e learning critical thinking

A Systematic Review on E-learning Environments for Promoting Critical Thinking in Higher Education

• First Online: 22 September 2020

Cite this chapter

• Blanca Puig 5 ,
• Paloma Blanco Anaya 5 &
• Inés M. Bargiela 5  

5048 Accesses

4 Citations

Trends in educational research indicate an increasing interest in how learning environments and teaching strategies may influence the development of critical thinking (CT). E-learning environments facilitate the opportunity to use constructivist perspectives and personalized learning regardless of time and space boundaries. Moreover, they foster CT since students have to deal with unlimited access to knowledge. This chapter presents a systematic review on CT interventions through e-learning to answer two research questions: (1) What are the characteristics of e-learning environments interventions intended to promote CT in higher education (HE)? (2) Which characteristics of those e-learning environments contribute most to successful instructional models for the development of CT? For addressing these research questions, a systematic review was done through a content analysis from a corpus of 19 papers. Results of the first research question show that blended learning is the most common approach and e-learning activities are based, predominantly, on asynchronous discussions about real-life situations. Concerning the second research question, we pay attention to those papers that assess CT explicitly to get a clear idea about how CT skills and dispositions improve. Forums, cooperative or collaborative learning and discussions about real-life problems seems to promote students’ development of CT. Drawing from this review, some challenges are identified related to CT assessment, dispositions, and diverse variables that might affect CT development, which should be considered in further research.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save.

• Get 10 units per month
• Download Article/Chapter or eBook
• 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
• Cancel anytime
• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Compact, lightweight edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info
• Durable hardcover edition

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

The impacts of computer-supported collaborative learning on students’ critical thinking: a meta-analysis

Teaching Critical Thinking– A Task-Based Approach: Work in Progress

How e-Learning Can Support PBL Groups: A Literature Review

Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Waddington, D. I., Wade, A., & Persson, T. (2015). Strategies for teaching students to think critically: A meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 85 (2), 275–314. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654308326084

Article   Google Scholar  

Abrami, P. C., Bernard, R. M., Borokhovski, E., Wade, A., Surkes, M. A., Tamim, R., et al. (2008). Instructional interventions affecting critical thinking skills and dispositions: A stage 1 meta-analysis. Review of Educational Research, 78 (4), 1102–1134. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654314551063

Andrews, R. (2015). Critical thinking and/or argumentation in higher education. In M. Davies & R. Barnett (Eds.), The Palgrave handbook of critical thinking in higher education (pp. 49–62). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Chapter   Google Scholar  

Area, M., & Adell, J. (2009). E-Learning: Enseñar y aprender en espacios virtuales. In J. De Pablos (Coord.) (Ed.), Tecnología Educativa. La formación del profesorado en la era de Internet (pp. 391–424). Málaga, Spain: Aljibe.

Google Scholar  

Bardin, L. (2011). Análise de conteúdo [Content analysis] . Lisboa, Portugal: Edições.

Barua, A. (2013). Methods for decision-making in survey questionnaires based on Likert scale. Journal of Asian Scientific Research, 3 (1), 35–38.

Beckmann, J., & Weber, P. (2016). Cognitive presence in virtual collaborative learning: Assessing and improving critical thinking in online discussion forums. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 13 (1), 52–70. https://doi.org/10.1108/itse-12-2015-0034

∗Bergman, J., & Sams, A. (2012). Flip your classroom . Washington, DC: International Society for Technology in Education.

Binkley, M., Erstad, O., Herman, J., Raizen, S., Ripley, M., Miller-Ricci, M., et al. (2012). Defining twenty-first century skills. In P. Griffin, B. McGaw, & E. Care (Eds.), Assessment and teaching of 21st century skills (pp. 16–66). Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Springer.

∗Blackburn, G. (2015). Innovative eLearning: Technology shaping contemporary problem based learning: A cross-case analysis. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 12 (2), 1–17.

Bolliger, D. U., & Wasilik, O. (2009). Factors influencing faculty satisfaction with online teaching and learning in higher education. Distance Education, 30 (1), 103–116. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587910902845949

Brown, A. (1997). Transforming schools into communities of thinking and learning about serious matters. American Psychologist, 52 (4), 399–413. https://doi.org/10.1037//0003-066x.52.4.399

∗Chan, A. W. K., Chair, S. Y., Sit, J. W., Wong, E. M., Lee, D. T., & Fung, O. W. (2016). Case-based web learning versus face-to-face learning: A mixed-method study on university nursing students. Journal of Nursing Research, 24 (1), 31–40. https://doi.org/10.1097/jnr.0000000000000104

∗Chellamani, K. (2014). Operational efficiency of interactive E-learning among post-graduation students in teacher education. i-Manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 10 (1), 44. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.10.1.2833

Cho, Y. H., Lee, J., & Jonassen, D. H. (2011). The role of tasks and epistemological beliefs in online peer questioning. Computers & Education, 56 (1), 112–126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2010.08.014

∗Costley, J. (2016). The effects of instructor control on critical thinking and social presence: Variations within three online asynchronous learning environments. The Journal of Educators Online, 13 (1), 109–171. https://doi.org/10.9743/jeo.2016.1.3

∗Costley, J., & Lange, C. (2016). The relationship between social presence and critical thinking: Results from learner discourse in an asynchronous learning environment. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 15 , 89–108. https://doi.org/10.28945/3418

CRITHINKEDU_O2. (2018). A European review on critical thinking educational practices in higher education institutions . Vila Real, Portugal: UTAD.

∗DeNoyelles, A., & Reyes-Foster, B. (2015). Using word clouds in online discussions to support critical thinking and engagement. Online Learning, 19 (4). https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v19i4.528

DeRuisseau, L. R. (2016). The flipped classroom allows for more class time devoted to critical thinking. Advances in Physiology Education, 40 (4), 522–528. https://doi.org/10.1152/advan.00033.2016

∗Ekahitanond, V. (2013). Promoting university students’ critical thinking skills through peer feedback activity in an online discussion forum. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 59 (2), 247–265.

Ennis, R. (1962). A concept of critical thinking. Harvard Educational Review, 32 (1), 81–111.

Ennis, R. (1989). Critical thinking and subject specificity: Clarification and needed research. Educational Research, 18 , 4–10. https://doi.org/10.2307/1174885

Ennis, R. (2016). Critical thinking across the curriculum: A vision. Topoi, 37 , 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11245-016-9401-4

Facione, P. A. (1990). Critical thinking: A statement of expert consensus for purposes of educational assessment and instruction . Fullerton, CA: California State University.

Facione, P. A. (1991). Using the California critical thinking skills test in research, evaluation and assessment . Millbrae, CA: Academic Press.

