Teaching Of Critical Thinking Research Articles

Australia’s national(ist) history curriculum: history education as a site of attempted de-democratisation

AbstractThis paper explores the contested content of the Australian history curriculum to understand the curriculum’s national(ist?) purpose and investigate if national histories can be taught in a way which combats the anti-democratic forces at play in our culture. This question will be explored through analysis of the three topics in the Australian Curriculum: History 7–10, which have a strong focus on Australian history specifically, and semi-structured interviews with secondary teachers on pedagogies for history and instilling democratic dispositions in students (UniSQ ETH2023-0315). Since Prime Minister John Howard’s call for reform of the curriculum to ensure that the national narrative “is one of heroic achievement” (Howard, 2006), the conservative right’s desire to have the curriculum deliver a singular, nationalist narrative has become increasingly more extreme. We risk an “acute crisis of democracy” (Repucci and Slipowitz, 2021, p. 1) as our students are taught a singular narrative that silences First Nations peoples and other cultural minorities. The best defence against this nascent de-democratisation of Australian history classrooms is found in the vital work of history teachers as curriculum workers. If teachers adhere to the curriculum directives focused on historical thinking skills, our students must consider “different perspectives” and use a “range of sources” (ACARA, 2023a) to make evidence-based decisions about our past. The teaching of critical thinking and the use of varied evidence which considers a range of perspectives and assesses their reliability serves as a bulwark against the monocultural assault which seeks to control the content of the curriculum. If we ensure our next generation of citizens have the skills to make informed and critical choices rather than be blind adherents to a nationalist monomyth, our pluralistic liberal democracy will not only survive but thrive.

Obstacles to critical thinking: A qualitative study on secondary school learners in Masvingo, Zimbabwe

The research reported on in this article was mainly undertaken to determine the obstacles to the enhancement of critical thinking in the learning of history at Form 3 level in secondary schools in the Masvingo urban area of Zimbabwe, in terms of the rationale of developing the learners’ critical thinking. The promotion of critical thinking abilities is vital in education, since doing so helps to improve the learners’ academic performance, as well as aiding in producing graduates with a multiplicity of skills that are required in the 21st century job market and in society as a whole. We used semi-structured interviews and lesson observations to reach conclusions on what recommendations to make in addressing the research problem. Several factors were identified as hindering the learners’ acquisition of critical thinking, including the learners’ and teachers’ lack of self-efficacy, motivation and the poor learning environment. In addition to reflecting on the possibility of improving the learning and teaching of critical thinking, we recommend that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Zimbabwe’s Schools Examination Council, teacher training colleges and teachers should all work together to develop the learners’ critical thinking skills within the parameters of the Zimbabwean education system.

Postdigital Teaching of Critical Thinking in Higher Education: Non-Instrumentalised Sociality and Interactivity

AbstractIn the wake of the digital revolution, the digital teaching of critical thinking takes established forms in higher education. Its technologies are productively understood in postdigital terms as a diverse, inconsistent and cobbled-together collection of platforms and software. This paper considers the limits, problems and advantages of this messy and layered amalgam of technologies. Examining them shows that the benefits of digital critical thinking teaching are frequently bound up with digitisations’ support of sociability and interactivity. This is counterbalanced by difficulties and limits encountered in digitised teaching of critical thinking, often framed as deficiencies in students, teachers, institutions or technologies. However, following Bernard Stiegler’s work and postdigital scholarship, these distinctions can be countered to understand critical thinking technologies as performed within social, technical and psychic milieus processes. Stiegler’s emphasis on temporality allows for a critical analysis of the constraints of digital forms of sociality and interactivity. His notion of otium suggests that techniques cultivating interruptions and layering in digital critical thinking technologies engage their negativity and enable temporal zones in which reflective thought can emerge.

Early Perceptions of Teaching and Learning Using Generative AI in Higher Education

This project explored perceptions of ChatGPT in higher education among students and faculty to assess teaching and learning implications of this Generative Artificial Intelligence (Generative AI)–based novel tool. Two theoretical frameworks inspired the project, including Diffusion of Innovation theory (Rogers, 1962) and Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, 1989). An online survey was completed by 380 participants ( N = 380). Participants indicated that they would not use ChatGPT to plagiarize but believed others would. When asked to rate the accuracy of ChatGPT's output, more than half took the incorrect output as correct/somewhat correct or could not tell whether it was correct or incorrect. Results varied based on participant demographics, including age, gender, and occupation. These findings support the need for data literacy. If Generative AI is to be used in higher education to aid in the learning process, it is imperative to continue teaching critical thinking.

