The Impact of Direct Instruction, Debates, and Educational Games on Enhancing Students' Reasoning Skills

Document Type : Englise Original Article

Authors

1 Undergraduate Student in Social Science Education, Farhangian University, Bandar Abbas, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Administration, Farhangian University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of direct instruction, debate, and educational games in enhancing students’ reasoning skills. This study was conducted using a quasi-experimental method with a one-group pretest–posttest design. The research population consisted of eighth-grade students at a school in Bandar Abbas during the 2024-2025 academic year, and the sample was selected through convenience sampling, comprising one class of 24 students. Data were collected using a single open-ended question questionnaire, whose validity was confirmed by experts, and whose reliability was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha (0.81) and inter-rater agreement (0.68). To assess reasoning skills, students’ responses were scored on four main components of reasoning proposed by Elder and Paul: clarity, logical structure, persuasive power, and coherence. In addition, to analyze the responses, the frequency of common fallacies—including emotional reasoning, hasty generalization, ad hominem attacks, appeal to leading questions, and appeal to the majority—was extracted. Pretest findings indicated that students’ reasoning skills were estimated at 43%, and that the use of fallacies was observed to a considerable extent. Following the implementation of the educational intervention, the data were analyzed using a paired-samples t-test, the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and effect size indices. Posttest results revealed a statistically significant improvement in students’ reasoning skills, an increase in the mean score to 50%, and a substantial reduction in the frequency of fallacies. The study's findings indicated that educational interventions can effectively enhance students’ reasoning skills.

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History

  • Receive Date: 30 October 2025
  • Revise Date: 03 June 2026
  • Accept Date: 10 June 2026

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