Facione, P. A., & Facione, N. C. (1992). The California critical thinking disposition inventory . Millbrae, CA: Academic Press.

Facione, P. A., & Facione, N. C. (1994). Holistic critical thinking scoring rubric . Millbrae, CA: The California Academic Press.

Facione, P. A., Facione, N. C., Giancarlo, C., & Blohm, S. (2002). The California critical thinking skills test: Test manual . Millbrae, CA: Academic Press.

Fraser, B. J., Anderson, G. J., & Walberg, H. J. (1982). Assessment of learning environments: Manual for learning environment inventory (LEI) and my class inventory (MCI). Third Version. ERIC.

Gerber, S., & Scott, L. (2011). Gamers and gaming context: Relationships to critical thinking. British Journal of Educational Technology, 42 (5), 842–849. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2010.01106.x

∗Gould, K., & Sadera, W. (2015). Evaluation of health profession student attitudes toward an online nutrition education problem-based learning module. International Journal on E-Learning, 14 (2), 181–198.

Greenlaw, S. A., & DeLoach, S. B. (2003). Teaching critical thinking with electronic discussion. The Journal of Economic Education, 34 (1), 36–52. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220480309595199

Gros, B. (2011). El modelo educativo basado en la actividad de aprendizaje. En B. Gros (Ed.) Evolución y retos de la educación virtual, Construyendo el E-learning del siglo XXI (pp.13–26). Barcelona, Spain: Editorial UOC.

Hew, K. F., & Cheung, W. S. (2013). Use of Web 2.0 technologies in K-12 and higher education: The search for evidence-based practice. Educational Research, 9 (1), 47–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2012.08.001

Hirumi, K. M., & Bai, H. (2010). The effect of modern mathematics computer games on mathematics achievement and class motivation. Computers & Education, 55 (2), 427–443.

Hitchcock, D. (2015). The effectiveness of instruction in critical thinking. In M. Davies & R. Barnett (Eds.), The Palgrave handbook of critical thinking in higher education (pp. 283–294). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Hopson, M. H., Simms, R. L., & Knezek, G. A. (2002). Using a technology-enriched environment to improve higher-order thinking skills. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 34 (2), 109–119. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2001.10782338

∗Isaias, P., Issa, T., & Pena, N. (2014). Promoting higher order thinking skills via IPTCEAS e-learning framework in the learning of information systems units. Journal of Information Systems Education, 25 (1), 45–60.

∗Kalelioğlu, F., & Gülbahar, Y. (2014). The effect of instructional techniques on critical thinking and critical thinking dispositions in online discussion. Educational Technology & Society, 17 (1), 248–258.

∗Kim, N. (2015). Critical thinking in wikibook creation with enhanced and minimal scaffolds. Educational Technology Research and Development, 63 (1), 5–33. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-014-9361-6

∗Lee, H., Parsons, D., Kwon, G., Kim, J., Petrova, K., Jeong, E., & Ryu, H. (2016). Cooperation begins: Encouraging critical thinking skills through cooperative reciprocity using a mobile learning game. Computers & Education, 97 , 97–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2016.03.006

∗Ma, A. W. (2013). Evaluating how the computer-supported collaborative learning community fosters critical reflective practices. Interdisciplinary Journal of E-Learning & Learning Objects, 9 , 51–75. https://doi.org/10.28945/1788

McLoughlin, C., & Luca, J. (2000). Cognitive engagement and higher order thinking through computer conferencing: We know why but do we know how? In A. Herrmann & M. M. Kulski (Eds.), Flexible futures in tertiary teaching. Proceedings of the 9th Annual Teaching Learning Forum, 2-4 February 2000 . Perth, WA: Curtin University of Technology.

Newman, D. R., Webb, B., & Cochrane, C. (1995). A content analysis method to measure critical thinking in face-to-face and computer supported group learning. Electronic Journal for the 21st Century, 3 (2), 56–77.

∗Nguyen, L. T., & Ikeda, M. (2015). The effects of ePortfolio-based learning model on student self-regulated learning. Active Learning in Higher Education, 16 (3), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/1469787415589532

Niu, L., Behar-Horenstein, L. S., & Garvan, C. W. (2013). Do instructional interventions influence college students’ critical thinking skills? A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 9 , 114–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2012.12.002

Norman, G. R., & Schmidt, H. G. (2000). Effectiveness of problem-based learning curricula: Theory, practice and paper darts. Medical Education, 34 , 721–728. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2923.2000.00749.x

Paul, R. C. (1992). Critical thinking: What every person needs to survive in a rapidly changing world (2nd revised ed.). Santa Rosa, CA: Foundation for Critical Thinking.

Paul, R. C. (2005). The state of critical thinking today. New directions for community colleges, 2005 (130), 27–38. https://doi.org/10.1002/cc.193

Paul, R. W., Elder, L., & Bartell, T. (1997). California teacher preparation for instruction in critical thinking: Research findings and policy recommendations . Sacramento, CA: California Commission on Teaching Credentiality.

Pithers, R. T., & Soden, R. (2000). Critical thinking in education: A review. Educational Research, 42 (3), 237–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/001318800440579

Ramirez, R., & Bell, R. (1994). Bytting back: Policies to support the use of technology in education . Oak Brook, IL: North Central Regional Educational Laboratory.

∗Roberts, P., Maor, D., & Herrington, J. (2016). ePortfolio-based learning environments: Recommendations for effective scaffolding of reflective thinking in higher education. Journal of Educational Technology & Society, 19 (4), 22–33.

Rotherham, A. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2010). “21st-century” skills. American Educator , 17–20.

Rourke, L., Anderson, T., Garrison, D. R., & Archer, W. (1999). Assessing social presence in asynchronous text-based computer conferencing. International Journal of E-Learning & Distance Education, 14 (2), 50–71.

Saadé, R. G., Morin, D., & Thomas, J. D. (2012). Critical thinking in E-learning environments. Computers in Human Behavior, 28 (5), 1608–1617. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.03.025

∗Schultz, D. M., Anderson, S., & Seo-Zindy, R. (2013). Engaging earth-and environmental-science undergraduates through weather discussions and an eLearning weather forecasting contest. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 22 (3), 278–286. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-012-9392-x

Schumm, W. R., Webb, F. J., Turek, D. E., Jones, K. D., & Ballard, G. E. (2006). A comparison of methods for teaching critical thinking skills for US Army officers. The American Journal of Distance Education, 20 (1), 39–50.

Şendağ, S., & Odabaşı, H. F. (2009). Effects of an online problem-based learning course on content knowledge acquisition and critical thinking skills. Computers & Education, 53 (1), 132–141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2009.01.008

∗Shin, H., Ma, H., Park, J., Ji, E. S., & Kim, D. H. (2015). The effect of simulation courseware on critical thinking in undergraduate nursing students: Multi-site pre-post study. Nurse Education Today, 35 (4), 537–542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2014.12.004

Siegel, H. (1988). Educating reason: Rationality, critical thinking and education . New York: Routledge.

