The effectiveness of implementing a philosophy for children program based on Blended learning approach on Critical thinking of the second elementary school students: A new strategy for inclusive education

The Blended learning approach refers to the combination of the traditional teaching methods in the form of face-to-face with equipment based on the application of technology.The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of philosophy for children program based on Blended learning approach on critical thinking of second elementary students.A quasi-experimental method with a pretest-posttest design with a control group was used. The statistical population included all female students in the second period of elementary school who were studying in one of the public schools in Tehran in the academic year 1401-1400. Using multi-stage cluster sampling was selected region 14, then Abuzarghafari girls' primary school was selected and 40 people were selected from the statistical population and randomly assigned to the experimental group (20 people) and the control group (2 people). Data collection tool was Watson and Glasser (1994) Critical Thinking Questionnaire. The experimental group underwent educational intervention in 11 sessions and the control group did not receive this intervention. In the online part were used the model platform and in the offline part were used multimedia and educational animations.In order to analyze the data were used statistical methods in Two levels of descriptive (central and dispersion indices) and inferential (analysis of covariance).The results showed that after adjusting the pre-test scores, there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the variables of critical thinking (P <0.05). Findings showed that the implementation of philosophy for children program based on Blended learning approach had the greatest effect on the component of identifying assumptions, then the component of inference and then the component of evaluating reasons and the component of inference and the least effect on the component of interpretation.Implementing a philosophy for children program based on Blended learning approach can be used as an appropriate intervention tool to improve the critical thinking components of elementary school students.