The effect of argumentation-based social studies teaching on academic achievement, attitude and critical thinking tendencies of students

Abstract

Argumentation-based learning is important for individuals to gain a place in social life, to adapt themselves to social life, to solve the problems they encounter and to use critical and scientific approaches. At this point, it is considered that students should be supported to solve problems efficiently, to establish a cause-effect relationship and to research the scientific background of a problem by implementing argumentation-based learning in social studies course. Therefore, the aim of this research was determined as to reveal the effect of argumentation-based learning in the fourth-grade social studies course on the academic achievement, attitude and critical thinking tendencies of students. The study group of the research consisted of 51 fourth-grade students. This research included the embedded design from the mixed method designs. In the research, subject area achievement test, attitude towards the social studies course scale and UF/EMI Critical Thinking Tendency Scale and six activities that were developed in accordance with the argumentation-based learning approach were used as data collection tools. As a result of the research, it was determined that in social studies course with implementation of argumentation-based learning, the levels and qualities of the arguments that were developed by the students showed an increase throughout the research. Furthermore, it was concluded that with argumentation-based learning in social studies courses, positive developments were observed for academic achievement, attitude towards the social studies course and critical thinking tendencies of students.