The effect of teaching thinking skills through interdisciplinary approach on academic and thinking skills of gifted students

The aim of this study is to develop and examine the effect of "Interdisciplinary Thinking Skills Teaching Practices" for the academic skills of gifted fifth grade students' high-level thinking skills which are creative and critical thinking skills. In this study, explanatory sequential design, one of the mixed research methods in which quantitative and qualitative research techniques were used together, was used. The study group of the research consists of a total of 62 students with special abilities at the fifth grade level. In the research, Science and Art Centers, which are the institutions where students diagnosed with special talents in Konya province receive education, were preferred for the application. Purposive sampling method, one of the non-random sampling methods, was used in the sample selection of the study. In this study, quantitative and qualitative data collection tools were used together. In order to collect quantitative data, Cornell Critical Thinking Test Level X, Torrance Verbal and Formal Creativity Test and Learning Strategies Scale were administered to the students as pre-test and post-test. In order to collect qualitative data, the Scientific Research Evaluation Form and Project Evaluation Form were applied to the students at the end of the study. Other qualitative data collection tools such as Observer Teacher Form, Reflective Student Diary and Researcher Diary were used during the experimental process. The activities in accordance with the outcomes prepared for the "Interdisciplinary Thinking Skills Teaching Practices" were applied to the students in the experimental group for 3 class hours per week during extracurricular hours. This application continued for 15 weeks, excluding the pretest and posttest applications. Each student participated in the applications for a total of 45 class hours, and absent students were identified and the activities were applied to these students at an appropriate time. The students in the control group continued their education according to the 5th grade learning outcomes prepared for BİLSEMs. During the process, the necessary agreement was reached with the administrators and teachers of the center where the control group was located, and no additional activities outside the program were carried out. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques were used together in the study. Quantitative data were analyzed using independent sample t-test, one of the relational statistics based on the comparison of two variables, experimental and control groups, and Cohen-d values were calculated to determine the effect size. Qualitative data were analyzed through descriptive and content analysis. It was concluded that the Interdisciplinary Thinking Skills Practices prepared with the research were effective in developing creative thinking and critical thinking skills, which are among the high-level thinking skills of gifted students. Another result of the study was that the practices were effective in improving students' academic skills. The applications were found to be beautiful, interesting, intriguing and exciting by the students. It was concluded that teachers had positive opinions about Interdisciplinary Thinking Skills Practices.