El Debate con Finalidades Democráticas y Filosóficas: una herramienta útil para abordar Problemas Sociales Relevantes

This study examined the relationship between reflective thinking and academic achievement in physical education and sports teaching students. The research aimed to investigate to what extent the reflective and critical thinking tendencies of prospective physical education and sports teachers explain academic achievement. Based on John Dewey's vital and reflective thinking approaches, considered among thinking skills, an answer to this question was sought. A traditional and positivist paradigm was adopted as the research model, and a quantitative research approach was used. The study was designed with the relational method, and the relationship between critical and reflective thinking dispositions of physical education and sports teacher candidates and their academic achievement was analysed. The study group consisted of 200 participants studying in the first, second, third and fourth grades of the physical education and sports teaching program. The mean age of the participants was 22.20±2.98; 44.5% exercised regularly, and 49% were licensed athletes. Data collection tools included personal information forms, academic achievement grouping, the Critical Thinking Scale, and the Reflective Thinking Scale. The Critical Thinking Scale was adapted to Turkish using a two-dimensional model. The Reflective Thinking Scale has four sub-dimensions. The Confirmatory Factor Analysis indicated that some items were not suitable due to high error variances and cross-loading. After removing these items based on expert opinions, the remaining items in the reflection and critical reflection dimensions showed very good factor loadings. The reliability coefficients for the scale were satisfactory. Final year students scored higher in critical reflection and reflective thinking than third-grade students. No significant difference was found in critical openness, reflective skepticism, and critical thinking. Male physical education and sports teacher candidates scored higher in reflection, critical reflection, and reflective thinking tendency than their female counterparts. Consequently, the findings show that reflective thinking can potentially increase academic achievement in prospective physical education and sports teachers. These findings emphasize that developing thinking skills should be a priority in education programs.

The nursing profession has gone through a process of professionalization in the last decades, which allows to recognize that Nursing emerged as a social activity that has been institutionalized, both in its training and in its work practice, affirming itself as a science, profession, discipline and art. Nursing professionals must generate, promote and apply reflective and critical thinking in their actions, professional, ethical, humanistic and technological (Cardenas, 2015). The objective of this study is to describe the reflexive and critical thinking of the students of the Degree in Nursing of the Faculty of Health Sciences. This is a qualitative study, carried out with 5 students of the faculty of health sciences, we used a representative sample of students who are attending the 2nd, 4th and 8th semester of Nursing Degree. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview (Face to Face). Results: From the constant comparison of data analysis emerged the subcategories 1) critical thinking; 2) reflective thinking; 3) decision making; 4) reflective practice. Conclusions: The results of this study achieved the objective of describing reflective thinking and critical thinking in students of the Nursing Degree in the Faculty of Health Sciences. We identified the empirical categories of the study phenomenon that represents the result attributed to the perception of Critical and Reflective thinking. This resulted in four interrelated sub-categories, reflective thinking, critical thinking, decision-making and reflective practice.

Related research on critical and reflective thinking skills has been interesting and conducted by many researchers, but they are still carried out separately. This study aims to determine the perception of prospective teachers towards critical and reflective thinking skills in modern physics lectures. This research includes quantitative research using the cross-sectional survey method. Ninety-seven prospective teachers participated in the study, with details of 15 men and 82 women with an age range of 19-21 years. Questionnaire critical and reflective thinking skills are used as instruments for collecting data. Each of them is a 20-item critical thinking skills questionnaire and 24 items of reflective thinking skills questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed using winsteps software version 4.6.1. which includes descriptive, individual conformity, gender, and bubble chart. The results of detailed data analysis show that for critical thinking skills, 17% of prospective teachers perceive low, 68% of prospective teachers perceive moderate, and 15% of prospective teachers perceive high. As for reflective thinking ability, 11% of prospective teachers perceive low, 78% of prospective teachers perceive moderate, and 11% of prospective teachers perceive high. However, there are many misfit persons, 66% for critical thinking skills and 67% for reflective thinking skills. This means prospective teachers do not have strong perception beliefs in both thinking skills. Therefore, it needs to be strengthened through treatment, training, or workshops to further train both skills.

