The effect of mind and intelligence games on the critical thinking dispositions and decision making skills of primary school third grade students

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of mind and intelligence games on critical thinking tendencies and decision-making skills of third grade primary school students. In this study, pretest-posttest control group model, one of the quasiexperimental designs within the scope of quantitative research methods, was used. The study was conducted in the spring semester of the 2021-2022 academic year with the participation of a total of 48 third grade primary school students, 24 in the experimental group and 24 in the control group, who were studying in a public school in Suruç district of Şanlıurfa province. The experimental group received a total of 36 hours of mind and intelligence games training, two hours a day, five days a week. The students in the control group continued their normal education. "The Critical Thinking Dispositions Scale for Elementary School Students" and " Marmara Decision Making Skills Perception Scale for Primary School Students" were used as data collection tools. The scales were administered twice to both groups (experimental group and control group) as pre-test and post-test. The data obtained were analyzed using a statistical package program. According to the results of the analysis of critical thinking dispositions, it was found that there was no statistically significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the control group, while there was a statistically significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the experimental group in which mind and intelligence games training was given. In addition, when the posttest scores of the experimental group and the control group were compared, it was seen that there was a statistically significant difference in favor of the experimental group. According to the results of the analysis of decision-making skills, it was found that there was no statistically significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the control group, while there was a statistically significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the experimental group in which the mind and intelligence games training was given. In addition, when the posttest scores of the experimental group and the control group were compared, it was seen that there was a statistically significant difference in favor of the experimental group. Keywords: Game, mind and intelligence games, critical thinking, decision making.