Snodgrass, S. (2011). Wiki activities in blended learning for health professional students: Enhancing critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 27 (4), 563–580. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.938

Sternberg, R. J. (1986). Critical thinking: Its nature, measurement, and improvement . Washington, DC: National Institute of Education.

Szabo, Z., & Schwartz, J. (2011). Learning methods for teacher education: The use of online discussions to improve critical thinking. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 20 (1), 79–94. https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939x.2010.534866

ten Dam, G. T. M., & Volman, M. L. L. (2004). Critical thinking as a citizenship competence: Teaching strategies. Learning and Instruction, 14 (4), 359–379. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2004.01.005

Tiruneh, D. T., Gu, X., De Cock, M., & Elen, J. (2018). Systematic design of domain-specific instruction on near and far transfer of critical thinking skills. International Journal of Educational Research, 87 , 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2017.10.005

Tiruneh, D. T., Verburgh, A., & Elen, J. (2014). Effectiveness of critical thinking instruction in higher education: A systematic review of intervention studies. Higher Education Studies, 4 (1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v4n1p1

Wilson, B. G. (1996). Constructivist learning environments: Case studies in instructional design . Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.

∗Yang, Y. T. C., Gamble, J. H., Hung, Y. W., & Lin, T. Y. (2014). An online adaptive learning environment for critical-thinking-infused English literacy instruction. British Journal of Educational Technology, 45 (4), 723–747. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12080

Yeh, Y. (2009). Integrating e-learning into the direct-instruction model to enhance the effectiveness of critical-thinking instruction. Instructional Science, 37 (2), 185–203. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11251-007-9048-z

Zhang, D., Zhao, J. L., Zhou, L., & Nunamaker Jr., J. F. (2004). Can e-learning replace classroom learning? Communications of the ACM, 47 (5), 75–79. https://doi.org/10.1145/986213.986216

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the reviewers for their valuable comments, which have helped to improve the chapter. Work supported by FEDER/ Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities – National Agency of Research, ESPIGA project (“Promoviendo el Desarrollo de Pensamiento Crítico y de las Dimensiones de Implicación Cognitiva y Emocional de los Desempeños Epistémicos en las clases de Ciencias en la Era de la Post-verdad”), code PGC 2018-096581-B-C22. 

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Departamento de Didácticas Aplicadas, Área de Didáctica de las Ciencias Experimentales, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Santiago de Compostela, Spain

Blanca Puig, Paloma Blanco Anaya & Inés M. Bargiela

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Blanca Puig .

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation, University System of Maryland, Adelphi, MD, USA

M. J. Bishop

Instructional Systems Technology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA

Elizabeth Boling

Education and Training, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

Organization, Information & Learning Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA

Vanessa Svihla

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Puig, B., Blanco Anaya, P., Bargiela, I.M. (2020). A Systematic Review on E-learning Environments for Promoting Critical Thinking in Higher Education. In: Bishop, M.J., Boling, E., Elen, J., Svihla, V. (eds) Handbook of Research in Educational Communications and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36119-8_15

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36119-8_15

Published : 22 September 2020

Publisher Name : Springer, Cham

Print ISBN : 978-3-030-36118-1

Online ISBN : 978-3-030-36119-8

eBook Packages : Education Education (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

IEEE Account

• Change Username/Password
• Update Address

Purchase Details

• Payment Options
• Order History
• View Purchased Documents

Profile Information

• Communications Preferences
• Profession and Education
• Technical Interests
• US & Canada: +1 800 678 4333
• Worldwide: +1 732 981 0060
• Contact & Support
• About IEEE Xplore
• Accessibility
• Terms of Use
• Nondiscrimination Policy
• Privacy & Opting Out of Cookies

A not-for-profit organization, IEEE is the world's largest technical professional organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. © Copyright 2024 IEEE - All rights reserved. Use of this web site signifies your agreement to the terms and conditions.

Critical thinking in E-learning environments

• September 2012
• Computers in Human Behavior 28(5):1608–1617
• 28(5):1608–1617

• Beijing Institute of Technology

• Concordia University Montreal

• Pace University

Discover the world's research

• 25+ million members
• 160+ million publication pages
• 2.3+ billion citations

No full-text available

To read the full-text of this research, you can request a copy directly from the authors.

• Educ Inform Tech

• Shayne Marusic

• Nur Nilam Ayu Saputri
• Niamika El Khoiri

• Swapna Kumar
• M. Dolores Ramírez-Verdugo

• Rahmad Prastiyan

• Imma Rachayu
• Yatim Riyanto
• Saifullah Jamali
• Sehrash Arif
• Khawar Hussain

• Khoiro Mahbubah
• Agus Santoso
• Silvia Rosiva Rosdiana
• Rahmad Djatmiko
• J COMPUT ASSIST LEAR

• Fulky Aulia
• Sudarya Permana

• Shivangi Agrawal

• Badrun Kartowagiran
• Aminuddin Hassan
• Erwin Syahril Mubarok
• Noni Agustina

• Ifan Iskandar

• Ika Anggun Camelia
• Anis Trisusana
• Marly Ximena Antolinez Becerra
• Isabel Hernández Arteaga

• Talal Haimur

• Chandan Dasgupta
• B.B. Nurgozha
• G.S. Mailybayeva

• Claudia Alarcón-López
• Pius Krütli
• Denis Gillet
• Matshepo Caroline Lebese
• Siyabonga Mhlongo

• Soufiane Ouariach

• Tirtawaty Abdjul
• Ritin Uloli
• J Account Educ
• Matthew J. Sargent

• Mochamad Ridwan
• Rahmawati Al Adha Nikmah
• Khadraa Mohamed Mousa

• Rehab Fouad

• Think Skills Creativ
• Elena A. Drugova

• Justin D. Cochran
• Vũ Trực Phức Vũ Trực Phức

• Nguyễn Duy Long Nguyễn Duy Long
• NUR FADHILLAH

• Ratna Komala

• Roxana Flores-Flores
• Ana Galindo-Quispe

• Mehmet Durnali
• Harry L. Dangel

• Qiong Huang

• James P. Connell
• James G. Wellborn
• J ADOLESCENCE
• Jasmine Green

• Cheryl L. Noll
• Wilkins Marilyn
• Arthur Chickering
• Stephen Gamson
• Gordon Pask
• C.B. MacKnight

• John Follman
• Carolyn Lavely
• Neal Berger
• Biochem Educ
• Arthur W. Chickering

