The effect of using digital stories in social studies course on critical thinking

In today's complex and rapidly changing world, developing students' critical thinking skills is becoming increasingly important. While social studies courses provide students with in-depth knowledge about the structures, cultures, histories, and geographical features of societies, they also play a role in developing critical thinking skills. Technology stands out as one of the key tools that can effectively fulfill this role of social studies. In this context, how digital stories are used in classes can be significant. Therefore, the research aims to determine the impact of using digital stories in social studies classes on students' levels of critical thinking. A nested embedded design, one of the mixed methods research designs, was used in the study. The research was conducted with the participation of 91 students attending the 7th-grade class of a state school in the center of Eskişehir during the spring semester of the 2021-2022 academic year, and a social studies teacher working in the same school. The data of the research were collected through Cornell Critical Thinking Skills Test Level X, semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, self and peer assessment forms, Graded Assessment Scale for Digital Stories, and an open-ended question form. Descriptive statistical techniques were applied to analyze the obtained quantitative data, and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to determine the effect of digital storytelling on students' critical thinking skills. Qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. The research concluded that activities based on the use of digital stories contribute to students' critical thinking. Based on the results, recommendations for practice and further research were provided at the end of the study.