Zurich Open Repository and Archive University of Zurich Main Library Strickhofstrasse 39 CH-8057 Zurich www.zora.uzh.ch Year: 2013 The effect of the project method on the development of creative thinking, critical thinking and emotional intelligence : a case study of secondary school students in the State of Kuwait Ali, Majed Abstract: Diese Forschung konzentriert sich auf die Projekt-Methode, eine der wichtigsten Maßnah- men der progressiven Bewegung von Dewey und Kilpatrick verfochten zu erziehen und entwickeln ver- schiedene kognitive Fähigkeiten und die Persönlichkeit und Trends in der Studenten. Diese Forschung diskutiert verschiedene theoretische und praktische Aspekte des Projekts Verfahren innerhalb und außer- halb des schulischen Umfelds. Eine Überprüfung der Literatur unterstützt die Wirkung und Bedeutung der Projektmethode Programme auf Bildungsergebnisse. Die Probe in dieser Forschung ist in Schulen des Staates Kuwait. Um das Bildungssystem in Kuwait verstehen, vergleicht die Studie die Bildungssys- teme von Kuwait und Saudi-Arabien mit besonderem Schwerpunkt auf Bildungs-Stufen und schulischen Aktivitäten Programme. Viele pädagogische Fakten und Ergebnisse wurden bereits in diesem Vergle- ich erschien. Daher ist das Hauptziel dieser Studie, um die Wirkung des Projekts Verfahren auf der Lehre der Landwirtschaft in den Schulen auf die Schüler erkunden ”Entwicklung nach drei Variablen- kreatives Denken, kritisches Denken und emotionale Intelligenz-anhand einer Fallstudie von Gymnasias- ten im Staat Kuwait. Dieser Studie wurde auch versucht, die Unterschiede zwischen den Geschlechtern und Studenten mit verschiedenen akademischen Fachrichtungen (wissenschaftlichen und literarischen) in den Variablen dieser Studie zu untersuchen. Darüber hinaus haben wir die Richtungen der Korre- lationen untersuchen unter den drei Variablen dieses Studie - kreatives Denken, kritisches Denken und emotionale Intelligenz -. in der gesamten Stichprobe von Gymnasiasten in dieser Studie Darüber hin- aus untersuchen wir die Wirkung und Wechselwirkung von Geschlecht und akademische Spezialisierung (wissenschaftliche und literarische) auf kreatives Denken Schließlich haben wir das zu bestimmen. Besten Prädiktoren des kreativen Denkens unter den Studienteilnehmern Variablen des kritischen Denkens und emotionale Intelligenz. Die Stichprobe bestand aus Jugendlichen mit einem Durchschnittsalter von 17.2 Jahre (Standardabweichung 1.94 Jahre). Die Teilnehmer waren in der elften und zwölften Klassen der öffentlichen Schulen in der State of Kuwait. Die Gesamtzahl der Probe betrug 157 Studenten; 75Jun- gen und 82 Mädchen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass in der Regel gibt es keine Unterschiede zwischen den Geschlechtern oder akademische Spezialisierungen in der Studie Variablen. Kreatives Denken erwies sich positiv signifikant mit emotionaler Intelligenz korreliert werden, aber es wurde nicht gefunden, umkri- tisches Denken bezogen werden. Darüber hinaus haben wissenschaftliche Spezialisierung und Geschlecht (separat erhältlich) einen statistisch signifikanten Einfluss auf das kreative Denken, aber es gibt keinen statistisch signifikanten Effekt der Interaktion zusammen auf kreatives Denken. Darüber hinaus istdie wichtigste unabhängige Variable um kreatives Denken vorherzusagen emotionale Intelligenz. Schließlich führt eine Landwirtschaft Projekt - das spezifische Projekt in diesem Studium Forschung hatte einen signifikant positiven Effekt auf die Variablen unter den Gymnasiasten in dieser Studie. The Effectofthe Project Method on the Development of Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking and Emotional Intelligence. A Case Study of Secondary School Students in the State of Kuwait This research focuses on the project method, one of the main measures of the progressive movement championed by Dewey and Kilpatrick to educate and develop several cognitive and personality abilities and trends in students. This research discusses various theoretical and practical aspects of the project method within and outside of the school environment. A review of the literature supports the impact and importance of project method pro- grammes on educational outcomes. The sample in this research is schools in the State of Kuwait. To understand the educational system in Kuwait, the study compares the educational systems of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia with particular focus on educational stages and scholastic activities programmes. Many educational facts and results have already appeared in this comparison. