The effect of using the cooperative inquiry method in developing mental alertness and learning the skills of shooting from jumping and ladder in basketball for fourth-grade students

Abstract

The interest in improving the educational process and its strategies has become a major priority for educational and educational institutions and many researchers, with the aim of facilitating the provision of information to learners and developing their skills. This requires moving away from relying on the teacher alone to provide information, and searching for modern strategies that shift the center of activity in the educational process from the teacher to the learner, as the learner is considered one of the main axes of the educational process. This is done through organized and planned behavioral movements aimed at achieving the desired goals, which is known as the strategy. Among these strategies, the cooperative inquiry strategy stands out, which contributes to achieving the previously specified goals. The aim of the research was to prepare educational units using the cooperative inquiry method in developing mental alertness and learning the shooting skills of jumping and ladder basketball for students. The researcher used the experimental method by designing two equivalent groups with a pre- and post-test, in order to suit the nature of the research. The research community was determined from fourth-year students in the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences at the University of Kufa for the academic year 2024-2025. The researcher concluded that the (cooperative inquiry) method had a clear impact on learning to perform the skills of peaceful shooting and jumping with a basketball for fourth-grade students. The method used also contributed to developing mental alertness among students.