Modelling the Relationships among Social Studies Learning Environment, Self-Efficacy, and Critical Thinking Disposition

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

Sosyal Bilgiler Öğrenme Ortamı, Özyeterlik ve Eleştirel Düşünme Eğilimi Arasındaki İlişkilerin Modellenmesişkilerin

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. Araştırmadan elde edilen sonuçlara göre, araştırma-incelemeye fırsat tanınan ve öğrenciler arasında eşitliğin gözetildiği sınıf ortamlarında öğrencilerin öz yeterliği daha yüksektir. Özyeterliği daha yüksek olan öğrencilerin de eleştirel düşünme eğilimlerinin daha yüksek düzeyde olduğu görülmüştür. Bunun yanı sıra, 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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