Higher-order thinking skills, such as critical and reflective thinking, are essential for Higher Education graduates’ employability. Particularly for the teaching profession, reflective thinking has been highlighted by theorists, such as Schön, as a necessary skill for regulating various aspects of the profession. The literature demonstrates that critical and reflective thinking, both higher-order thinking skills, share common ground. Still, instruction is required in order for students to develop them after attending studies in Higher Education. In addition, the transformation of Higher Education curricula to promote higher-order thinking skills might be a demanding task. Following theoretical presuppositions regarding instruction for critical thinking and blended learning, two Critical Thinking Blended Apprenticeships Curricula for Teacher Education were designed. The study aimed to examine whether the curricula could promote reflective thinking. Seventy-one undergraduate student-teachers participated in the study, which followed a pretest-posttest design. Paired sample t-tests revealed minor differences in student-teachers’ reflective thinking, which were nevertheless insignificant. However, when the two curricula were examined separately, a significant increase in student-teachers’ dimensions of reflective thinking was revealed. Results are discussed in light of the super complexity of learning and teaching in Higher Education.KeywordsCritical and reflective thinkingHigher educationCurricula

This study aims to determine the level of critical thinking disposition and reflective thinking skills towards problem-solving of sports science students, to examine the difference between reflective thinking and critical thinking disposition total score averages according to some demographic variables, and to examine critical thinking disposition as a predictor of reflective thinking. Among the scanning models, single and relational scanning were used together. The study was conducted with 259 volunteer students from a sports sciences faculty with 1041 students at a state university in Turkey. A self-report measure with three parts was administered: Demographic Data Form; Reflective Thinking Skill Scale towards Problem Solving, and California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory. According to the assumption of normal distribution of the data set, frequency analysis, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation analysis, and regression analysis were used for the analysis. As a result of the analysis, the students studying in the sports management department had the highest mean critical thinking score. While the reflective thinking score of the participants who studied for 4-5 hours is significantly higher, the critical thinking scores of the participants who studied for more than 6 hours were significantly the highest. In addition, the reflective thinking scores of the participants who spent less than 1 hour for the activity were found to be significantly lower. The participants who saw the contribution of the education given at school to reflective thinking as good had the highest reflective thinking score. As a result of the correlation analysis, it was observed that there were statistically significant, low-level, and positive relationships between critical thinking and reflective thinking. There are positive correlations between critical thinking skills and all three sub-dimensions of reflective thinking. There are positive correlations between reflective thinking and four sub-dimensions of critical thinking. Regression analysis has shown that critical thinking predicts reflective thinking. Whether reflective thinking predicts critical thinking or vice versa, it has been concluded that the development of one will also affect the other.

This study aims to determine the level of students’ critical and reflective thinking skills on the topic of photoelectric effects. In this study, the cross-sectional survey approach was employed in conjunction with purposive sampling techniques. The data collection instruments are questionnaires for critical thinking and reflective thinking skills, with 20 critical thinking items and 24 reflective thinking items. A total of 35 students, 6 males and 29 females, with an average age of 20 years, agreed to fill out the questionnaire that was distributed. The acquired quantitative data were evaluated using the Rasch model, with critical thinking skills showing that 11% of students were at a very low level, 49% were at a low level, 26% were at a high level, and 14% were at a very high level. Meanwhile, data analysis of reflective thinking skills revealed that 20% of pupils had low levels, 63% had moderate levels, and 17% had high levels. As a result, it is suggested that critical thinking and reflective thinking skills be continuously debriefed.