• L. W Anderson
• David R. Krathwohl
• Peter W. Airasian
• Merlin C. Wittrock
• Lisa M. Marin

• BRIT J EDUC PSYCHOL
• Decis Sci J Innovat Educ

• INFORM MANAGE-AMSTER

• Internet High Educ

• Ernise S. Singleton

• COMPUT HUM BEHAV

• COGNITIVE SCI
• Susan C. Johnson
• Carol S. Dweck

• Lorin W. Anderson
• Benjamin Samuel Bloom
• N J Entwistle
• S R G Carlson
• J D E Thomas
• J Chartrand
• Krathwohl Bloom
• Northeastern Illinois University
• Recruit researchers
• Join for free
• Login Email Tip: Most researchers use their institutional email address as their ResearchGate login Password Forgot password? Keep me logged in Log in or Continue with Google Welcome back! Please log in. Email · Hint Tip: Most researchers use their institutional email address as their ResearchGate login Password Forgot password? Keep me logged in Log in or Continue with Google No account? Sign up

Academia.edu no longer supports Internet Explorer.

To browse Academia.edu and the wider internet faster and more securely, please take a few seconds to  upgrade your browser .

Enter the email address you signed up with and we'll email you a reset link.

• We're Hiring!
• Help Center

Critical thinking in E-learning environments

2012, Computers in Human Behavior

Related Papers

Advances in Medical Education and Practice

Aeen Mohammadi

Buluc Ruxandra

Critical thinking is a reflective mechanism that helps students to evaluate the information and knowledge that they acquire during classes or that they come into contact with in their everyday lives. Critical assessment aids students to ascertain the extent to which these concepts are relevant for and applicable to their lives, careers, purposes and personal experiences. Critical thinking requires students not solely to assimilate information but also to interact with it actively, to evaluate it, to understand whether or not it is accurate, to determine its role and the goal it may serve. Traditional classroom settings foster the development of critical thinking skills through interaction between students engaged in group activities as well as through careful prompting by the instructors. However, this traditional setting is no longer sufficient and does not assist students in developing these skills for the virtual world. This article suggests that the transfer of critical thinking skills to the online environment can be done in several ways in the e-learning process. The possible activities that incorporate these skills could be either individual (the student can interact with the problem or situation on his/her own) or they could be directed towards an already existing or newly formed learning community, in which students interact not only with the given task but also with each other and they stimulate each other to apply critical thinking skills. These types of interactive exercises could be adapted to suit the study domain of almost any student, since the formats are quite flexible and the instructor simply needs to incorporate the specific situation/case/scenario.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

Noorhidawati Abdullah

Englisia: Journal of Language, Education, and Humanities

Tathahira LNU

Living in the millennial era has encouraged all the learners to one step ahead maximizing the existed and updated technology for learning. Maintaining autonomous and long-distanced learning should have been introduced and implemented in higher education. Involving in an online learning environment is not enough without the ability to think critically. Critical thinking is the ability that is essentially required for learners in a higher education context. This paper discusses the challenges and strategies for implementing learners’ critical thinking through online learning. This paper used the literature study approach, in which all the information in this paper was obtained from books and journal articles. Briefly, the findings reveal that online learning can be good support for students to improve their critical thinking ability. However, there are also several challenges to do so involving the socio-cultural matter, the students’ previous learning habits, and the familiarity of u...

Raafat Saadé , Danielle Morin

This article investigates the relationship between Web-based learning and Critical thinking (CT) in a web-based course on the fundamentals of Information Technology at a university in Montreal, Canada. In particular, it will identify what part(s) of the course and to what extent, critical thinking is perceived to occur. The course contains two categories of learning modules namely resources and interactive activity components. The study aimed at answering the following questions: (1) What is the effect of the learning modules on Critical Thinking? and (2) What is the relative contribution of the various learning modules on Critical Thinking skills requirements?

International Journal of Online Pedagogy and Course Design

Kenja McCray

The development and demonstration of students' critical thinking skills is one hallmark of effective teaching and learning. A promising scholarly literature has emerged in addition to webinars, conferences, and workshops to assist in this endeavor. Further, publishers offer cleverly marketed bundle packages with enhanced supplemental materials and instructors contribute instructional strategies and techniques. Nevertheless, gaps still exist in the scholarship related to effective student engagement. The development of higher order thinking skills in online educational settings is one such area requiring additional inquiry. This article transitions beyond mere theoretical constructs regarding best practices and standards for distance education. In doing so, it provides practical applications through the use of case studies in demonstrating a “how to” student engagement model and framework, which fosters the type of online course environment and useful strategies for developing critical thinking skills.

Economics & Education

Olena Huzar

The aim of this scientific article is to investigate and analyse the use of digital technologies in designing lessons to promote critical thinking among primary school students. It highlights the importance of this research in the context of today's information-driven society and educational demands. Methodology. The study takes a comprehensive approach to research and analysis. It includes a review of relevant literature on critical thinking, digital technologies and their integration in education. The researchers examine various digital tools and techniques that are suitable for promoting critical thinking in young learners. In addition, the study includes a qualitative evaluation of sample critical thinking lessons designed for primary school students, with a particular focus on blended and distance learning environments. Results. The research findings demonstrate the benefits and opportunities of digital technologies in developing critical thinking skills in young students. ...

Computers in Human Behavior

Ana Jimenez-Zarco

Alex S Gomes , Rossana Viana Gaia

One of the specific skills necessary to face complex global challenges, as recent studies indicate, is critical thinking. For this reason, there is a motivation to develop this skill in network learning program projects. However, there are limitations to its development since the design of online courses has several characteristics inherited from traditional education. This phenomenon is repeated in the Virtual Learning Environment of Redu, an experience developed in the Federal University of Pernambuco institutional setting. This study aimed to identify and evaluate aspects of Redu's functionalities to propose developing educational strategies that promote critical thinking. Through the triangulation method, data of diverse nature were analyzed to verify how asynchronous interactions between teachers and students eventually supported the structuring of situations to promote the development of critical thinking and identify the platform's limitations to support the progress of this skill. The results emphasized that there is a divorce between the concept of Virtual Learning Environments and the methodologies used by teachers to encourage the development of critical thinking that leads to the neglect of several of the characteristics of the students. Finally, the attributes of Redu are listed that, from our point of view, will allow the environment to become a support with the possibility of amplifying the technology to develop critical thinking. CCS CONCEPTS • Applied computing → Education; Collaborative Learning.

