Abstract

The ground breaking study aims to further a fundamental educational objective: fostering in young people the critical thinking skills necessary to create a future of knowledgeable, creative, and civically active individuals who will drive both societal advancement and country prosperity. Through an exploration of the transformative potential of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) approach, this study advances our knowledge of how focused instruction can improve students’ cognitive skills. 184 young learners in the eighth grade from public sector schools were carefully selected at random and put through a demanding Solomon Four-Group design. STEM-based approach instructions versus traditional teaching methods were compared for their relative effects using a 2x2 factorial methodology. The results show that a STEM-based approach is incredibly effective at fostering critical thinking skills. The critical thinking scores of the experimental groups showed a notable improvements from the pretest (M = 45.32, SD = 4.15) to the posttest (M = 63.47, SD = 5.03), and the retention posttest scores showed a sustained improvement (M = 61.89, SD = 4.72). Conversely, the control groups advanced very little (pretest: M = 4.87, SD 4.23). Critical thinking skills are effectively advanced by the STEM method, as seen by <the significant interaction effect (F(1, 180) = 36.53, p < 0.05) and high effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.52). Significant pretest (F(1,180) = 40.28, p < 0.05) and treatment effects (F(1,180) = 576.21, p < 0.05) were shown by further analysis, confirming the influence of STEM pedagogy on cognitive development. These results highlight STEM approach as a potent catalyst for developing elementary school children’ critical thinking skills and laying the groundwork for a workforce prepared to take on challenging global in the future. This study emphasizes how educational systems must embrace innovative pedagogies that go beyond conventional content delivery and provide students with dynamic opportunities to think critically, analyze, and create.