Improving critical thinking growth for disadvantaged groups within elementary school science: A randomized controlled trial using the Science Writing Heuristic approach

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Abstract
In a cluster‐randomized study, we investigate the impact of an argument‐based approach to teaching science in elementary school on science learning and critical thinking skills. Forty‐eight schools participated in the study, with data on 9,963 students across the 2 years of the intervention. Annual standardized tests assessing science content knowledge were used to evaluate the effect of the intervention on science using a hierarchical linear model. To assess critical thinking abilities, scores for the Cornell Critical Thinking instrument were assessed for the 2,353 students in fifth grade using a multilevel model. While no statistically significant gains were found for science content, there was statistically significant evidence that the intervention was associated with an improvement in critical thinking scores (p < .05, ES = 0.167). In particular, the strongest gains were for students in the following groups: individual education plan, free and reduced price lunch, and English language learners.

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