English abstract
This study aims to determine the effect of explicit problem solving strategy on conceptual understanding and problem solving skills in physics among Female 11" grade students of the General Education who have different mental capacity. The sample consists of (97) female students from Al-Dhahirah South, out of (97) student (55) of them were in the control group, who were taught problem solving by conventional strategy, while (42) students were in the experimental group who were taught problem solving by explicit strategy, To measure mental capacity, Digit Back Test was administered to both groups before the beginning of the study. Its reliability was measured by test retest method. The correlation coefficient was (0.74). A conceptual understanding test of the concept of Newton's laws and problem solving skills test related to them were constructed. These two tests were judged by some experts and their reliability was measured by test-retest method, and the correlation coefficient were (0.81), (0.91) respectively, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and t-test were used to analyise the data. The results of the study reaveled the following:
- No statistically significant differences between the two groups in conceptual understanding test. - There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in problem solving skills test in terms of teaching strategies in favor of the experimental group, and in terms of mental capacity levels between capacity 3 and 5, in favor of capacity 5. There was no interaction between the two strategies and the mental capacity level on the conceptual understanding test and the problem solving skills test. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups in some problem solving skills: representation sketch, plan the solution, evaluate the solution in favor of the experimental group. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of executing the plan. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups on problem one in all problem solving skills in favor of the experimental group. There were statistically significant differences between the two groups on problem five in the representation sketch and plan the solution in favor of the experimental group. The study recommends that the explicit strategy may be included in physics books and in teacher manuals, and teacher and students should be trained on problem solving skills to help student to overcome the difficulties of the problem.
