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Enhancing Exploratory Thinking Through NGSS-Aligned Engineering and Science Practices: A Quasi-Experimental Study Among Saudi Elementary Students
Abstract
This study examines the effectiveness of exploratory activities grounded in the engineering and science practices of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in fostering exploratory thinking among elementary students in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Utilizing a quasi-experimental design, the research involved 64 fourth-grade female students divided into experimental and control groups. The “Unit of Energy” was restructured to align with NGSS principles, and both a teacher’s guide and student activity notebook were developed accordingly. An exploratory thinking test (covering nine cognitive domains) was administered as a pre- and post-test over a six-week intervention period. Results revealed statistically significant improvements in the experimental group's post-test scores across all domains of exploratory thinking compared to the control group. The findings highlight the value of integrating NGSS-aligned exploratory activities in science education and underscore the need to incorporate such practices into teacher preparation programs to strengthen scientific inquiry and critical thinking skills at the elementary level.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/ajsee.v5i2.82795
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