Causal Model of Mathematical Academic Achievement based on the Creative Thinking and Critical Thinking with the Mediation of Problem Solving in Primary School Students of Tabriz City

Abstract

Purpose: Academic achievement especially in mathematics is very important and knowing the effective factors on it helps a lot in planning in the field of mathematical academic achievement. As a result, the aim of this research was to investigate the causal model of mathematical academic achievement based on the creative thinking and critical thinking with the mediation of problem solving in primary school students. Methodology: The present study was a description from type of quantitative, which its population was all primary school students of Tabriz city in the 2023-24 academic years. The sample size of the present research was considered to be 250 people, which this number were selected by multi-step cluster random sampling method. The tools of this study were included the questionnaires of mathematical academic achievement (Shalev et al, 1993), creative thinking (Welch and Mc Dowall, 2010), critical thinking (Facione et al, 1994) and problem solving (Heppner and Petersen, 1982) and their data were analyzed with the methods of Pearson correlation coefficients and structural equation modeling in SPSS-26 and AMOS-24 software. Findings: The findings of the present research showed that the causal model of mathematical academic achievement based on the creative thinking and critical thinking with the mediation of problem solving in primary school students had a good fit. In the mentioned model, the variables of creative thinking and critical thinking had a direct and significant effect on problem solving and mathematical academic achievement of primary school students, and the variable of problem solving had a direct and significant effect on their mathematical academic achievement. In addition, the variables of creative thinking and critical thinking with the mediation of problem solving had an indirect and significant effect on mathematical academic achievement of primary school students (P<0.05). Conclusion: According to the results of this study, in order to improve the mathematical academic achievement of primary school students can promote their creative thinking, critical thinking and problem solving.