Teacher training process must stimulate reflective thinking skill because this skill is crucial to improve teaching and learning capability. Indonesian version of standardized instrument to assess the development of reflective thinking skill in teacher training program is still limited. This research aimed to adapt Reflective Thinking Questionnaire (RTQ) to Indonesian version, investigate its quality, probe pre-service chemistry teachers’ level of reflective thinking, investigate relationship between reflective thinking and GPA, and compare between 1st year and 4th year pre-service chemistry teachers’ reflective thinking skill. RTQ is a 16 items 5 point Likert scale questionnaire purposed to measure reflective thinking in 4 subscale levels: Habitual Actions (HA), Understanding (U), Reflection (R), and Critical Reflection (CR). Each subscale was assessed by 4 questionnaire items. With the help of four science education experts who are fluent in both languages, RTQ was first translated into Indonesian and then its empirical result was substantiated. The translated RTQ was given to 147 pre-service chemistry teachers from Department of Chemistry Education, Raja Ali Haji Maritime University, Indonesia. Data were analyzed using Rasch model method. Result indicated that the instrument and all 16 items nicely fit the Rasch model. The data also showed good reliability (Cronbach alpha .84). Result of this research also indicated that Understanding received the highest mean (17.70), followed by Critical Reflection (16.50), Reflection (16.48), and the lowest mean was Habitual Action (14.60). Non-parametric analysis was used because normal data distribution is not observed. Based on Wilcoxon Test result, significant difference between all subscales levels were detected, except for CR-R. Spearman Correlation result indicated that correlation between reflective thinking and GPA was not significant. Based on Mann-Whitney Test result, significant difference between 1st year and 4th year college students’ reflective thinking was only detected in CR. The implications relate to reflective thinking skill were discussed to improve the quality of learning process and its’ evaluation.

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between critical thinking skills and reflective thinking skills of prospective middle school mathematics teachers. In addition, it was aimed to examine critical thinking skills and reflective thinking skills of prospective middle school mathematics teachers with regard to some variables (gender, grade level, academic achievement level). This study adopts one of the general survey models: relational survey model. 201 prospective middle school mathematics teachers studying in Elementary Mathematics Teacher Education Program at a state university participated in this study. Reflective Thinking Scale and Critical Thinking Standards Scale were used. For the data analysis, descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance, correlation analysis, and simple linear regression analysis were used. The findings of this study showed that the prospective teachers' critical thinking skill level is high (agree), reflective thinking skill level is at moderate level (neutral). Critical thinking skills of the prospective teachers were significantly different in terms of gender and academic achievement. On the other hand, reflective thinking skills of the prospective teachers were significantly different in terms of grade level. Besides, there was a positive, significant and moderate relationship between critical thinking skills and reflective thinking skills of the prospective teachers. The prospective teachers’ critical thinking skills were the significant predictors of their reflective thinking skills. It was found that critical thinking skills explained 24% of the variance related to reflective thinking skills.

This study investigated the impact of using ChatGPT, a state-of-the-art generative AI-based model, on the critical, creative, and reflective thinking skills of university students in Ghana. The study utilized a mixed-methods research approach, incorporating quantitative and qualitative data collection instruments, and an experimental procedure with a pretest-posttest control group. The study ultimately enlisted a sample of 125 students randomly allocated to either the experiment group (60 students) or the control group (65 students). The research was conducted in the context of a Research Methodology course, which had adopted the flipped classroom approach. The students in the experiment group engaged with ChatGPT for in-class tasks, while those in the control group used traditional databases and search engines for similar tasks. Data were collected using the Critical Thinking Scale, Creative Thinking Scale, Reflective Thinking Scale, and a student interview guide (semi-structured). The study's findings illustrated that incorporating ChatGPT influenced the students' critical, reflective, and creative thinking skills and their dimensions discernibly. As a result, the study provides suggestions for academics, instructional designers, and researchers working in educational technology.