Science Park Research Organization & Counselling

The purpose of the study was to determine if Virtual-Based Training (VBT) could be used to develop post-secondary students' abilities in critical thinking (CRT). The participants were 26 second-year undergraduate students from four faculties at a government-funded university in Bangkok, Thailand and were divided into 2 groups. The experimental group studied 23 CRT lessons through VBT and had to hand in their exercises. There was no treatment for the control group. The pre-and post-tests were analyzed using multiple correlations. Results revealed that there was a relationship of the pre-and post-tests of language and mathematics with CRT. This means that our VBT was effective for teaching language and mathematics. Further studies will be to determine if it was the content (the type of CRT lessons) or the delivery mode (VBT) that resulted in no significant difference in test scores for logical reasoning.

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

RELATED PAPERS

Eurasian Research Institute

Insight a Collection of Faculty Scholarship

Jean Mandernach

Handbook of Research on Education and Technology in a Changing Society

Bernice Bain

Malaysian Online Journal of Educational Technology

wawat srinawati

EDULEARN proceedings

Mabel Osnaya Moreno

Nurse Education in Practice

Ainur Rochmah

Journal of Educational Computing Research

Priya Sharma

Fauziah Sulaiman

Administrative Issues Journal Education Practice and Research

Tyrone Tanner

American journal of …

Walter Archer

JOJ Nursing & Health Care

9th International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd'23)

Aline Stevenoot

Instructional Science

AIZAN YAACOB

Mathews Kalyepe

Berlin Fang

Nurse Education Today

Carol Grech

Proceedings of the Proceedings of the First International Conference on Science, Technology and Multicultural Education, ICOCIT-MUDA, July 25th-26th, 2019, Sorong, Indonesia

Irma Yuliana

Computers & Education

Amm Muijtjens

Altina Ramos

International Journal Of Engineering And Computer Science

Saman A Mohammed

International Journal of Technology in Education

Ahmad N Al-Husban

Joseph Meloche

RELATED TOPICS

•   We're Hiring!
•   Help Center
• Find new research papers in:
• Health Sciences
• Earth Sciences
• Cognitive Science
• Mathematics
• Computer Science
• Academia ©2024

• Coronavirus Crisis
• World round-up
• Transformative Leadership
• Academic Freedom
• Special Reports
• Student View
• Subscribe Newsletter
• Africa News
• Coronavirus Africa
• Africa Commentary
• Africa Features
• Africa Student View
• Global Special Reports
• Africa Special Reports
• Creative Services
• Advertising
• Advanced Search
• Articles by Country
• Global Newsletter Archives
• Africa Newsletter Archives
• Sponsorship
• Terms & Conditions

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy .

Lift students’ critical thinking skills with digital connectivity push

The critical thinking skills of students could be improved with strong digital connectivity amid technological advancements in education, according to think tank Stratbase ADR Institute. This photo shows Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. (standing, 3rd from left), other officials, and students watching a multi-media presentation during the inauguration of the modern computer laboratory at the Angeles City National Trade School on August 6, 2024. | PHOTO: Angeles City government

MANILA, Philippines — Strong digital connectivity could help students develop their critical thinking skills as technological advancements in education offer more learning opportunities, especially in the areas of math, science, and reading.

Stratbase ADR Institute pointed this out, emphasizing that Filipino students should improve their critical thinking so they can better analyze the credibility of information, make sound decisions, and solve problems.

According to Victor Andres Manhit, “[t]echnological advances have allowed foundation subjects like math, science, and reading to be taught more effectively, with interactive e-learning modules enriched with a multi-media learning experience.”

The think tank president also noted that “the conventional classroom methods can now be complemented by the rich content and digital skills that could be acquired through exposure to the online world – of course with proper guidance and precaution from mentors.”

READ: PH students still among lowest scorers in reading, math, science – Pisa

For these reasons, the group said, the government should prioritize strengthening the digital connectivity in the country so that learning institutions will be equipped to improve students’ critical thinking skills.

Manhit said the lack of critical thinking skills among Filipino students must be addressed, especially with the country’s recent poor performance in the Programme for International Student Assessment (Pisa) where the Philippines ranked sixth to last in reading and mathematics while it ranked third to the last among 81 countries in the science category.

Improving Pisa and digital literacy can be achieved through efficient internet connectivity and close coordination of the government with private sectors, Manhit stressed.

READ: Nat’l Fiber Backbone launched, starting with Laoag-QC phase

In his third State of the Nation Address last July 22, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lamented that as of 2022, only 77 percent or 20.6 million households nationwide have connected to the internet – which, he said, is “much too low.”

He then highlighted the implementation of the first phase of the National Fiber Backbone program. The phase two and three of the program began this year and are expected to be completed in 2026.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

The National Fiber Backbone program, with the first phase covering 1,245 kilometers from Laoag City in Ilocos Norte to Quezon City, is expected to increase the internet penetration rate in the country from the current 33 percent to 65 percent, or 70 million out of 115 million Filipinos.

Disclaimer: Comments do not represent the views of INQUIRER.net. We reserve the right to exclude comments which are inconsistent with our editorial standards. FULL DISCLAIMER

© copyright 1997-2024 inquirer.net | all rights reserved.

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. To find out more, please click this link.

• DOI: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1388720
• Corpus ID: 271780689

Teaching dynamics to enhance critical thinking and knowledge socialization in the mathematics classroom

• Angeles Dominguez
• Published in Frontiers in Education 7 August 2024
• Mathematics, Education, Engineering

41 References

Unveiling interdisciplinary horizons: students’ experiences in a first-year calculus course, active learning strategies for an effective mathematics teaching and learning, the effect of a formative assessment practice on student achievement in mathematics, student attitudes in an innovative active learning approach in calculus, learning through explaining and engaging with others’ mathematical ideas, supporting student reflective practices through modelling-based learning assignments, what affordances do open-ended real-life tasks offer for sharing student agency in collaborative problem-solving, students’ agency, creative reasoning, and collaboration in mathematical problem solving, mathematical problem-solving skills on relation and function through model-eliciting activities (meas), students’ possibilities to learn from group discussions integrated in whole-class teaching in mathematics, related papers.

Showing 1 through 3 of 0 Related Papers

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

Preview improvements coming to the PMC website in October 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• Adv Med Educ Pract

Promotion of critical thinking in e-learning: a qualitative study on the experiences of instructors and students

Mitra gharib.

1 E-learning in Medical Education Department, Virtual School, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Mitra Zolfaghari

2 E-learning in Medical Education Department, Virtual School, Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Rita Mojtahedzadeh

Aeen mohammadi, atoosa gharib.

3 Pathology Department, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Associated Data

With the increasing popularity of e-learning programs, educational stakeholders are attempting to promote critical thinking in the virtual education system. This study aimed to explore the experiences of both the instructors and the students about critical thinking promotion within the virtual education system.