Measuring Pedagogical Transformation: A Quantitative Analysis of Critical Thinking Integration in Literary Criticism for Heightened Student Engagement and Learning Outcomes

In today’s democratic world, one of the most significant objectives of the educational system is to promote independent thinking in students regarding both academic subject matter and daily life (Ennis, 1989; Grinberg, 2004; Nelson, 2004). The necessity and significance of critical thinking in education might primarily lie in the fact that students are not passive participants in the learning process since they are no longer engaged in rote memorization of facts; rather, they need to graduate from educational institutions that engage them in learning that improves their thinking skills. Empirical research suggests that benefits accrue to students who possess the ability to think critically; hence, many institutions need to incorporate instruction oriented toward providing students with critical thinking skills (Tsui, 1999; Stupnisky et al., 2008) through programmed interventions that vary from the traditional instructional approach (Sanz de Acedo Lizarraga et al., 2009). This paper examines the significance of the application of a literature-based critical thinking program and its impact on both students’ critical thinking skills and teachers’ and students’ beliefs about literature instruction. The study employed both qualitative and quantitative research methods, namely, survey research and One-Group Pre-Test/Post-Test Design. It is based on one group pre-test–post-test design, a quasi-experimental design, in which a seven-week literature-based critical thinking program involving 34 students attending an English Language and Literature Department was implemented. Data regarding the present critical thinking situation and change process were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations. T-test results show a significant change between the students’ pre-critical thinking and post-critical thinking levels. These findings indicate that a literature-based critical-thinking program leads to more student-centered classrooms and creative literature instruction that fosters the development of students’ critical thinking skills. Another major purpose of this research study is to discover and understand the experiences and perspectives of teachers on the topic of using multicultural literature as responsive pedagogy to engage cultural understanding. Therefore, the study will also be conducted using a qualitative research approach involving a literature review and semi-structured interviews.

Effectiveness of Critical Thinking Education on Divergent Thinking and Academic Enthusiasm of High School Students

Effectiveness of Critical Thinking Education on Divergent Thinking and Academic Enthusiasm of High School Students

A Model for Developing Critical Thinking Skills in Teaching History: Lessons from Zimbabwe

Developing critical thinking skills in students has proved to be elusive for Zimbabwean history teachers. Using critical theory and its strands of critical pedagogy and constructivism, this qualitative case study engrained in the interpretive paradigm investigates whether the current practices by history teachers enhance the development of critical thinking skills and then discusses how classroom practitioners can develop critical thinking in teaching. A multiple case study design was adopted to generate data using document analysis, interviews and lessons observations. The sample, chosen for detailed study through purposive sampling, included three history teachers from three secondary schools in the Gweru Urban District in the Midlands province of Zimbabwe. Evidence from the study reveals that history teachers continue to use teacher-centred methods of teaching, textbooks as the only resource, poor questioning techniques, and traditional assessment procedures that do not promote the development of critical thinking skills. It is recommended that history teaching must focus on the development of critical thinking skills rather than on the mastery of content for sustainable development to happen as dictated by the demands of the 21st century. To support that, the study proposes a transformative-interactive model to enhance the development of critical thinking skills. The research concludes that critical thinking skills do not happen arbitrarily but are developed. This study extends scholarship on history teaching by challenging and encouraging teachers to reflect on their role in the teaching of history to transform them into the designers of, and researchers of, curriculum methodology.

Investigating pedagogical, technological and school factors underpinning effective ‘critical thinking curricula’ in K-6 education

ObjectiveThis study investigated factors underpinning a successful technology-supported classroom curriculum, specifically designed to promote K-6 students’ critical thinking. MethodsVideo and audio data illustrating 41 students’ application of critical thinking were collected using a unique display recording app installed on iPads. These were timeline analysed using a literature-generated framework comprising Indicators of critical thinking. Interview data were thematically analysed to build knowledge of teacher pedagogical and school factors supporting the curriculum. ResultsData indicated students mostly applied critical thinking for defining and clarifying concepts, presenting reasoned arguments and conclusions, questioning and challenging others’ perspectives, seeking evidence for claims made, and identifying and critiquing assumptions. Results highlight the important contribution of teacher theoretical knowledge, school-wide commitment to a ‘critical thinking’ curriculum, and common understanding of the broader purpose schooling, as foundational to the curriculum's success. ConclusionTeaching for critical thinking was facilitated by close alignment between pedagogical, technological, and school environment factors. It was underpinned by a school-wide learning virtues and values framework emphasising students’ future competencies developed from extensive reading of research and learning theory, and was deliberately planned for. It reflected in theory-informed task design, technology selection, and pedagogy. PracticeCritical thinking has been identified in school curricula as an important capability. However, while imperatives and general principles promoting critical thinking in schools are detailed in official documents, few examples exist illustrating how critical thinking can be fostered in K-6 education. ImplicationsExplicit teaching for critical thinking should be considered a priority by teachers at all school levels. Given rapid technological advances such as AI, and implications these hold for students’ critical information literacy, this study provides timely guidance on how explicit teaching for critical thinking might be approached in K-6 education.

