The Effect of Teaching with a Myth Buster Scientific Method on the Critical and Analytical Thinking of Students: The Moderating Role of Social Achievement Goals

Development of critical and analytical thinking is an important research goal and researches have been always concerned with searching for new methods of critical and analytical thinking and testing them for finding the most efficient methods. Therefore, present research aimed to investigate the effect of teaching with a myth busting method on the critical and analytical thinking of students with the moderating role of social achievement goals. 

This study was a quasi-experimental research with pretest-posttest control group design. The study sample included 65 female students studying at the 8th grade of middle school in Tehran in the academic year 2016-2017, who were selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method and then randomly assigned to either the experimental or the control group. Social Motivational Orientations Scale (Allen, 2003) and Critical Thinking Test (Cornell, 1985) were used for pretest. The experimental group received 10 sessions of thinking and life style with scientific myth buster method. Also, students with higher and lower social achievement goal orientation were separated from each other by using Social Goal Questionnaire. Finally, the groups underwent the posttest. Data were analyzed by factorial analysis of covariance.

Data analysis (by using social goals as the moderator) showed that teaching with myth buster scientific method was significantly effective in improving the critical thinking of students (F=36.01, P<0.001).

The benefits of the myth buster scientific method combined with the identification of social achievement goals can approve its use as an appropriate educational method to improve critical thinking skills. Students with higher social goals have higher participation in class activities, which in turn leads to their higher critical thinking. This myth buster scientific method can improve critical thinking skills.