Predicting Physics Achievement of 11th - grade Students through Critical and Logical Thinking Skills

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to measure the extent to which critical thinking skills and logical thinking skills predicted the achievement in physics of 11th - grade students in Gaza. To this end, (215) students participated in the study. California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) and Test of Logical Thinking (TOLT), were used as data collection tools in the study. Data were analyzed by multiple stepwise regression analysis. Results indicated that the students’ scores of probabilistic reasoning and proportional reasoning (as logical thinking skills), and inference (as critical thinking skill) were significant predictors of physics achievement scores, explaining (15.7%) of the variance of physics achievement scores. In addition, findings indicated that the best predictor was probabilistic reasoning, explaining (9.2 %) of the variance. The study recommended that a physics curriculum should involve thinking skills, which predict students’ achievement in physics.