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to explore the effect of the project method on the teaching of agriculture in schoolson students฀ development according to three variables –creative thinking, critical thinking and emotional intelligence –using a case study of secondary school students in the State of Kuwait. This study also attempts to examine the differences between the genders and students with different academic special- izations (scientific and literary) in the variables of this study. Furthermore, we investigate the directions of the correlations among the three variables of this study – creative thinking, critical thinking and emo- tional intelligence – in the total sample of secondary school students in this study. Additionally, we study the effect and interaction of gender and academic specialization (scientific and literary) on creative think- ing. Finally, we determine the best predictors of creative thinking among the study variables of critical thinking and emotional intelligence. The sample consisted of adolescents with a mean age of 17.2 years (SD 1.94 years). The participants were in the eleventh and twelfth grades of public secondary schools in the State of Kuwait. The total number of the sample was 157 students; 75 boys and 82 girls. The results generally show that there are no differences between the genders or academic specializations in the study variables. Creative thinking was found to be positively significantly correlated with emotional intelligence but it was not found to be related to critical thinking. Furthermore, academic specialization and gender (separately) have a significant statistical effect on creative thinking, but there is no significant statistical effect of their interaction together on creative thinking. Additionally, the most important independent variable to predict creative thinking is emotional intelligence. Finally, conducting an agriculture project – the specific project studied in this research– had a significant positive effect on the variables amongthe secondary school students in this study. Posted at the Zurich Open Repository and Archive, University of Zurich ZORA URL: https://doi.org/10.5167/uzh-164221 Dissertation Published Version Originally published at: Ali, Majed. The effect of the project method on the development of creative thinking, critical thinking and emotional intelligence : a case study of secondary school students in the State of Kuwait. 2013, University of Zurich, Faculty of Arts. 2 The Effect of the Project Method on the Development of Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking and Emotional Intelligence. A Case Study of Secondary School Students in the State of Kuwait Thesis Presented to the Faculty of Art and Social Sciences of the University of Zurich for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Majed Ali Accepted in the Spring Term 2013 On the Recommendation of the Doctoral Committee: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Oelkers Prof. Dr. Philipp Gonon Zurich 2013 1 2 Abstract This research focuses on the project method, one of the main measures of the progressive movement championed by Dewey and Kilpatrick to educate and develop several cognitive and personality abilities and trends in students. This research discusses various theoretical and practical aspects of the project method within and outside of the school environment. A review of the literature supports the impact and importance of project method programmes on educational outcomes. The sample in this research is schools in the State of Kuwait. To understand the educational system in Kuwait, the study compares the educational systems of Kuwait and Saudi Arabia with particular focus on educational stages and scholastic activities programmes. Many educational facts and results have already appeared in this comparison. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to explore the effect of the project method on the teaching of agriculture in schools on students‟ development according to three variables –creative thinking, critical thinking and emotional intelligence –using a case study of secondary school students in the State of Kuwait. This study also attempts to examine the differences between the genders and students with different academic specializations (scientific and literary) in the variables of this study. Furthermore, we investigate the directions of the correlations among the three variables of this study – creative thinking, critical thinking and emotional intelligence – in the total sample of secondary school students in this study. Additionally, we study the effect and interaction of gender and academic specialization (scientific and literary) on creative thinking. Finally, we determine the best predictors of creative thinking among the study variables of critical thinking and emotional intelligence. The sample consisted of adolescents with a mean age of 17.2 years (SD 1.94 years). The participants were in the eleventh and twelfth grades of public secondary schools in the State of Kuwait. The total number of the sample was 157 students; 75 boys