The CoRT 1 Experience and Its Effectiveness in Developing Critical Thinking Skills: A Mixed-Methods Study

This study investigates the impact of the CoRT 1 thinking program on middle scholl students’ critical thinking skills and explores how both the students and the teacher make sense of this experience. Carried out by using a mixed-methods approach, the research was carried out between 2024–2025 at a state school in the Western Black Sea region. The subject of the research was 25 eighth-grade students who were chosen through purposeful sampling and received an eight-session intervention. The quantitative data were collected via pre- and post-test measures and analyzed using the rubric developed by Çeviker-Ay and Toz. Qualitative data were obtained from semi-structured interview forms finalized through expert consultation and unstructured teacher observation notes. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six students. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 22. Normal distribution dimensions were tested with the paired samples t-test, while those that are not normally distributed were tested with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The capacity of the CoRT 1 program to significantly strengthen students' critical thinking skills has been empirically demonstrated within this study. During the course of research, providing a psychologically safe classroom environment and integrating engaging instructional materials was found to enhance pedagogical efficacy, whereas social anxiety, crowded classroom settings, and structural barriers were identified as the main restrictors of student engagement. In light of the collected data, concrete recommendations have been developed through CoRT 1 to render the teaching process more inclusive, flexible, and sustainable.