A Study of Reflective Thinking as a Correlate of Problem-solving skills among Secondary School Physics Learners

The Study examines the relationship between Reflective Thinking and Problem-Solving skills among Secondary school Physics learners with a focus on potential differences by gender and educational boards. The data was collected from 1208 middle school students of grades 6 to 9 across the Greater Mumbai Region. Reflective Thinking was measured using a researcher-designed tool, while Problem-Solving ability was assessed through application-based Physics items tailored for each grade level. Statistical Analysis, including Pearson's Correlation Coefficient, revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between Reflective Thinking and Problem-Solving skills at all stages. Gender differences were found to be negligible, suggesting that these cognitive processes develop uniformly regardless of the educational board of study. The findings underscore the critical role of Reflective thinking in enhancing Problem-Solving skills in Physics, and they support the implementation of pedagogical strategies that foster Reflective Thinking for Problem Solving.