The Effectiveness of an Educational Program Based on the Components of Power and Freedom in Arabic Language and Literature in Enhancing National Identity and Critical Thinking through the Brainstorming Teaching Strategy
Keywords:
Power and freedom, brainstorming strategy, national identity, critical thinkingAbstract
Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of an educational program based on the components of power and freedom in Arabic language and literature, delivered through a brainstorming teaching strategy, in strengthening national identity and critical thinking among ninth-grade students in Baghdad.
Methods and Materials: This quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design with an experimental group and a control group. The statistical population consisted of ninth-grade students attending schools in Baghdad, Iraq. Sixty students were selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups, with 30 students in each group. The experimental group received an eight-session educational program, with one 60-minute session per week, focusing on power and freedom concepts in Arabic language and literature through brainstorming, group discussion, case studies, role-playing, and simulation. The control group continued to receive conventional instruction. Data were collected using a 25-item National Identity Questionnaire and the 34-item California Critical Thinking Skills Test. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 and analysis of covariance at a significance level of 0.05.
Findings: After controlling for pretest scores, analysis of covariance showed a significant effect of group membership on national identity (F(1,57) = 86.02, p < 0.001, η² = 0.601). A significant group effect was also found for critical thinking (F(1,57) = 59.11, p < 0.001, η² = 0.509). Accordingly, the intervention produced significant improvements in both national identity and critical thinking compared with the control condition.
Conclusion: The educational program based on power and freedom components and delivered through brainstorming can be used as an effective participatory approach in Arabic language and literature instruction to strengthen students’ national identity and critical thinking simultaneously.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Riyadh Mohammed Obaid Alkseerat (Author); Davood Tahmasebzadeh; Ali Imanzadeh (Author)
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