The Effect of the TAPPS Strategy on Developing Thinking Skills among Middle School Students

Abstract

The current study aimed to investigate the effect of the Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving (TAPPS) strategy on developing thinking skills among seventh-grade students in the science subject, unit (motion and force). To achieve this goal, the experimental method with a pre-post design for one group was used. The study sample consisted of 32 students. The research tools were a thinking skills scale in the following dimensions: flexible thinking, thinking about thinking, thinking and communicating clearly). The research found the following results: that the use of the Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving strategy led to an improvement and enhancement of thinking skills among seventh-grade students in the science subject, as shown by the statistically significant tests. However, the Black's modified gain percentage indicates that the level of improvement did not reach the minimum acceptable level (1.2) according to Black's standard. In light of the results, the research presented several recommendations and suggestions, including: using technological tools to support the implementation of the TAPPS strategy, creating a classroom environment that encourages free and critical thinking, and conducting more studies on the effect of the Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving (TAPPS) strategy on different variables other than those included in the current study.