The Effectiveness of the Wallace Model in the Achievement of Fourth-Grade Scientific Female Students in Biology and Their Smart Thinking

Abstract

The present study aimed to identify the effectiveness of the Wallace Model in improving the achievement of fourth-grade scientific female students in Biology and developing their smart thinking. To achieve this objective, the researcher adopted an experimental approach based on a two-group equivalent design, consisting of an experimental group and a control group. Al-Mu’minah Secondary School for Girls was randomly selected as the research site, and the sample was distributed into two classes (A and B). Class (A) was randomly assigned as the experimental group, while Class (B) served as the control group. The total sample consisted of 71 female students. The researcher ensured statistical equivalence between the two groups in several variables that might influence the study outcomes, including chronological age measured in months, prior knowledge, intelligence, and smart thinking. The instructional content was limited to the prescribed Biology topics for the fourth-grade scientific level. Furthermore, 72 behavioral objectives were formulated according to the six cognitive levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Two research instruments were developed. The first was an achievement test consisting of 40 multiple-choice items with four alternatives, constructed according to a table of specifications. The test’s psychometric properties were established through measures of validity, reliability, item difficulty, discrimination indices, and distractor effectiveness. Reliability was also calculated using the split-half method. The second instrument was a smart thinking scale composed of 56 items. After administering the instruments and analyzing the collected data using appropriate statistical procedures, the findings revealed statistically significant differences in favor of the experimental group, whose students were taught according to the Wallace Model, over the control group in both academic achievement and smart thinking. These results indicate the effectiveness of the Wallace Model in enhancing learning outcomes and developing students’ cognitive abilities.