Unlocking Logical Fallacies: A Key to Building Critical Thinking Skills in Adolescents

Purpose: The purpose of this clinical focus article is to present an innovative language intervention program for adolescents that attempts to build critical thinking skills by addressing logical fallacies. Method: Fourteen logical fallacies that often occur in spoken and written discourse are defined and discussed. These include the hasty generalization , the false dichotomy , equivocation , circular reasoning , the anecdote , the appeal to hypocrisy , the slippery slope , the appeal to ridicule , the red herring , the bandwagon , the false cause , the omission of evidence , the appeal to authority , and ad hominem . The consequences of passively accepting biased, illogical, and inaccurate statements are highlighted, and ways to address these concerns are explained. Results: Given their expertise in spoken and written language development and disorders, speech-language pathologists, collaborating with classroom teachers, are well suited to teach adolescents with developmental language disorder or weak language skills how to unlock—or deconstruct—logical fallacies to reveal their hidden meaning. All of this can be achieved while addressing students' basic competencies in speaking, listening, reading, and writing—skills that are essential for well-informed and self-reliant thinking. Conclusion: In addition to helping students manage their own lives more successfully and to communicate more effectively, instruction in critical thinking by unlocking logical fallacies may help to increase levels of social justice in our institutions and daily interactions over time.

대학생의 비판적 사고 향상 미디어 리터러시 교육에 관한 질적 메타분석

Objectives This study focused on critical thinking on the effects of media literacy education in universities and sought to find out the implications of this.
 Methods A qualitative meta-analysis method was used based on studies on subjects related to media literacy opened in universities. Therefore, the future direction of education was considered through the positive effects and complementary points of the educational method for improving critical thinking, focusing on the cases of 6 qualitative research subjects finally selected according to the 7th stage of the analysis procedure.
 Results While the sharing of various opinions under the guidance of the instructor was very helpful in cultivating a critical mind, most of the learners found it difficult to lead learning activities voluntarily due to the nature of the discussion. In addition, it was found that it was important to select the latest issues or related media in a timely manner, but the lack of concentration in class was revealed as a problem due to unreliable data exposure and irra-tionality that could occur due to bias. Above all, considering that writing education for critical thinking has hardly been dealt with except for Part 1, it can be seen that it is urgent to prepare a plan to activate writing.
 Conclusions In this study, through a qualitative meta-analysis of media literacy education for the improvement of college students' critical thinking, positive effects and complementary points of discussion, media analysis, video platform, and critical writing were derived. The implications of this include development of convergence ed-ucational contents, design of critical thinking process, and development of evaluation tools. Even though the Ministry of Education and the field of education are currently emphasizing the importance of media literacy educa-tion, universities still lack systematic programs. In the future, it is expected that media literacy education for learn-ers will be activated in various major subjects through collaboration between universities and instructors.

A Comparative Study on Critical Thinking Skills of ISEC and Non-ISEC Teachers in Institutions of Higher Education in the North of China

Viewed as one of the essential skills needed to succeed in the 21st Century, advancing student's critical thinking (CT) is a significant focus in higher education. This study utilized a non-experimental causal-comparative methodology with an explanatory mixed methods research design. The purpose of this study was to explore the status quo (current situation) of Chinese teachers’ (including ISEC and non-ISEC teachers) CT, as well as the perception, attitude, and practice of CT among them in institutions of higher education in the north of China. There were 102 participants took the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST). The results from the quantitative research showed the CT skills of Chinese teachers fell in the upper range of moderate level. There were no significant differences or relationships in CT skills for ISEC and non-ISEC teachers based on the variables: gender, professional rank, educational background, discipline taught, age, and years of teaching. Twelve participants were interviewed. The core phenomenon or theory emerged from the qualitative data: Chinese teachers advocated and supported CT instruction, but they had a varied and fragmented perception about CT. Although they held a positive attitude towards CT and CT instruction, they applied limited CT teaching strategies in their practice. All participants displayed a strong desire to participate in CT training programs. The findings from the qualitative paradigm supported, complemented, and deepened the findings from the quantitative paradigm.

