Chinese Journal of Science Education

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the impact of the Socratic Questioning Model (SQM) on sixth graders’ critical thinking abilities and dispositions. A nonequivalent pretest-posttest control group design was used in this study of 98 sixth graders selected from an elementary school in Taipei city. Thirty-four pupils were assigned into experimental group, and sixty-four assigned into two control groups. The experimental group received the SQM instruction for four class periods per week for nine weeks, while both control groups remained in their regular science instruction.

The quantitative data included results from (1) the Test of Critical Thinking Ability (TCCA), which was applied to the experimental and control groups for pretest and posttest; (2) the Test of Critical Thinking Disposition (TCCD), which was applied to the experimental and control groups for pretest and posttest; and (3) the Class Status Questionnaire (CSQ), which divided the experimental pupils into three groups and was administered to the experimental group after the intervention. The data were analyzed by ANCOVA. There were also qualitative data collected from interview, class observation, learning feedback and questionnaires.

The major findings of this study were as follows:

1. The SQM had significantly positive effects on pupils’ critical thinking abilities. This resulted from the fact that the experimental group had higher scores than the control group.
2. The SQM had significantly positive effects on pupils’ critical thinking dispositions. This resulted from the fact that the experimental group had higher scores than the control group.
3. Pupils who received SQM with different class status did not showed significantly different critical thinking ability.
4. Pupils who received SQM with different class status did not showed significantly different critical thinking disposition.

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