Examining the relationship between 7th grade secondary school students' critical thinking skills and academic achievement levels i̇n social studies course

This study aimed to determine the relationship between academic achievement in social studies and critical thinking skills. The researcher's study group consisted of 7th grade middle school students. Data were obtained using the relational screening model in this research. The data in the study were collected using the "Critical Thinking Scale" and analyzed using SPSS 27.0 program. One-way analysis of variance, Pearson Moment Correlation Analysis, and t-test independent sample methods were used in the data analysis. The variables of the study were the number of books read, gender, and the educational status of the parents. The research was conducted with 7th grade students in the 2023-2024 academic year. The study group consisted of 353 middle school students studying in the provincial center of Elazığ and the districts of Ağın, Baskil, Palu, and Kovancılar. Research findings; It was determined that the total scores of critical thinking skills; truth-seeking sub-dimension and prejudice sub-dimension did not show any significant difference according to gender. In addition, it was determined that their self-confidence regarding critical thinking showed a significant difference according to gender. It was observed that female students' self-confidence regarding critical thinking was significantly lower than male students. Their communication levels regarding critical thinking showed a significant difference according to gender. The self-confidence sub-dimension, communication sub-dimension and prejudice sub-dimension of the total scores of critical thinking skills did not show any significant difference according to school. Critical thinking skills did not show any significant difference according to the mother's education level. It was observed that critical thinking skills differed significantly according to the annual average number of books read. It was observed that there was no significant relationship between the academic success average of social studies course and the total critical thinking skills and the sub-dimensions of truth-seeking, self-confidence, communication and prejudice. Examining the relationship between students' critical thinking skills and academic achievement levels can make significant contributions to improving the quality of the education system. Understanding such a relationship paves the way for making learning processes more effective and developing student-centered teaching approaches. Critical thinking stands out as one of the fundamental elements of contemporary education in terms of developing the individual's ability to look at events from multiple dimensions, question information and reason. In this context, the Social Studies course plays a key role in structuring critical thinking, as it has the potential to provide students with high-level cognitive skills such as analysis, evaluation and reflective thinking.