SPLDV is one of the materials that corresponds to aspects of reflective thinking skills where students are required to be able to solve problems according to the understanding and concept of reflective thinking. So that students' reflective thinking skills become an important thing in solving SPLDV problems. Meanwhile, the ability to think reflectively can be honed by solving PISA-based questions by paying attention to the steps for solving them. This study aims to determine students' reflective thinking skills in solving PISA-based math problems in SPLDV material for students with critical thinking abilities. This research is a qualitative descriptive study. The subjects of this research were class VIII A students of SMP Negeri 10 Semarang consisting of 3 students, 1 student with high critical thinking ability, 1 student with moderate critical thinking ability, and 1 student with low critical thinking ability. The selection of subjects was based on the results of critical thinking skills tests on the SPLDV material. Data collection techniques used in this study were tests, interviews and documentation. The data analysis technique used in this study is data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. Techniques for checking the validity of the data using the triangulation method. The results of this study indicate that students with high critical thinking skills can fulfill 4 indicators of reflective thinking skills. Students with moderate critical thinking skills can fulfill 3 indicators of reflective thinking skills. Meanwhile, students with low critical thinking skills meet 2 indicators of reflective thinking skills.

In this article we draw on John Dewey’s (1910) classic book How We Think to reflect on the absence of a culture of ‘critical thinking’ and/or ‘reflective thinking’ at Morgenster Teachers’ College. ‘Critical thinking’ and/or ‘reflective thinking’ are central to John Dewey (1916, 1910) and Paulo Freire’s (2005, 1995) teachings. But they are also embedded in the dialogues of Plato, for instance, The Republic, Meno, Euthyphro, Apology, and Protagoras, to mention a few. But data from focus group interviews conducted with final year students at Morgenster Teachers’ College shows that pedagogical practices at the college are monologic or one-dimensional, which is not supportive of ‘critical thinking’ and/or ‘reflective thinking’. Our contention in this article is that in teaching and learning it is essential for the students to be equipped with the skills to understand the world and what is in it. For such understanding to occur teachers should engage the students in philosophical inquiry and critical dialogue. Philosophical inquiry is most effective when it takes the form of dialogue between peers. But as Freire (1995) points out, true dialogue cannot exist unless the dialoguers engage in critical thinking. We recognise that Morgenster Teachers’ College is an important institution with a mandate to produce teachers. It is therefore incumbent that the college shifts from monologic pedagogies, to pedagogiies that are anchored in philosophical inquiry, critical dialogue, ‘critical thinking’ and ‘reflective thinking’, which engender an understanding of the world and what is in it. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2013.v2n2p51

Critical thinking skills, often referred to as higher-order cognitive skills, are considered important for the Religious Culture and Ethics Course due to gains such as pupils’ taking responsibility of their own learning, actively constructing knowledge, supporting the development of other high-level thinking skills such as reflective and creative thinking. As students’ critical and inquiring thinking skills increase, they can also develop a number of related skills, such as the ability to explain issues in more detail, evaluate learning topics in relation to their own lives, become aware of different perspectives on problem situations, and question the reliability of information resources. One of the effective approaches for pupils to acquire critical thinking, inquiry and questioning skills is the 'Philosophy for Children' approach, which was developed by Matthew Lipman in the early 1970s’ and has been applied in many countries, for different school subjects since then. The main aim of this approach is to develop students' thinking and reasoning skills through philosophical discussions in the classroom. The 'Philosophy for Children' model stands out as an effective approach in religious education by creating dialogic and collaborative teaching-learning environments, encouraging students to inquire and question, and developing critical and reflective thinking skills. In our country, Religious Culture and Ethics Course curriculum, which highly considers inquiry and questioning in learning, aims to ensure that students learn by making sense of the content and using high-level thinking processes. Instead of a traditional, teacher-centred and rote religious education, it is aimed for students to become learner agents who inquire, question, strive to reach the source of knowledge, and actively construct knowledge. Therefore, Religious Culture and Ethics course requires teachers to use strategies, methods and techniques that enable students to develop and use high-level thinking processes. ‘Philosophy for Children’ approach has also been used in religious education in England and in Islamic religious as well as ethic courses in Malaysia. The studies undertaken in these countries have provided important contributions to students' active participation in the lessons, development of critical thinking and reasoning skills, self-confidence, self-esteem and social relations. This study is a literature review examining the theoretical foundations of the 'Philosophy for Children' approach, its application and evaluation processes, as well as its use in religious education by looking into both international and national literature. The aim of the study is to examine the 'Philosophy for Children' approach, which is thought to be useful in developing effective learning skills such as inquiry, questioning, problem solving and critical thinking related to concepts and problems of religion and morality in the primary and secondary Religious Culture and Ethics Course curriculum. Besides recommendations and implications are made for this course.

