Investigation of the Effect of Mathematical Modeling Activities on 8th Grade Students' Critical Thinking Skills: A Case Study of Turkey
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Abstract
This experimental study examined the effect of mathematical modeling activities on the critical thinking skills of 8th-grade middle school students. A pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design was used among the quantitative research designs. The study group consisted of 80 eighth-grade students, 40 in the experimental group and 40 in the control group. The experimental group applied mathematical modeling activities based on the socio-critical modeling approach for seven weeks, while the current mathematics curriculum was applied in the control group. The Critical Thinking Skills Test and Critical Thinking Disposition Scale were administered to both groups as a pre-test before the intervention and a post-test afterward. Data were analyzed using the Shapiro-Wilk normality test, dependent sample t-test, and independent sample t-test. The analysis revealed a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the Critical Thinking Skills Test and Critical Thinking Disposition Scale in the experimental group, favoring the post-test. In the control group, no significant difference was found between the pre-test and post-test scores of the Critical Thinking Skills Test and Critical Thinking Disposition Scale. The results of the study indicated that mathematical modeling activities improved the critical thinking skills and dispositions of 8th-grade middle school students.
