Developing Creative Thinking in Eighth Graders: The Role of the Circular House Strategy in Geography Instruction

The current study addresses an important topic in teaching methodologies and their application in educational institutions, specifically focusing on the use of the circular house strategy in teaching geography. This strategy is vital for developing creative thinking and learning skills among eighth-grade students, as it helps them acquire knowledge and make inferences. Many advanced countries incorporate such educational objectives into their curricula as essential components of their teaching systems. Therefore, this study aims to fill this gap and contribute to the psychological literature, enriching both Jordanian and Arab libraries. The research specifically aimed to reveal the effect of employing the circular house strategy while teaching geography on developing creative thinking among eighth-grade students in the Education Directorate of the Northwestern Badia District in Mafraq Governorate. The study sample consisted of 59 students, randomly divided into two groups: the experimental group (n = 33), where the circular house strategy was implemented, and the control group (n = 26), which did not receive the intervention. To achieve the study's objectives, an achievement test for creative thinking was utilized, and the third unit of the eighth-grade geography book (natural resources) was developed using the circular house strategy. The results indicated statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups in the mean scores on the creative thinking test in the post-test, favoring the experimental group, highlighting the strategy's effectiveness. Additionally, follow-up tests revealed statistically significant differences in creative thinking, further supporting the study's findings.