This study aimed to determine the relationship between B. Ed (Hons.) Elementary prospective teachers' critical thinking and reflective thinking skills. In the learning process, developing higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) was imperative. Critical thinking stresses the skills to acquire information, which include comparing and in-depth evaluating and utilizing that information to solve a problem, which are among the most important. On the other hand, reflective thinking is related to the constructivist approach. It enables people (or students) to feel accountable for their learning, select their learning goals, and actively participate in learning processes. This study adopted a quasi-experimental design with an intact group of participants. The researchers developed lesson plans and achievement tests to measure critical thinking skills. The researchers also developed a 5-point observation scale to measure reflective thinking skills. For the data analysis, a correlation was run to evaluate the relationship between the dependent variables: critical thinking and reflective thinking skills. There was a strong positive correlation between critical thinking skills and reflective thinking skills of prospective teachers. The researchers recommended using reflective practices in the classroom to increase future teachers' critical thinking and reflective thinking abilities. This would allow for more excellent performance from the prospective teachers.

Recent research indicates that study processing strategies, effort, reflective thinking practice, and achievement goals are important factors contributing to the prediction of students’ academic success. Very few studies have combined these theoretical orientations within one conceptual model. This study tested a conceptual model that included, in particular, deep processing strategies, effort, mastery and performance‐approach goals, reflection, and critical thinking. We used causal modelling procedures to explore the direct and mediating effects of these theoretical orientations on students’ academic achievement and learning. Second‐ and third‐year undergraduates (n = 347; 151 women and 196 men) completed a number of inventories (e.g., the Reflective Thinking Questionnaire). LISREL 8.72 indicated an a posteriori model with direct effects of reflection and critical thinking on academic achievement and learning. Performance‐approach goals exerted a negative effect on academic achievement. Both mastery and performance‐approach goals also directed affected reflection, whereas deep processing strategies were directly affected by mastery goals and effort. Importantly, both reflection and effort were found to act as potent mediators. A one‐way MANOVA revealed no statistical difference between men and women in this theoretical framework.

The present study assessed the associations among higher-order thinking skills (reflective thinking, critical thinking) and self-monitoring that contribute to academic achievement among university students. The sample consisted of 196 Iranian university students (mean age = 22.05, SD = 3.06; 112 females; 75 males) who were administered three questionnaires. To gauge reflective thinking, the “Reflective Thinking Questionnaire” designed by Kember et al. (Assess Eval High Educ 25(4):380–395, 2000) was utilized. It includes 16 items measuring four types of reflective thinking (habitual action, understanding, reflection, and critical reflection). To assess critical thinking, the “Watson–Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal”(2002) was utilized. It comprises 80 items and consists of 5 subtests (inference, recognizing unstated assumptions, deduction, interpretation, and evaluation). Self-monitoring was measured via 8 items of the self-regulation trait questionnaire designed by O’Neil and Herl (Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA, 1998). The results demonstrated that critical thinking and all components of reflective thinking positively and significantly predicted achievement with habitual action having the lowest impact and reflection exhibiting the highest influence. Self-monitoring indirectly exerted a positive influence on achievement via understanding and reflection. It was also found that among the four subscales of reflective thinking, reflection and critical reflection predicted critical thinking positively and significantly. Self-monitoring had a positive and significant impact on critical thinking. It also significantly and positively influenced understanding as well as reflection.