Enabling critical thinking development in higher education through the use of a structured planning tool

ABSTRACT Critical thinking is a core component of higher education teaching and learning across multiple disciplines. However, supporting students to develop critical thinking skills can be challenging due to their prior experiences of education which may have emphasised rote learning and due to the high volume of approaches available to choose from as a teacher. This paper explores a self-study action research project which took place within initial teacher education and focused on exploring approaches to critical thinking development. Data collection took place with students and included interviews, surveys and collection of class work. Additionally, critical reflections and conversations with critical friends informed the research process. Through the analysis of data which emerged from action research cycles, and in line with best practice outlined in literature, a planning tool was developed to support critical thinking instruction. The planning tool includes pre-conditions for learning necessary to ensure due attention is given to the impact of the learning environment, four lesson elements which support student critical thinking development, and an awareness of the multiple outcomes of critical thinking engagement in education.

Primary School Teachers' Views on Teaching Critical Thinking

The main purpose of the study is to examine the views of classroom teachers on the teaching of critical thinking. It is a qualitative study. The data are collected through a semi-structured interview form. 13 classroom teachers are the study group of the research. Descriptive and content analysis is also used in the analysis of the data. According to the findings, teachers believe that critical thinking is a teachable skill and they know how important their roles are in teaching this skill. However, teachers emphasized that skill training would not be possible without family support.

The Place of Critical Thinking in Physics Instruction

The teaching of critical thinking is paramount in physics instruction, it is achieved through acquisition of critical thinking skills by learners. Consequently, teachers of physics ought to employ instructional strategies that foster the acquisition of the skills. This article explores an array of these strategies in detail, it also presents the history and nature of critical thinking, the role of critical thinking in science instruction and the challenges teachers of physics face in teaching critical thinking skills

Trends in critical thinking instruction in 21st-century research and practice: Upgrading instruction in digital environments

The aim of the present literature review is to provide a glimpse of how CT instruction has been conducted in 21st-century research and practice and its potential pathways of development in the digital world. Critical thinking (CT) has become a crucial competence in 21st-century society. Prior research and renowned experts have recommended explicit CT instruction to impact students' CT effectively. However, these voices have had little influence in practice. Empirical studies on instructional interventions in the field of CT have been increasing, showing little discrepancy regarding effective practices for CT instruction, which mostly refer to active learning and student-centered methods. Specifically, dialogue-based activities, authentic instruction, mentoring, and individual learning (Abrami et al., 2015). However, there are gaps that CT instruction still leaves in research and practice. Important facets of the concept are neglected, which include synthesis/creativity, dispositions, and ethical and civic dimensions. Modern society poses challenges and demands calling for these, and a broader perspective of CT along with new technologies applied to instruction can contribute to meeting them. Accordingly, online learning environments emerge as a novel and powerful means of CT instruction in this digital era. New directions in CT instruction in the digital ecosystem are discussed.

A systematic review of critical thinking instructional pedagogies in EFL writing: What do we know from a decade of research

This article critically reviews 23 empirical studies on how to teach critical thinking (CT) in English as a foreign language (EFL) writing class from 2013 to 2022. Through a systematic process of a micro and macro view, two main parts are identified respectively, namely, 1) main elements that need to be considered for CT-integrated research (macro settings), e.g., CT-related models, teaching implementations and assessments, and 2) main features of CT instructional implementation in EFL writing (micro settings), e.g., types of CT instruction, the nature of CT cultivation and the way teachers provided instruction. Besides, a piece of methodological information is also summarized. To gain insights into how to integrate CT in writing, six predominant techniques that engaged during the process are also concluded: a. explicit CT concepts teaching, b. creating a social learning environment, c. appropriate scaffolding materials, d. questioning techniques, e. teacher or peer feedback, and f. online technological techniques. This review sheds light on the gap between pedagogical rhetoric and classroom practices due to the lack of CT attention in current language education. It also provides implications for future research for conducting CT-integrated pedagogies in EFL writing.