This qualitative study recruited the instructors and students from four academic disciplines provided by the Virtual School of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (Tehran, Iran). All programs were master’s degree programs and utilized a blended (combination of e-learning and face to face) training. Semistructured interviews with the participants were used to collect data.

The participants had a variety of experiences about how to promote critical thinking. These experiences were conceptualized in four main themes, namely, instructional design, educational leadership and management, local evidence, and belief systems.

The present study clarified the factors affecting critical thinking promotion in e-learning. Not only the instructors but also the educational designers and leaders can benefit from our findings to improve the quality of virtual education programs and promote critical thinking.

Higher education generally aims to promote active learning experiences in students. Higher education institutes traditionally applied a variety of approaches to provide face-to-face training. Although this type of education has never been static, recent technological advances have increased interest in virtual education. 1 Following the revolutionary changes that resulted from modern technologies during the 21st century, greater numbers of students tend to benefit from e-learning every day. 2 With growing demand for virtual courses, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS, Tehran, Iran) has admitted students for e-learning programs. However, due to the novelty of such programs in Iran, educational planners are concerned about the establishment and implementation of an evidence-based education in accordance with e-learning standards.

During the early stages of online learning development, the focus was primarily on familiarization of the instructors with technology; now, e-learning specialists seek to enhance innovative approaches, redefining the process of learning. 3 – 5

Consequent to the information explosion and the introduction of various communication technologies, the attention of the educators has shifted from transfer of knowledge to knowledge building and management. Therefore, the long-term solution is to create an educational environment in which the students can acquire the methods of learning. This will actually change the focus of education to the promotion of critical thinking and lifelong learning skills. 6

Many definitions have been proposed for critical thinking. One of the most comprehensive definitions is presented by The American Philosophical Association. This association defines critical thinking as follows:

Purposeful, self-regulatory judgment which results in interpretation, analysis, evaluation, and inference, as well as explanation of the evidential, conceptual, methodological, criteriological, or contextual considerations upon which that judgment is based. 7

Critical thinking ability is a necessity in successful e-learning, that is, virtual learners should either be critical thinkers or obtain the required skills during their education. 3 Critical thinking in learning has also been underscored by the World Federation of Medical Education. It has thus been included in the world standards of medical education and is a criterion for accreditation of medical schools. 8

Based on the Comprehensive Assessment Code of TUMS, virtual school graduates should be monitored for critical thinking skills. The results of our students’ critical thinking skills score upon admission revealed that greater attention is required to promote critical thinking in the newly established virtual education system.

In order to find an evidence-based model to promote critical thinking, we reviewed the preceding researches. In fact, numerous qualitative and quantitative studies have addressed critical thinking in face-to-face environment. Some quantitative researches have assessed critical thinking by questionnaire. 9 – 11 In the same way, quantitative methods were used to evaluate the effects of various teaching methods on critical thinking. 12 , 13 On the other hand, qualitative studies have addressed the process of critical thinking and proposed models for its promotion. 14 – 17 To the best of our knowledge, limited researches have concentrated on critical thinking in virtual education in medical science field. Previous qualitative and quantitative researches in virtual education showed the effectiveness of teaching approaches such as discussion board, focus group, and problem-based and task-based strategies on the promotion of critical thinking. 18 – 22 However, a comprehensive research that could address how to promote critical thinking in virtual learning environment has not been conducted so far. Furthermore, we noticed that some cultural dimensions and instructor–student interactions in our virtual education system could not be elaborated through quantitative methods. So, we conducted this grounded theory approach in order to design a framework for enhancing critical thinking in our virtual environment.

This grounded theory approach used in-depth semistructured interviews with open-ended questions to collect data.

This study was conducted at the Virtual School of TUMS. This school offers advanced academic degrees on a blended format, that is, Internet based with a minimum of two face-to-face blocks; final examinations are paper based and performed in the campus. The programs are presented asynchronous. At the time of this study, our school offers Master of Science degree in four majors, including E-learning in Medical Sciences, Medical Education, Medical Library and Information Sciences, and Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance. The offered programs are approved by the Ministry of Health and Education and their curriculum is completely similar to the traditional face-to-face education. In the same way, entrance exams are similar to the traditional face-to-face system; although students must possess basic computer literacy skills upon admission.

Study population

The study population comprised all faculty members (n=38) and students (n=63) of School of Virtual Education of TUMS during the academic years 2011–2012, 2012–2013, and 2013–2014. It is noteworthy that some students attending “E-learning in Medical Sciences” and “Medical Education” programs were faculty members themselves. Hence, the student population in our study included a special range of individuals who have teaching experiences.

We used purposive sampling in our study; faculty members were selected based on their work experience in e-teaching, educational background, and school assessment results. Students were selected based on their educational background, grade point average, and interest in e-learning. To collect the data, semistructured interviews were conducted until data saturation. After analyzing the first 22 subjects (12 faculty members and ten students), no new theme emerged. To ensure data saturation, we conducted nine more interviews (with four faculty members and five students); these interviews added no new insights and we concluded that data saturation level was reached.

Data collection

After acquiring the necessary permissions from the Virtual School of TUMS authorities, the subjects were explained about the nature and objectives of the study, the voluntariness of participation, anonymity and confidentiality of information, and their right to have access to the results. In addition, we ensured participants that they had the right to terminate the interview or even withdraw from the study at any time. We assured them that we would not use their data to evaluate their performance in any way. The participants were informed about the possible use of their direct quote in a qualitative article, but we certified that their name and other identifying information would be kept anonymous. We encouraged the participants to ask questions at any time about the nature of the study or the method used. Besides the earlier verbal explanations, we prepared an informed consent document containing adequate information concerning our research ( Figure S1 ). All participants voluntarily agreed to participate in the study and signed the consent. Meetings were then arranged with those who consented to participate. The time and place of the interviews were determined by the subjects. The interviews were conducted individually in a peaceful and private environment. All formal interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim immediately after completion. It is noteworthy that the recorded interviews were anonymized. In order to anonymize participants, we use abbreviation signs based on the initial two letters of their role (“In” denotes instructor and “St” denotes student) and a number indicating their interview turn.

Interviews as well as the whole process of data analysis were conducted in Persian; a professional salaried translator translated the quotes in the present article. The translation was reviewed and compared with the original Persian version by a research team member who was an expert in English.

Data analysis

A grounded theory approach using open, axial, and selective coding was used to analyze the data.

