The Impact of Problem-Solving Strategy on Developing Some Mental Abilities and Tactical Situations in Football for Students of the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Al Ain University

Abstract

The comprehensiveness of the development that has affected all aspects of professional life has led to the emergence of new ideas and strategies that have been proposed for the educational process, making the teacher more important in managing the learning process. Due to the fact that learners do not respond to the educational process in one way because of individual differences among them, and since the process tends to make the student the center of the educational process, it has become necessary to use new learning strategies to take these differences into account. This can only be achieved by discovering the capabilities of learners, including their intellectual, cognitive, and psychological abilities, based on which they are classified, and then selecting the appropriate strategy for them to reach the desired goal. The importance of the current research lies in using the problem-solving strategy to enhance the student’s role in finding solutions to challenges they face during practical subjects, such as football. Additionally, it contributes to activating and training their mental abilities to find appropriate solutions when learning certain tactical situations in football. The problem of the research is represented in the use of some teachers of teaching methods and strategies that rely on explanation, clarification, and presentation, or the use of modern strategies inappropriately according to the students' capabilities, their levels, and the selection of suitable activities for the method or strategy being used. The aim of the current research is to identify the impact of the problem-solving strategy on developing some mental abilities and tactical situations in football for students. The researcher used the experimental method with an equivalent control and experimental group design. The sample consisted of third-year students at the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Al Ain University, for the academic year 2023-2024, with a total of 52 students. The results showed the superiority of the experimental group, which was taught using the problem-solving strategy, in the post-test results. The researcher concludes that the problem-solving strategy has a positive impact, resulting in significant differences that contributed to the development and superiority of the experimental group. The researcher recommends diversifying the use of educational strategies according to student characteristics, including the problem-solving strategy.