CAR - 9

Citation: Akin, Ferdi., Koray, Ozlem., and  Tavukcu, Koray. (2015). How effective is critical reading in the understanding of scientific texts?. Procedia - social and behaviour sciences, 174: 2444-2451.

The main purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of a science and technology lesson arranged within the context of critical reading on students' academic achievement, critical thinking, and critical reading achievement. This study used experimental study to analyze this study and conducted to elementary students grade eight.

The research methodology of this study  is quasi-experimental. This study has pre-test, post-test control group design. The quantitative data used to test the research hypotheses is collected by means of an academic achievement test, critical thinking scale and critical reading scale.

This research was conducted in Gazi Elementary school which is located in the city of Zonguldak in 2011-2012 academic year. The groups were randomly assigned as experiemntal and control. In the process of analysing the equality of the groups, the number of students, the mark averages of the

students in 7th grade, the average grades of science and technology lesson taken during the first term and the pre-test results (AAT, CTT, CRS) were taken into consideration. In order to investigate whether the groups are equal, independent samples t-test was performed and it was found out that the groups were equal in terms of all the variables

mentioned.

The data collection instruments used to gather data from the students within the study are:

a.       Academic Achievement Test (AAT):

The academic achievement test is composed of multiple choice questions adhering to the curriculum of the subjects food chain, photosynthesis, recycling and alternetive energy sources in the unit “Living things and Energy” The distribution of the questions according to the aims and difficulty levels was taken into consideration,

b.      Critical Thinking Test (CTT):

In order to determine the critical thinking levels of the students participating the study Cornell Critical Thinking Level X test was used.

c.       Critical Reading Scale (CRS):

The critical Reading Scale developed by Ünal (2006) was used in order to determine the students’ critical reading levels and the necessary permissions were obtained from the researcher.

    The experimental processes were initiated by the application of AAT, CTT, CRS pre-tests to the students in experimental and control groups. Before the teaching process of the experimental group was initiated, five texts parallel to the aims of the subject “Living things and energy” were selected from science and technics journals. Around the framework of these texts, crticial reading activities were created by the researcher (Appendix 1) and by using these activities, the researcher attempted to make the participants acquire both the aims of the unit and those of critical reading. The first two texts / activities were alloted 7 lessons each of which were 40 minutes and the remaining three texts / activities were alloted 6 lessons each,and with the application of pre and post tests, the research took 10 weeks in total. The activities were carried out by the Science and Technology teacher, and the researcher

attended the lessons as an observer.