Effect of Genius Hour Teaching Strategy on Cognitive Engagement of Prospective Teachers

Abstract

In response to the growing demand for student-centered and inquiry-driven pedagogies in teacher education, this study investigates the effect of the Genius Hour teaching strategy on the cognitive engagement of prospective teachers enrolled in a School Management course. Grounded in constructivist learning theory and Self-Determination Theory, the research explores how learner autonomy, choice, and real-world application influence students’ mental effort, strategic learning, and intellectual persistence. A true experimental pre-test/post-test control group design was employed with 88 B.Ed. (Hons) Elementary students at the University of Kotli, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 44), which received instruction through the Genius Hour strategy, or a control group (n = 44), taught using traditional lecture-based methods. Cognitive engagement was measured using a validated self-report scale administered before and after the instructional intervention. The results revealed a statistically significant increase in cognitive engagement among students in the Genius Hour group (p < .001, Cohen’s d = 1.33), while no significant change was observed in the control group (p = .891). Additionally, a between-group comparison confirmed that students taught through the Genius Hour strategy demonstrated significantly higher post-test cognitive engagement than those in the traditional group (p < .001, Cohen’s d = 1.52). These findings provide strong empirical support for the integration of Genius Hour into teacher education programs, highlighting its potential to foster deep intellectual engagement, metacognition, and critical thinking among future educators. The study contributes to the limited body of literature on inquiry-based instruction in teacher training in Pakistan and offers evidence-based recommendations for curriculum planners and teacher educators seeking to promote cognitive engagement through innovative pedagogical models.