• Examined higher education instructors’ views about the thinking skills they consider important for their students to develop. • A qualitative survey was conducted of higher education instructors in Japan, Europe, and Australia. • Both similarities and differences between countries/region were found in what the instructors considered important. • Good alignment was also found between skills and learning objectives set, and between teaching and assessment practices described and thinking skills considered important. • However, it was not always clear what aspects of the skills might be facilitated by the practices. • Many of the instructors also reported some difficulties in fitting thinking skills promotion in their courses. • Findings can usefully inform efforts at facilitating greater effectiveness in promoting thinking skills development in higher education. The development of students’ thinking skills, considered indispensable in 21st Century education, relies considerably on the beliefs and teaching practices of their instructors. While a lot has been written by educational researchers on the topic of “teaching thinking”, relatively little has been reported on higher education instructors’ own views and conceptions, priorities, and practices regarding the broad set of thinking skills that they may consider important for their students to develop. In this research therefore, we attempted to address this gap by conducting a qualitative survey of higher education instructors in Japan, Europe, and Australia. Ninety-nine instructors voluntarily completed our survey. We found both similarities and differences between countries/region in what the instructors considered important. Such differences may arise from country/regional variations in educational and societal views. We also found good alignment between skills and the learning objectives the instructors reported setting, and between the teaching and assessment practices they described and the thinking skills they considered important. However, it was not always clear what aspects of the skills might be facilitated by the practices. Furthermore, many of the instructors indicated some difficulties in fitting thinking skills promotion in their courses. Insights we gain from this study can usefully inform efforts at facilitating greater effectiveness in promoting thinking skills development in higher education.

Thinking skills in transdisciplinary curriculum integration: A service-learning project in a Spanish secondary school

From rote learning to critical inquiry: fostering higher order thinking skills through collaborative questioning in a rural secondary English-medium science classroom

Fostering thinking skills: Transitioning from routine to creative design spaces

Comparison of high school textbooks analyzing higher order thinking skills development in India and Singapore

A longitudinal study on pre-service teachers’ spatial thinking skills and spatial anxiety

How teachers’ creative pedagogies shape students’ creative thinking skills: a multilevel moderated mediation analysis from East Asia

Effects of troubleshooting robotics learning on students’ engagement, computational thinking, and programming skills

ABSTRACT This study aims to understand whether reforms in the mathematics curriculum and standardized tests targeting fostering students’ mathematical proficiency have contributed to students’ mathematical abilities and thinking skills. We collected data from 849 middle school students via mathematics tests consisting of items with different mathematical proficiency levels. We attempted to learn about students’ typical performance by using supply-type items. We found that the majority of students were able to solve simple, routine problems but failed to solve problems that entailed making connections between mathematical concepts and facts or the use of reasoning skills. Repeated measures analysis showed significant differences in favour of lower-level proficiency items. Although the development of students’ mathematical thinking skills is highlighted in official documents and reports, the findings revealed that there is still a long way to go to achieve this goal, as supported by the results of national and international standardized tests.

The effect of family capital on critical thinking skills of primary and middle school students in rural county-level regions of China: The chain mediating role of home-school cooperation and teachers' expectations.

The organization of the primary education process based on modern pedagogical ideas relies on a student-centered, active, and individualized approach. These approaches ensure that teaching is not limited to the transmission of knowledge, but also promotes the development of students’ cognitive activity, logical thinking, and social skills. According to modern pedagogical theories, the learning process should be structured in accordance with students’ age characteristics, as well as their personal experiences and interests. The use of interactive methods and the creation of a collaborative environment increase students’ motivation to learn and foster their independent thinking. The main goal of modern primary education is to develop a well-rounded, creative, and active personality.

