The effects of the critical reading practices on learning products in science teaching

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effects of the use of critical reading practices in science courses on academic achievement, science performance level, creativity and attitudes towards the course. This study was conducted in 2017-2018 academic year, in Kdz. Ereğli district of Zonguldak province. The study was conducted with 5th grade students in a secondary school located in the centre of Ereğli district. A total of 34 students, with 17 in the experimental group and 17 in the control group, were studied. Quasi-experimental research method was used in this study. In the experimental group, a curriculum was prepared according to critical reading activities and the control group was given a curriculum according to the 5th grade science curriculum. Pre-test and post-test "Multiple Choice Academic Achievement Test", "Science Performance Level Test", "Torrance Creative Thinking Test" and "Science Course Attitude Scale" were used in the experimental and control groups.The data were analyzed by t-test for dependent and independent groups in SPSS package program. As a result of the study, a significant difference was found in favor of experimental group in terms of science performance level and creative thinking levels. However, there was no significant difference between the experimental group in which critical reading activities were applied on scientific texts and the control group in which the activities foreseen by the curriculum were applied, in terms of multiple choice academic achievement score and attitudes towards science course. Critical reading activities affected tests which were prepared in high mental abilities. According to this study, integrating interdisciplinary understanding of critical reading into science course is important for students to gain skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, research-questioning, effective communication, being a lifelong learning science literate individual.