Cultivating Reflective Thinkers: Integrating Needham’s Constructivist Model and Self Regulated Learning in Eighth Grade Science

Abstract

This study investigates the effectiveness of a science teaching approach that integrates Needham’s constructivist model with self‑regulated learning strategies in developing reflective thinking skills among eighth‑grade female students. A quasi‑experimental design was employed with two intact classes (n = 40) from Deir Al‑Sa‘nah Secondary School for Girls during the second semester of the 2024/2025 academic year. One class was randomly assigned as the experimental group, receiving science instruction based on the integrated Needham–self‑regulation approach, while the other served as the control group and was taught using traditional methods. A reflective thinking test was developed, and its psychometric properties were established. Results revealed statistically significant differences at the α = 0.05 level in favor of the experimental group on the overall reflective thinking score and across all its dimensions. These findings indicate that science instruction grounded in constructivist principles and explicitly supported by self‑regulated learning strategies can meaningfully enhance students’ capacity for reflective thinking. The study highlights the value of theoretically informed instructional design within science education and contributes to applied humanities and educational studies by demonstrating how specific pedagogical models foster higher‑order thinking. It recommends incorporating integrated constructivist–self‑regulation approaches into pre‑service and in‑service teacher education programs, as well as curriculum and lesson planning, to promote reflective, autonomous learners in middle school science classrooms.