This literature review integrates information and communications technology in the context of English literature literacy instruction to carve deep understanding and critical analysis skills in learners. Flipped classrooms are analyzed for learner self-direction, thinking skills application, and sophisticated text engagement as per 21st-century educational shifts. Peer-reviewed research conducted from 2015 – 2025 was synthesized to study the integration of Information and Communication Technology in flipped classrooms and literature teaching for higher education. It challenges disparity in digital resource availability, attitudinal and competency issues of teachers toward technology, and the relevance of ICT resources to adopted pedagogy. This review explores the role of professional learning, organizational change, and collaboration in learning design toward the resolution of these issues. Despite the robust affordances of flipped classrooms for student engagement and higher-order thinking skill development, ICT-supported pedagogy optimized for engagement requires more deliberate efforts toward harnessed educator or lecturer willingness, planning, and adaptable implementations. The findings enhance recommendations for the reform of English literature curricula and demonstrate the promise of flipped learning in the teaching of English literature.

ABSTRACT Background Many universities worldwide incorporated Humanities and Social Science (HSS) subjects into their science and engineering curricula. HSS courses help to understand the rapport between science, technology and society. However, there is limited research on the effectiveness of these courses for engineering and science students. Purpose/Hypothesis(es) The study examined whether science and engineering undergraduates recollect the fundamentals of the HSS courses they learned in previous semesters and the role of creative pedagogy as a catalyst for transforming educational dynamics. Design/Method Based on a mixed-methods design, the researchers examined the recollection of objectives from 23 HSS courses, applying Bloom’s first level of taxonomy, among 123 science and engineering undergraduates. In-depth interviews with instructors highlighted four themes related to creativity: curiosity, relevance, ownership and engagement. A multiple regression was run. Results The effectiveness depends on improving students’ curiosity, connecting concepts to real life, showing relevance, building evidence from real-life examples, giving ownership of the content or activity, involving them in the teaching-learning process, ensuring student engagement and regular participation of students in learning activities. Conclusion Incorporating creative pedagogy into the HSS curriculum helps science and engineering undergraduates recall their course content, improving their critical thinking and higher-order thinking skills. It enhances their cognitive abilities and overall educational dynamics. Instructors should be trained in active learning and creative pedagogies to improve the effectiveness of HSS courses.

Artificial intelligence tools are increasingly accessible and have the potential to offer learners innovative ways to promote deep learning and engagement with academic content. These tools can be used to support diverse learners, improve academic success, and prepare students for future careers and life challenges. Used as a mindtool, which is a type of problem-solving and reasoning companion, artificial intelligence technologies can facilitate knowledge construction and deepen students' conceptual understanding of biological processes in biology education. Specifically, it shifts students from passive information retrieval to active learning, encouraging them to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize academic material. These core higher-order thinking skills require human reasoning and are not replaceable by technology. While educators are increasingly embracing the use of artificial intelligence in their classrooms, there is limited guidance on how it can be used to foster critical thinking in biology education, an essential skill for objective analysis, independent reasoning, and creative problem-solving. This paper presents several strategies for how artificial intelligence tools may be used to promote higher-order critical thinking skills in the biology classroom using what-if modeling, concept mapping, and error analysis to guide biology educators as they incorporate these tools into their curricula.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to examine the effects of different programming approaches on the learning and innovation skills and information, media and technology skills of gifted students. Within the scope of the research, the students were divided into two groups: robotic coding group and unplugged coding group. The robotic coding group was trained using robot sets, while the unplugged coding group was trained for 24 h for a total of 8 weeks, 3 h a day, without using any digital tools. There were 22 gifted students in the unplugged coding group and 23 gifted students in the robotic coding group. In the study, mixed-methods approach was adopted and sequential explanatory design was used. Semi-experimental design was applied in the quantitative part, and basic qualitative research approach was applied in the qualitative part. As a result of the study, we determined that unplugged coding activities and robotic coding activities had similar positive effects on the learning and innovation skills and information, media and technology skills self-efficacy of gifted students. In addition, students reported that coding activities significantly contributed to the development of collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, technology use, communication, innovation and creativity skills, as well as coding skills.