Two authors independently extracted and coded the key thoughts, ideas, and comments based on our research questions. The extracted codes were discussed among authors regularly. A list of codes was developed and new codes were added to the list. The list of codes and examples of relevant quotation were discussed with the wider research team until agreement was achieved. The codes with similar concepts were merged to identify the major categories. Relevant categories were then combined. Then the core category was selected and other categories were systematically connected to it to identify themes. In addition, each code was also compared with all other codes using constant comparative analysis. After comparing the coded data and overlapping themes, the initial data were coded and the next interview was coded accordingly. In other words, data items were first compared with each other and then with the developing theory. Reminder notes (including ideas and relationships) were also taken from the beginning of the study to facilitate qualitative data analysis. Eventually, no new codes were extracted after analyzing the 22nd interview. At this point, 69 codes were extracted and combined to form 12 categories and, eventually, four themes. To ensure data saturation, nine new interviews were independently coded by a third researcher. As no new themes emerged from these interviews, we considered that saturation was reached.

In order to ensure the relevance of data interpretations to the studied phenomenon, the participants were asked to confirm the obtained codes. In addition, external observers were requested to review the interviews, codes, and reminders. Furthermore, collecting data from both faculty members and students, who were involved in the system, increased the acceptability and confirmability of the collected data.

A total of 31 individuals, including 16 instructors (six female and ten male; mean age: 48.5±7.96 years) and 15 students (nine female and six male; mean age: 37.33±4.68 years) were interviewed. Four main themes, that is, instructional design, educational leadership and management, local evidence, and belief systems, were found to describe critical thinking promotion in virtual education ( Table 1 ). The four themes and their categories and sample quotes from the participants are described in the following sections. Quotes have been coded as follows: [In] denotes instructor and [St] denotes student.

Main themes and categories associated with promotion of critical thinking in virtual education

Instructional design

Our participants believed that effective instructional design, that is, defining an appropriate philosophical outlook and theoretical framework, developing proper learning management system (LMS) software (Vestasoft Company, Tehran, Iran), and designing the virtual teaching–learning process (including the subthemes of course objectives and expected outcomes, problem-based teaching strategies in the virtual system, and outcome-based assessment), were indispensable to the promotion of critical thinking.

The subjects highlighted the substantial role of adopting a humanistic philosophy and learner-centered learning environment design with minimal teacher–student hierarchy in the promotion of critical thinking.

[…] What is very important in the virtual environment is teacher–students interactions and relationships […]. [In]

We found the features of the LMS software to have considerable effects on designing a thought-provoking environment.

In our system, the students interact primarily with their instructors. I think that brainstorming would be needed if we want to examine different aspects of a problem using critical thinking […]. [St]

On the other hand, the participants underlined the effects of the teaching–learning design on the promotion of critical thinking. If acquiring critical thinking skills is not asserted as a course objective, neither the instructors nor the students will feel compelled to work toward it.

The learners should know that they want and need to acquire it. The instructors should also know that it has to be taught along with other elements […] it should be incorporated in assessment systems for both learners and instructors. [In]

Our participants also pointed to the role of teaching strategies. They believed that the use of various teaching methods, limiting the amount of content and with proper content preparation would be effective on the promotion of critical thinking.

The amount of content is also important. If you have too much to study, you’ll never get a chance to think […]. [St]

Since the assignments and feedbacks played the most important role in our system, the subjects suggested that analytical assignments, attention to creativity, providing proper feedback on assignments, and making answers available to other students could all be beneficial to critical thinking promotion.

Feedbacks provided on assignments highlight the learning cycle of the subject […]. [St]

Educational leadership and management

According to the experiences of our participants, the promotion of critical thinking entailed the collaboration and support of educational managers in developing a meritocracy, empowering the instructors and creating a support system for virtual learning.

The subjects suggested that critical thinking skills and attitudes of both instructors and students had to be evaluated before recruitment.

I think a pretest is missing. The test that assessed us didn’t assess our critical thinking skills. [St]

Empowerment of the faculty members can also have a role in promotion of critical thinking. Providing workshops and educational courses on critical thinking can thus be highly effective.

It probably wasn’t even very clear for them (the teachers) to want to guide us […]. [St]

Moreover, developing an efficient support system for virtual learning, such as electronic library services and access to various resources, could facilitate the critical thinking process.

Conditions conducive to learning, for example, availability of electronic resources, should be provided […]. [St]

Local evidence

The category of local evidence comprised two subcategories of thinking within academic discipline framework and evidence-based education.

Our participants perceived virtual education as a new and unfamiliar experience. Local studies are, therefore, required to facilitate the promotion of critical thinking in Iranian e-learners.

It was my first experience as an e-teacher. It was both interesting and challenging. Just like the attitude in evidence-based medicine, we should look for various evidences […]. [In]

Our findings also showed that critical thinking development depended on environmental conditions, educational content, and academic discipline.

I’m not sure if it’s possible to separate thinking from the content per se. But it doesn’t mean that where there is content, there is thinking or critical thinking. Content can be provided without evoking any thoughts […]. [In]

Belief systems

The participants expressed that people’s beliefs about the world and themselves generally affect their critical thinking. Factors in this category were intensely dependent upon the participants’ personal characteristics and beliefs. This theme consisted of four subthemes, namely, sociocultural roots of thinking, people’s previous experiences and intellectual backgrounds, the instructors’ personal characteristics and differences, and the students’ personal characteristics and differences.

The subtheme of sociocultural roots of thinking indicated that the emergence and development of critical thinking required a thought-provoking sociocultural context.

[…] a sense of insecurity to express our thoughts. Social roots that can encourage or inhibit thinking in general and specifically critical thinking. Humans are social creatures; and learning and thinking are social phenomena and they are not far from social conditions. [In]

The subtheme of people’s previous experiences and intellectual backgrounds suggested that the formation of critical thinking is a gradual process that begins in childhood and gradually evolves during school and university years ( Figure 1 ).

When the stereotypes are so strong, it is very difficult to change them […]. It may not happen consciously, sometimes it is just in your subconscious […]. [In]

The spiral development of critical thinking.

The participants also highlighted the significance of the instructors’ attitude; instructors cannot teach without taking their own personal values and interests into account. They, consciously or unconsciously, believe in a particular teaching philosophy, which affects their teaching process. The instructors’ self-awareness about their accepted philosophy and values plays an essential role in critical thinking education.

It’s all about the teaching philosophies adopted by the instructors; whether they want to have people that criticize, or people that memorize […]. [In]

The subtheme of personal characteristics and differences of the learners reflects another dimension of critical thinking. The participants perceived deviation from norms as a prominent characteristic of e-learners that could facilitate critical thinking. Furthermore, according to participants’ experiences, self-directed, introvert, self-sufficient, and field-independent learners with read/write or assimilating learning style preferences could perform more successfully in virtual education and critical thinking.

I guess people that turn to virtual learning are somehow critical of the existing atmosphere. Virtual education is not common in our current society; it isn’t actually the norm in education […]. [In]

Our findings revealed several interrelated factors that affected critical thinking development. Our participants perceived virtual education, particularly the teaching and learning of critical thinking, as a new and unfamiliar experience which led to a sort of imbalance. Therefore, a framework, with adaptation and finding equilibrium as the core, was proposed ( Figure 2 ).

