Aim: With regard to the importance of inner motivation and learning interest of students in the development of intellectual skills, this study compared the effectiveness of collaborative learning model and inquiry the orientation of high school students to think critically. Methods: And quasi‑experimental design of pretest and posttest. Two experimental groups and the statistics include the entire basic high school male students Fariman city per academic year 2010–2011. Result: The results showed that the pattern of influence on the orientation of the inquiry and collaborative learning and critical thinking and its three components, there are significant differences between the two groups studied and model of participatory group that received the recipient of the cooperative learning group had a higher tendency to think critically. Except in the components of engagement (P > 0.05) that there was no difference between the two groups the components of creativity (P < 0.05) and maturity (P < 0.000) groups than in the group receiving a higher level of participation in the inquiry pattern. Conclusion: Model of the impetus to inquiry the interior of the learners create, the trend toward collaborative learning to develop critical thinking, it seems more effective.

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