Arab Educational Information Network

The research aims at investigating the effectiveness of utilizing digital mind maps to teach Social Studies in developing divergent thinking among third year preparatory school students. For this purpose, a checklist of divergent thinking skills (appropriate for the participants) was prepared. In addition, the two learning modules (World Natural Geography and World Population Geography) were reformulated in light of the digitaتكنولوجيا التعليمl mind maps and the teacher guide was accordingly prepared. Further, a pre- posttest on divergent thinking was administered to the study groups. As for the study sample, a cohort of 44 third year preparatory school students (from two preparatory schools) was selected and assigned to two groups: control group (n=22, from Tanta Preparatory School) studying the two modules traditionally and experimental group (n=22, from Az-Zahraa Preparatory School) studying the two modules using the digital mind maps. The study findings yielded that digital mind maps was effective in enhancing divergent thinking in Social Studies among third year preparatory school students. (Published abstract)