Systematic training of future teachers for developing critical thinking of schools pupils in Kazakhstan

The article focusses on the problem of professional competencies formation of students-prospective teachers in relation to the development of critical thinking of school pupils. Based on the theoretical analysis of relevant psychological and pedagogical literature and on problem analysis, three possible approaches for training future teachers to achieve professional competencies which demonstrate their readiness to develop critical thinking of schoolchildren. The study was conducted in 2020–2021 academic year. Using the Watson–Glaser Test, levels of development of critical thinking of the third-year students-future teachers of English language are determined. With the testing method, level of mastery by students of theoretical foundations and approaches to the development of critical thinking are studied. Methods of control tasks describing pedagogical situations which allowed to determine students’ skills in using methods and techniques of CT development of pupils. The effectiveness of three possible approaches to the development of professional competencies related to critical thinking instruction are measured and compared. It is concluded that the most effective approach is through systematic integration of tasks of developing students-future teachers’ own capacity for critical thinking with formation of their readiness and competencies for professional pedagogical activities to develop critical thinking of school pupils.

The Effect of Critical Thinking Education on Students' Nursing Diagnoses Determination, Perception and Critical Thinking Motivation

Bu araştırma eleştirel düşünme eğitiminin öğrencilerin hemşirelik tanıları belirleme, algılama ve eleştirel düşünme motivasyonuna etkisini belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Araştırma, tek gruplu ön test son test tasarımlı, yarı deneysel tiptedir. Örneklemi; Orta Karadeniz’de yer alan bir fakültenin hemşirelik bölümünde, 2020-2021 eğitim öğretim yılı bahar döneminde seçmeli ‘Eleştirel Düşünme’ dersi alan 35 ikinci sınıf öğrencisi oluşturmuştur. Verilerin toplanmasında Kişisel Bilgi Formu, Hemşirelik Tanılarını Algılama Ölçeği ve Eleştirel Düşünme Motivasyon Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analizinde tanımlayıcı istatistiklerden ve korelasyon analizinden yararlanılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre öğrencilerin %71.4’ü kadındır ve %94.3’ü daha önce eleştirel düşünme eğitimi almamıştır. Eleştirel Düşünme Motivasyon Ölçeği puan ortalaması eğitim öncesi 82.00±10.76 iken, eğitim sonrası 86.05±12.43’dür. Hemşirelik Tanılarını Algılama Ölçeği puan ortalaması eğitim öncesi 68.08±19.84 iken, eğitim sonrası 66.91±16.18 olarak bulunmuştur. Eğitim sonrası öğrencilerin hemşirelik tanılarını belirlerken yaptıkları hatalar azalmıştır. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre verilen eğitimin, öğrencilerin hemşirelik tanısı belirlerken eleştirel düşünme becerisini kullanma ve tanıları doğru belirleyebilme düzeyinde artışa katkı sağladığı belirlenmiştir.

Adapting or adopting? Critical thinking education in the East Asian cultural sphere: A systematic integrative review

Confucian culture influences the teaching effect of critical thinking (CT). Although education systems have taken measures to revise curricula and instruction, the lack of CT among students in some countries belonging to the East Asian cultural sphere is widely criticized, and it is generally believed that their education systems fail to develop CT skills in their students. Given these challenges, this study aims to analyze how the concept, assessment and instruction of CT has been included in education in these countries using an integrative systematic review. Based on a series of inclusion criteria, 62 articles were included, and their quantitative and qualitative characteristics were analyzed. Although cultural influence has been emphasized, researchers and educators generally adopt Western definitions of the concepts of CT without questioning their transferability. With regard to assessment, researchers rarely develop local instruments, and it is more common to adopt authoritative tools developed in Western countries without adaptation and without examining their reliability and validity. With regard to instruction, researchers rarely adapt teaching strategies based on local conditions, although culture and language affect teaching efficacy. The review provides a critical analysis of the contextualization of CT in the literature and outlines new directions for interested researchers and educators in the field of CT teaching.

Cultivating CT-oriented teachers in pre-service teacher education: what is there and what is missing?

ABSTRACT Despite a plethora of studies on how to teach critical thinking (CT) in different subject classrooms, there is limited research on how teachers foster their CT and learn to teach CT through pre-service teacher education. Such a gap gives impetus to the present study, which seeks to examine to what extent and how a group of student teachers are prepared to become CT-oriented teachers in a Hong Kong-based pre-service language teacher education programme. Adopting a qualitative research approach and informed by a tripartite conceptual framework (i.e. coverage, coherence, and applicability), the study explored student teachers’ perceptions and experiences via in-depth interviews and relevant documents, supplemented by data gathered from language teacher educators in the programme. The findings reveal a rich yet unbalanced coverage of CT instruction, the transferability of CT learning to its teaching, as well as the rhetoric-reality gap in developing CT-related pedagogy in the programme. In light of the findings, practical implications at classroom and curricula levels are drawn to facilitate the integration of CT into teacher education programmes.