and its different dimensions in favor of the experimental group. • There was statistically significant difference at 0,05 among the mean scores of experimental in the pre-posttest of the lateral thinking skills and its different dimensions in favor of posttest. • There was a correlation between the mean scores of the experimental group pupils in the posttest of the historical imagination skills and their scores in the posttest of the lateral thinking skills. Recommendations of the research • Inclusion of the brain based learning theory and its different applications when constructing the social studies subject curricula and developing them in the different educational stages. • Providing a safe educational environment which is free from threat, tension, full of various threats and appropriate for all pupils' levels. • Variation in the educational activities and methods; where such activities include video clips, images, illustrations and mental maps in a way that leads to developing the historical imagination skills in the pupils. • Inclusion of the exploratory educational activities in the history subject programs and curricula as well as linking them with the syllabus and the history subject learning objectives in a way that leads to developing the historical imagination skills and the lateral thinking skills. • Necessity of changing the teacher's role from being as an initiator and the only source of knowledge to a facilitator and a guide as well as helping pupils to learn on their own. • Holding training workshops for in-service teachers on how to teach using the brain based learning theory. • Necessity of preparing and training the out and in service social studies subject teachers on how to use the up to date teaching methods for the thinking generally and for the lateral thinking specifically; due to their ability to organize knowledge and information in a way that is easy to learn. • Inclusion of brain based learning theory and its different educational applications into the social studies subject teachers' preparation programs. • Variation of questions in the exams that regard two brain hemispheres and not focusing on a specific type of questions. • Urging teachers to follow up the educational innovations in the education field continuously.

Research Keywords

Brain- based Learning, Historical Imagination, and Lateral Thinking