The Effects of Argumentation-Based Teaching Approach on Students’ Critical Thinking Disposition and Argumentation Skills: “Population in Our Country Unit”

Abstract

Abstract As there are limited studies examining relationships between argumentation-based teaching approach and critical thinking and argumentation skills in social studies, the aim of this study was to examine the effects of argumentation-based teaching approach on students' critical thinking disposition and argumentation skills, and the relationship between students’ argumentation skills and critical thinking disposition. We used a quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest equivalent control groups. The participants of this study were 94 seventh grade students from three different classrooms in a middle school in Erzurum district of Turkey. We utilized University of Florida Engagement, Maturity and Innovativeness Critical Thinking Disposition Instrument (UF/EMICTDI) to identify students’ critical thinking disposition and argumentation activities to document students’ argumentation skills. We used one-way ANOVA and multiple comparisons Tukey tests to analyze the data obtained via the UF/EMICTDI, correlation and regression analysis to investigate the relationships between students’ argumentation skills and critical thinking disposition.