The Effectiveness of a Training Program Based on Action Research in Developing Critical Thinking Skills of 8th Grade Students

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a training program based on action research in the developing of critical thinking skills for Eighth grade students in Amman. The sample consisted of (35) male and female students, were divided into two groups: experimental and control group. The experimental group consisted of (17) male and female students and the control group consisted of (18) male and female students. The study tools included California Test for Critical Thinking which included five skills (Inference, Analysis, Evaluation, Deduction, and Induction), as a pretest and posttest. In addition to a training program based on action research. Study results showed that there were significant differences between experimental and control groups in the post test performance of the critical thinking skills, in favor of the experimental group, and there weren’t significant differences related to gender or its interaction with the program. Finally, study recommended to include action research in the 8th grade curricula, and the class activities, in addition to training them in the steps of action research to develop the skills of their critical thinking.