THE EFFECT OF INSTRUCTIONAL COMPUTERIZED SOFTWARE BASED ON PROBLEM-SOLVING STRATEGY ON DEVELOPING CRITICAL THINKING

The aim of this study is to examine the effect of computerized instructional software based on a problem-solving approach for developing critical thinking skills. To achieve the objective of this study a computerized instructional software program was constructed. In addition, a critical thinking scale was developed. The validity and the reliability tests were calculated. The study sample consisted of (50) students from 9th-grade students in the model school of the University of Jordan in the second semester 2016/2017. The sample was divided into two groups, the experimental group consisting of (25) students and the control group consisting of (25) students. The quasi-experimental approach was used. The findings indicated statistically significant differences (α = 0.05) in the skills of critical thinking for the 9th-grade students in favor of the teaching method using the computerized instructional software. The study recommended employing the computerized instructional software that was used in this study due to its effectiveness in developing the students’ critical thinking skills in computer course. The study also recommended to conducting workshops to train computer teachers on computerized instructional programs in order to apply them in their teaching.