Abstract
This study aims to investigate the relationships among the features of learning environment (investigation, equity, and student cohesiveness) in social studies class, self-efficacy and critical thinking disposition (engagement, maturity and innovativeness) among middle school students. The study group consists of 422 students studying at five middle schools in one of the largest cities located in eastern part of Turkey. The research data was collected by using UF/EMI Critical Thinking Disposition Scale, "What is happening in this class?" Scale and the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was performed by using LISREL 8.80 programme to test the hypothesized relationships among constructs. The results show that self-efficacy among students is higher in classroom environments where investigation is encouraged and equity among students is overseen. It is found that critical thinking disposition is higher in students with higher self-efficacy. Besides this, it is further observed that learning environment with investigation predicts all critical thinking dispositions positively whereas student cohesiveness predicts only maturity positively.
Highlights
Critical thinking, one of the high level thinking skills, is a type of thinking, which is target-oriented and is based on reason considering probabilities, consists of solutions to problems towards a certain aim for which strategic and cognitive skills to increase the probability of the desired output are used, which is reasonable, and goal-oriented, which takes probabilities into account and involves the solutions to problems (Halpern, 1998, 1999)
This study aims to examine the relationship among investigation, equity, and student cohesiveness aspects of social studies learning environment, students’ self-efficacy, and students’ critical thinking disposition
Self-efficacy (β= .45) and investigation (β= .39) were statistically significant and positive predictors of innovativeness. These findings suggest that students who believe in their abilities that they can master the skills and understand difficult materials presented in the social studies class, and expect to do well in the class reported high levels of engagement, maturity and innovativeness
Summary
Anahtar Kelimeler: Eleştirel düşünme eğilimi, Öğrenme ortamı, Özyeterlik, Sosyal bilgiler. Bu araştırmada ortaokul öğrencilerinin sosyal bilgiler dersindeki öğrenme ortamı özellikleri (araştırma-inceleme, eşitlik ve öğrenci yaklaşımı), özyeterlikleri ve eleştirel düşünme eğilimleri (katılım, bilişsel olgunluk ve yenilik) arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu, Türkiye’nin doğusunda bulunan büyük bir şehirdeki beş ortaokulda öğrenim görmekte olan toplam 422 öğrenci oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmanın verileri UF/EMI Eleştirel Düşünme Eğilim Ölçeği, “Bu Sınıfta Neler Oluyor?” Ölçeği ve Öğrenmede Güdüsel Stratejiler Anketi kullanılarak elde edilmiştir. LISREL 8.80 programı kullanılarak yapısal eşitlik modeli ile veriler analiz edilmiş ve değişkenler arasındaki önerilen ilişkiler test edilmiştir. Özyeterliği daha yüksek olan öğrencilerin de eleştirel düşünme eğilimlerinin daha yüksek düzeyde olduğu görülmüştür. Araştırma-inceleme öğrenme ortamının bütün eleştirel düşünme eğilimlerini pozitif yönde yordadığı, öğrenci yaklaşımının ise sadece bilişsel olgunluğu pozitif yönde yordadığı tespit edilmiştir
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