The effect of social studies teaching based on common knowledge construction model on students' critical thinking skills, academic success and attitudes

In the modern world, it has become very easy to reach the information. Social studies course aims to use this knowledge rather than just giving information, and even to provide students with self-learning skills. In today's world where information is extremely dense, individuals who can choose the right thing and bring it together with a critical perspective are needed in order to find and produce the necessary information. The Common Knowledge Constructing Model (OBYM), based on the constructivist learning approach, gives particular the importance to student and allows the student to construct knowledge by considering their experiences and thoughts. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of social studies teaching based on OBYM on students' critical thinking skills, academic achievement and attitudes. Sequential explanatory design, which is one of the mixed methods in which qualitative and quantitative methods are used together, was used in the research. The research was carried out with 34 students from the 7th grade branches, studying in a secondary school in Sorgun, Yozgat who were selected as the experimental and control groups. Instruction prepared according to OBMY was given to the experimental group, and instruction was given to the control group according to the social studies curriculum. Academic Achievement Test developed by the researcher as a data collection tool, Critical Thinking Skill Test developed by Eğmir and Ocak (2016), The Social Studies Attitude Scale developed by Gömleksiz and Kan (2013) was used as a pre-test and post-test. At the end of the application, qualitative data were collected from the experimental group students through a semi-structured interview form developed by the researcher. According to the quantitative data collected as a result of the research; it was determined that the academic achievement of the students in the experimental group, in which social studies teaching was made based on OBYM, increased significantly compared to the students in the control group. It was determined that social studies teaching based on OBYM provided a significant increase in students' critical thinking skills. It was observed that OBYM did not make a significant difference in students' attitudes towards social studies course. According to the qualitative data of the research, the students' views on what kind of effect the social studies course based on OBYM has on their attitudes; benefit, interest, and desire are gathered under the themes of liking. They stated that they understood the lesson better, their interest increased, and they found the lesson fun and enjoyable. Opinions on the practices that affect of students in the social studies course based on OBYM; activities, materials, methods and techniques are gathered under themes in the form of classroom atmosphere. Opinions of students about the effects on their success in the social studies course based on OBYM; increase in course grades, active participation in the course and effective learning grouped under themes. They stated that their exam grades increased, they listened to the lesson better, and the information they learned was more permanent. Student views on which skills the social studies course taught based on OBYM affects students; tends to develop thinking, reasoning, communication and cooperation skills. In line with these results, for applications; For a more effective learning environment, it is recommended to design social studies courses based on OBYM; for future research, studies should be conducted to investigate the effect of OBYM on the argumentation skills of students due to the intense collaboration and negotiation-based activities. These are some of the suggestions offered.