The Effectiveness of a Visual Representation Strategy in Developing Geographical Thinking Skills among Tenth-Grade Students

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a visual representation strategy in developing geographical thinking skills among tenth-grade female students in Jordan. A quasi-experimental design was employed with 40 female students at Mughayir Al-Sarhan Coeducational Secondary School during the second semester of the 2025–2026 academic year. Two intact classes were randomly selected from four available classes. According to a predetermined assignment procedure, the first selected class was designated as the experimental group (n = 20), taught using the visual representation strategy, while the second was designated as the control group (n = 20), which received conventional instruction based primarily on teacher explanation, questioning, and classroom discussion. A geographical thinking test was developed to measure three domains: acquiring geographical information, collecting and organizing geographical information, and analyzing geographical information. The instrument demonstrated appropriate validity and reliability. The findings revealed statistically significant differences in favor of the experimental group in the overall geographical thinking test and its three domains. The study concluded that visual representation strategies can enhance students’ geographical thinking skills. Accordingly, it recommends integrating visual representation activities into geography curricula and providing professional development for teachers. Given the small sample and single-school setting, the findings should be interpreted with caution.