Activity based evaluation of quadruple thinking model

The aim of this research is to reveal the effects of activities prepared in light of Quadruple Thinking Model on the thinking action of students at the seventh grade level of primary education. For this purpose, the research was carried out by adopting the case study design which is one of the qualitative research approaches. The participants of the research consisted of 13 students studying in a private school in the Central District of Cankaya, Ankara province, in the 2019-2020 academic year. Research data consisted of rubric, structured observation, focus group interviews with students, student and researcher diaries. In the analysis of the data obtained from the rubric, the averages of the performances of thirteen students in the class with regard to four sub-criteria related to each activity were taken as the basis. Thus, quantitative data were gathered in the evaluation process considering the performance of the most successful student in the class as well as the most unsuccessful student in the class. These averages were supported by structured observation data. The categories in the content analysis related to structured observation were exactly the same as the criteria used in the rubric. In general terms, it can be said that the data obtained from the rubric coincided with the the content analysis of the structured observation data. In this way, with the triangulation of the data, the views of the students on the activities in the lesson were presented through the structured observation. After the evaluations of the students' activity performances, the results of the content analysis were presented within the framework of the student focus group interviews in order to reveal the opinions of these students about the activities. The results were reported by tabulating them into themes, categories and codes. These results were supported by the data obtained from the student diary and the researcher's diary and were presented with quotations from the student diary and the researcher's diary. When findings were examined, based on the results of the rubric and structured observations, medium level and higher success has been achieved in all the sub dimensions of Quadruple Thinking Model. According to the findings obtained from the rubric, the students performed relatively poorly in the ability to make judgements in critical thinking activities. In the creative thinking activities, while the related thinking performance of the students for the ideas given in connection was higher, their performance in the innovation skills was moderate. In the findings in relation to caring thinking, although the students showed higher performance in knowing the general rules of society, they were more incapable of applying them to their own lives. Finally, in the findings related to hopeful thinking, students were theoretically aware of the goals, but student achievement was relatively lower when determining the tools to be used to achieve these goals. At this point, within the framework of the activities, arrangements should be made in the activities by focusing on the skills that are more inadequate in the performance of the students. Besides, as a result of the practice conducted in accordance with student focus group interviews on the basis of Quadruple Thinking Model, students have more positive views related to the activities. As a result of the study, it is recommended that the activities, which were determined to be below the average among the activities prepared according to Quadruple Thinking Model, should be restructured for future studies, especially by arranging the parts where the students presented negative opinions. An education for Quadruple Thinking Model must be taught for at least two education levels for two years, starting from primary education. If possible, it would be appropriate to start this education before primary education. This education will allow students to become more familiar with the skills and topics for thinking education.