The Effectiveness of Training Program to Improve Strategic Thinking among University’s Students and Its Impact on Cognitive Flexibility

Abstract

     The study aims to verify the effectiveness of a suggested training program to improve strategic thinking and test its effect on cognitive flexibility of university female students. The study sample was intentionally selected (39) female students from the College of Education at Al Qassim University for the second semester of the academic year 2021/2022. The Study tools (Cognitive flexibility scale by Dennis & Vander, 2010 and translated by Ayoub (2011), and a scale of strategic thinking by Rashwan & Abdulsamie (2018) have been applied on them beforehand. Then the sample has been divided into two groups, experimental consisting of (19) and controlling consisting of (20). The suggested program, prepared by the researcher, was taught to the experimental group only. The results indicate that there were statistically significant differences at the level (0.01) between the experimental and controlling group on the scale of strategic thinking as a whole and its sub-dimensions and the cognitive flexibility scale and its sub-dimensions in favor of the experimental group. There are also statistically significant differences at level (0.01) between the pre and post measurements of strategic thinking scale and its sub-dimensions, cognitive flexibility and its sub-dimensions in favor of post measurements. The results, also, indicate that there is a positive, statistically significant correlation between the students’ scores on the scale of strategic thinking and cognitive flexibility, and some recommendations and suggestions have been presented in light of the results were discussed.