Title:
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SOCIAL STUDIES OF GRADE 8 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Authors:
Jal M. Achacoso and Edna Marie D. Punzalan ,Philippines

Abstract:
The study aimed to determine the Grade 8 students’ critical thinking quotient measured in terms of the difficulty index of the items on thinking skills, map and globe skills, graph and image analysis skills, and sequencing and chronology skills in a unified test in Social Studies. The research and writing skills described in terms of remembering, understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating were determined using the rubrics for critical thinking. The study which used the empirical research method was also undertaken to determine the relationship between the critical thinking quotient and the academic performance in Social Studies. The results of this study showed that mean final grade of the Grade 8 students in Social Studies is 94.49 described as Advance. The Grade 8 students obtained a mean score of 3.47, rated as accomplished (rank 1) in remembering; 3.36 (competent, rank 2) in creating; 3.28 (competent, rank 3) in understanding; 3.17 (competent, rank 4) in analyzing; 3.15 (competent, rank 5) in applying; and 3.11 (competent, rank 6) in evaluating. Overall, the Grade 8 students were rated competent (3.26) in research and writing skills. The test items on sequencing and chronology were the most difficult with a difficulty index of 0.47 (rank 1), followed by graph and image analysis (0.65, rank 2), and map and globe analysis (0.71, rank 3). The test items on thinking were the least difficult with a difficulty index of 0.82 (rank 4). It is recommended that giving of student-centered tasks should be sustained to maintain the research and writing skills of the students at the competent level. More student-centered activities should be integrated in the lessons to improve the sequencing and chronology skills of the students