Keywords
Critical thinking
Speed calculation
Quasi-experimental design
Primary mathematics
Tunisian education
Low-cost technology
How to Cite
Abstract
Mathematics education in Tunisia faces a persistent challenge in fostering critical thinking skills among 6th-grade students, particularly within contexts characterized by limited technological and budgetary resources. Against this backdrop, the present pilot study aims to evaluate the impact of a low-cost, robotics-based pedagogical intervention, specifically designed around an explicit critical prompt, on stimulating students' critical thinking during speed calculation activities. A quasi-experimental design was implemented with a sample of sixteen students (n=16) from a Tunisian primary school, divided into an experimental group (benefiting from instruction assisted by a Micro:bit robot, costing approximately 30 USD) and a control group. Data were collected through systematic video observation and analyzed using the validated [1] observation grid, demonstrating excellent inter-rater reliability (Cohen's Kappa = 0.85). Statistical analyses, performed via Fisher's exact test, revealed that the experimental group exhibited significantly higher critical thinking behaviors across four key dimensions (higher-level questioning, elaboration, active engagement, critical attitudes), with p-values ranging from 0.002 to 0.026 and medium-to-large effect sizes (Cohen's d = 0.65-1.23). These results are primarily attributable to the integration of a fundamental pedagogical prompt ("Before using the robot's data, write down an alternative method to verify your calculations"), which transformed the robot from a mere tool into a true "catalyst for doubt" and an object of critical inquiry, thereby enriching the foundations of Papert's constructionism. Although the small sample size and short duration of the intervention call for cautious interpretation, this study demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of a low-cost robotics intervention for developing 21st-century critical thinking skills, opening promising avenues for longitudinal research and the development of equitable educational policies in under-resourced environments.
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