The research aims at investfigating the impact of a Teaching Strategy, Based on Solving Problems, on the Achievement Of Fourth Scientific - Grade Female Students in Computer Science and Developing their Visual Thinking Skills.
To achieve the aim of the research, the Researcher set (13) null Hypothesis. The sample of the research has been chosen intentionally from Al-Yaman preparatory school for girls/Fourth scientific-grade tow groups for the academic year (2013-2014).The sample consisted by (90) female students. The Researcher selected the two groups (experimental and control) randomly from the sample. Group A of (43) students was chosen to represent the experimental group which taught computer science according to problem solving strategies. Group B of (47)students was chosen to represent the control group which taught computer science according to traditional method. The failure students were excluded from the two groups. The Researcher do the equivalence between the experimental and control groups in some variables such as;( age, general average for the academic year (2012-2013),students scores in computer science for the academic year(2011-2012)intelligence quotient and parents academic achievement)
The scientific material was restricted to the first three chapters of the computer science book for the fourth scientific class(2nd edition / 2011 ) .The Researcher prepared the research materials through analyzing the content of the subject and set (70) behavioral objectives according to three levels of Bloom's Taxonomy (knowledge, understand, application).She also set (36) teaching plans; (18) plans according to problem solving strategy and (18) plans according to traditional method.
The Researcher prepared the achievement test of (20) items including theoretical and scientific aspects. All the items were characterized by validity, reliability, difficulty and discriminability. She also prepared the visual thinking test of (50) items including the five visual thinking skills (identify and describe the shape, shape analysis, percept and illustrate ambiguity, linking relations in shape and draw meanings).Each skills occupies ten items characterized with validity, reliability and discriminability. The experiment through the first semester for the academic year (2013-2014) the experiment lasted more then(9) week started (20/10/2013)and ended (31/12/2013). Researcher achieved some findings such as
1. There are significant difference between the students' scores in the achievement test for the benefit of the experimental group which taught by problem solving strategy.
2. There are significant difference between the students' scores in the visual thinking test for the benefit of the experimental group which taught by problem solving strategy.
In the light of the results, the Researcher finds the impact of a problem solving strategy as the achievement of female students in the experimental group higher then those in the control group and developing their visual thinking skills of female students in the experimental group higher then those in the control group.
The Researcher recommends the importance of training teachers of computer science to use and apply problem solving strategies and care for using learner –centered teaching strategies. She also suggests a future studies to enrich this study.