Abstract
Developing critical thinking for students has recently gained significant attention in global educational discourse and practices, in response to social demands for autonomous citizens in a knowledge-based economy. In Vietnam, the objective of developing critical thinking for students has now become one of the central focuses in the new general educational program required by the government. However, a critical review of literatures on critical thinking, the new general educational program, and practices of teaching and learning in Vietnamese schools, reveals a number of potential hindrances for the changes, including a lack of clear and detailed guidance in the new program regarding critical thinking, teachers’ beliefs and teaching habits, a passive and examination-oriented learning culture, and traditions of hierarchy and face saving. To make teaching for critical thinking reality, there needs to be cooperation and participation from all parties from policy makers to teacher-training universities, local educational departments, schools, families, teachers and students in establishing a clear schedule for the implementation of a social constructivist approach in teaching and learning.
Highlights
Critical thinking is generally conceptualized as cognitive skills at higher thinking level in which individuals demonstrate the abilities to evaluate the values of ideas, arguments, and situations
Along with creative and problem-solving thinking, critical thinking is considered crucial in a knowledge-based economy [1], since it can help students to become autonomous citizens
As Vietnam is a Confucian-influenced culture, hierarchical traditions between teachers and students have existed in classrooms; this may impede a culture of questioning and interacting, considered to be conductive environments for critical thinking
Summary
Critical thinking is generally conceptualized as cognitive skills at higher thinking level in which individuals demonstrate the abilities to evaluate the values of ideas, arguments, and situations. The new program clearly states one central focus of schools is to develop critical thinking, creative and problem-solving competence for students This new program, is claimed by many Vietnamese researchers as ambitious due to a range of inhibitive sociocultural factors and established teaching and learning traditions. As Vietnam is a Confucian-influenced culture, hierarchical traditions between teachers and students have existed in classrooms; this may impede a culture of questioning and interacting, considered to be conductive environments for critical thinking. These cultural values should be taken into account when implementing teaching for critical thinking at schools in Vietnam. This paper will describe changes in the new general education programs regarding critical thinking and analyze potential sociocultural barriers for the changes and suggest possible solutions to reduce the gaps between policies and practices
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