Under new pharmaceutical science initiatives and innovation training， we address complex biological sample analysis. A comprehensive pharmaceutical experiment was designed for this purpose. It integrates pharmaceutical analysis， polymer chemistry， and analytical chemistry. Advanced molecular imprinting technology （MIT） serves as the key tool. Cholic acid， a significant endogenous metabolite， is selected as the template. Cholic acid molecularly imprinted polymers （CA-MIPs） are synthesized via precipitation polymerization. Their structure is characterized using scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FT-IR）. The imprinting site and formation mechanism is elucidated. Adsorption performance is evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography （HPLC） and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry （LC-MS）. Selectivity and enrichment efficiency in plasma are assessed. The experiment covers material design， synthesis， and characterization. It also includes application performance evaluation. This demonstrates high-level innovation and challenge. The practice enhances students' innovative thinking and practical skills. It fosters social and professional responsibility. The project cultivates high-quality applied pharmaceutical talents. This represents a beneficial practice in holistic education.

Science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) education is critical for fostering medical students’ scientific research capabilities, innovative thinking, and interdisciplinary problem-solving skills, which are essential for adapting to technology-driven medical advancement. The aim is to construct a STEM competence assessment scale applicable to students majoring in clinical medicine in medical colleges and universities, and to investigate the current situation of students’ STEM competence through this scale, so as to provide methods and tools for the improvement of STEM teaching in medical education. Through literature review and expert consultation, the dimensions and items of the scale were designed. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, root mean square error of approximationOf Approximation and Cronbach α coefficient were adopted to evaluate the reliability and validity of the scale. The finally constructed assessment scale encompasses 4 dimensions, namely knowledge, attitude, behavior and competence, with a total of 45 items in all. The survey results of 1010 students majoring in clinical medicine showed that the Cronbach α coefficient of the scale was 0.933, indicating good internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the model had an excellent fit (χ2/df = 3.646, Root Mean Square Error Of Approximationroot mean square error of approximation = 0.051), and each dimension had relatively high structural validity. The STEM competence assessment scale developed in this research has relatively high reliability and validity, which can effectively reflect the comprehensive performance of medical students in STEM education, and provides an important tool for the evaluation of the effect of STEM education and the improvement of medical education.

ABSTRACT Today’s learners are expected not only to acquire knowledge but also to actively manage their own learning processes. By examining the interaction between two key competencies Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) and Computational Thinking (CT) within the context of gifted education, this study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of learning in the 21st century. The findings revealed that both SRL and CT levels of students were generally high. No significant differences were observed in SRL and CT scores based on gender. In terms of grade level, CT scores tended to increase while SRL scores showed a decreasing pattern, with notable variations across specific grades. Academic achievement was also found to have a significant effect on both SRL and CT. Furthermore, a positive correlation was identified between SRL and CT, and regression analysis indicated that SRL significantly predicted CT, explaining a substantial proportion of the variance.

The article analyzes the issues of integrating digital technologies and interactive methods in developing students' critical thinking skills in secondary school history lessons. The study examines the effectiveness of using modern digital tools (virtual museums, digital maps, multimedia resources, online platforms) and interactive methods (problem-based learning, project method, debate) in history lessons. The main problems in current practice have been identified, including insufficient digital competence of teachers, limited material and technical base, predominance of traditional approaches, and imperfection of the assessment system. The research results show that the harmonious application of digital technologies and interactive methods significantly develops students' historical thinking, independent analysis, and ability to draw well-founded conclusions. The article puts forward scientifically based proposals and recommendations for the effective implementation of this integration.

In many regions of Europe and beyond, health training institutions have distinct governance structures for care, research, and education. Developing a shared culture therefore represents a real challenge. Some initiatives across the Atlantic promote this culture by offering innovative approaches to training and collaboration. An interinstitutional partnership between Lausanne and Quebec enhances coordinated practices among institutions, mobilizing thinking skills as a pedagogical tool to teach interprofessionalism and to develop a shared language and culture. By integrating collaborative clinical reasoning, students and health professionals develop a shared mental model that can be transferred to their daily practice in order to improve collaboration.