The Effectiveness of the M.U.R.D.E.R Strategy in Developing Holistic Thinking among Students of the Art Education Department in the Subject of Aesthetics

Abstract

Abstract:                                                                                        

    The educational process aims to develop higher-order thinking patterns among students, particularly in artistic fields that require the integration of cognitive and aesthetic dimensions. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the M.U.R.D.E.R strategy in developing holistic thinking among students of the Department of Art Education in the subject of Aesthetics.                                                                              

The researcher adopted the experimental method using a quasi-experimental design with two equivalent groups (experimental and control) and pre- and post-tests. The population of the study consisted of third-year students from the Colleges of Basic Education at Al-Mustansiriyah University and the University of Misan, totaling (312) students. The sample included (62) students from the College of Basic Education at Al-Mustansiriyah University, who were randomly assigned into two equivalent groups.  The experimental group was taught using the M.U.R.D.E.R strategy, while the control group was taught using the conventional method. A Holistic Thinking Scale consisting of (36) items was used to collect the data. The results revealed statistically significant differences at the (0.05) level between the experimental and control groups in the post-test, favoring the experimental group. In addition, significant differences were found between the pre- and post-test results of the experimental group. The adjusted gain ratio also indicated a clear improvement in holistic thinking skills, confirming the effectiveness of the M.U.R.D.E.R strategy in developing holistic thinking among students