The effect of the P4C learning model on fifth grade socialstudies students' creati̇ve problem solvi̇ng levels andcri̇ti̇cal thinking tendencies

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the P4C (Philosophy for Children) instructional approach on critical thinking dispositions and creative problem- solving skills of 5th grade middle school students within the context of the social studies course. The research employed a quasi-experimental design with a pretest- posttest control group model, one of the quantitative research methods. The study group consisted of 66 students studying in a private school during the 2024–2025 academic year. While the experimental group received instruction designed in accordance with the P4C methodology for five weeks, the control group followed the standard Social Studies Curriculum (SSC). Data were collected using the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale and the Creative Problem-Solving Skills Scale. Independent samples t-tests were conducted to analyze the data. The findings revealed that the post-test scores of the experimental group regarding critical thinking dispositions were statistically and significantly higher than those of the control group (p<.05). On the other hand, the effect of P4C on creative problem-solving skills was not statistically significant (p>.05), although the experimental group outperformed the control group in mean scores. The lack of a significant difference is attributed to factors such as the short duration of the implementation and the exclusive use of self-report quantitative tools, which may have limited the assessment of creative production. In line with the findings obtained, it can be said that the P4C method can be used in social studies teaching as an effective method in developing critical thinking dispositions at the secondary school level. However, the limited effect on creative problem-solving skills indicates that longer-term, multidimensional and interdisciplinary approaches are needed for the development of this skill. The study provides guidance to teachers and program developers on the in-class applications of the P4C method, and it is recommended that it be repeated with different age groups, course contents and application periods in future studies.