The impact of multimedia-based instruction on critical thinking development in chemistry education: a study on water industrial production and purification

Background Industrial processes, particularly those in the production and purification of drinking water, represent one of the major challenges of the 21st century due to their importance for human health, the environment, and the sustainability of resources. Developing critical thinking in young people is essential for addressing complex socio-scientific challenges like sustainable water management. This study provides new empirical evidence on how interactive multimedia instruction, delivered via the Genially platform, fosters critical thinking within the context of water production and purification.Purpose The study aimed to examine the effects of learning about industrial water production and purification through printed materials versus multimedia digital content on the development of critical thinking skills in 14-year-old students. It also explored students’ perceptions of the content’s relevance and motivational value.Sample The study involved 267 eighth-grade primary school students, who were divided into a control and an experimental group.Design and methods A quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test was employed. All research instruments were developed specifically for the purposes of this study. Students engaged with the content during five regular 45-minute classroom periods, and their critical thinking skills were assessed using contextual tasks addressing the evaluation of claim validity, hypothesis formulation and testing, drawing conclusions, and argument analysis. Students’ perceptions were collected using a questionnaire.Results The multimedia-based approach led to a statistically significant greater improvement in overall critical thinking scores than instruction based on printed materials, with particularly significant improvements in drawing conclusions and analysing arguments. Students in the experimental group rated the Genially content as engaging, motivating, and relevant to real life.Conclusion The findings show that context-based multimedia instruction is more effective than instruction based on printed materials in supporting the development of critical thinking skills and in increasing students’ perceived relevance and motivation in chemistry learning.