Framework of promoting critical thinking in e-learning.

It is noteworthy that our findings, as in other qualitative researches, may be context dependent and in the continuing discussion, we will focus on our local implementation; meanwhile, we have described our research context in a way that faculty members, educational designers, and leaders in other settings can transfer these findings to their own context. Furthermore, we tried to meet a “conceptual generality” in our suggested framework. We have developed our framework based on ideas; for example, the belief system component is an important concept regardless of context, yet each institution and country may possess its own culture and belief system and act upon it.

In this framework, the factors within two main themes, that is, instructional design and educational leadership and management, could be planned and manipulated to promote critical thinking in the short term; in addition, factors in the “local evidence” theme could be modified in the short and medium term. These factors were thus considered as dynamic factors in the proposed framework. Meanwhile, the factors in the belief systems theme were constant and unchangeable during virtual education. These were, therefore, regarded as static factors.

Among our findings, the instructional design had been formerly incorporated in the virtual education system of TUMS. Nevertheless, redesign based on the findings of the present study was also scheduled.

Our participants highlighted the necessity of a philosophical and theoretical framework in course development. While e-learning is recognized as the pioneer of change in higher education, it needs to be justified. The main question is the nature of the learning experience and the desired educational outcomes. 6 Educational strategies and an appropriate student-centered atmosphere play a determining role in the promotion of critical thinking. 23

While our virtual programs had been developed based on a combination of cognitivism and constructivism, after exploration of the participants’ experiences, course outlines and faculty empowerment workshops were revised to comply with humanistic strategies and student-centered education requirements. Moreover, the school’s educational council approved of integrating the promotion of critical thinking in the general objectives and assessment of courses.

Our participants appreciate the presence of face-to-face sessions, limited number of students, and asynchronous approach in our system as factors encouraging critical thinking. These findings showed that the planning of our system was in line with the standards on virtual education. In fact, e-learning had to be complemented with face-to-face classrooms to facilitate the achievement of educational goals; in addition, higher numbers of virtual students (>20) can reduce student–instructor interactions. 5 Meanwhile, asynchronous online group discussions could be more successful than in-person discussions in promoting critical thinking. 18

Generally, e-learning systems entail critical thinking. However, such systems should be closely monitored to prevent the mere transfer of information and ensure interactive techniques. 24 Constant feedback provision by the instructors and obliging the students to solve problems and make rational decisions were effective in teaching critical thinking; the promotion of in-depth learning and critical thinking in virtual learners depended on the given assignments, available time, instructors’ guidance, and provided resources. 25 According to Sendag and Odabasi, 26 the problem-based learning strategy could significantly improve critical thinking skills in e-learners. Our findings regarding the importance of applying diversified teaching methods to promote critical thinking were comparable with previous researches done in traditional face-to-face environment. 12 – 14

Our students pointed to the large volume of educational materials as a barrier to critical thinking. This was exactly in line with the previous research on virtual education. Reasonable volume of materials are, therefore, recommended. 3 Interestingly, in contrast to the students, the instructors did not mention the volume of materials as a barrier. Instead, they considered the course nature (the possibility of discussing and judging different options) more influential.

All the aforementioned experiences were discussed and confirmed in empowerment workshops for the instructors and students. A content production unit was also established in the school to facilitate the provision of richer content and multimedia subjects by offering proper consultation to the instructors.

In addition, the features of our LMS were also found to prevent critical thinking. Since only student–teacher interactions were allowed in the existing system, the need for revising the LMS and creating greater interaction opportunities was felt. Several studies have emphasized the role of LMS design and interactions in the promotion of critical thinking in virtual education. 27 , 28 Although interactions between the students were not possible in the first version of the LMS software, upgrading the software during this study provided the possibility of communication between students. A third version of the software will also be released soon.

Based on our findings in the educational leadership and management theme, we planned for virtual students support services and a fully equipped online library, which was finally launched in 2014. In this regard, paying attention to critical thinking skills in faculty and student recruitment, empowerment of the existing instructors through educational workshops, and providing sabbaticals were considered and planned.

The current study revealed the importance of local evidence in promoting critical thinking. Due to the substantial effects of basic knowledge on critical thinking, critical thinking processes should be modified in different academic disciplines. 29 Moreover, critical thinking is a field-dependent phenomenon, which is affected by sociocultural and educational factors. 30 As a result, our school has developed and implemented a number of strategies, including the establishment of qualitative and quantitative research projects in various fields. Although the results of these projects may not be accessible in the short term, they will facilitate reliable and evidence-based planning in the future.

The significance of belief systems in critical thinking development was highlighted by many studies. 31 – 34 People’s beliefs relate to their already established memory, which is formed by the significant others within the family and the community and is developed over time. Any new issue is carefully compared with the existing cache and is then analyzed. 11 As a result, when postgraduate students enter the course, their formed thoughts and judgments are extremely difficult to change. Our participants believed that individuals who register in virtual courses tend to possess personal characteristics and beliefs that are conducive to critical thinking. Deviation from norms, which was suggested as an important personal characteristic by our participants, has been rarely mentioned in previous research. Therefore, given the cultural contexts, further study is warranted to clarify its roles.

The belief system and personal characteristics of the instructors are also important. Since the instructors may act as role models, their characteristics, such as accepting criticism, knowledge, and skills, can affect the promotion of critical thinking. Hence, efforts to promote critical thinking should begin long before entry to the course. Furthermore, certain characteristics of both virtual instructors and students should be taken into consideration upon their recruitment.

Similar to our findings, education professionals believe that a virtual instructor is, in fact, a facilitator who should accept criticism and be honest, flexible, responsive, well mannered, and persevering. On the other hand, critical thinking skills of virtual learners will depend upon their ability to work independently and deal with educational materials with minimal intervention of the instructor. 3

This study provided a useful insight into the experiences of e-learners and e-teachers about the promotion of critical thinking. Virtual degree courses, especially in medical sciences, are a novel phenomenon in Iran that requires research-based scientific foundations to develop. The results and frameworks suggested in this study can act as an appropriate model for the promotion of critical thinking in virtual education. Our findings clarified the factors facilitating and inhibiting critical thinking. We also underscored the important role of educational design and management in directing opportunities and eliminating threats in virtual disciplines. Attention to the experiences of instructors and students about virtual education can help educational designers and instructors in developing more effective virtual courses.

Supplementary material

Informed consent form

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services grant no 12728-76-01-90.

Author contributions

All authors contributed toward data analysis, drafting and critically revising the paper and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Hadi Suhermanto IAIN Curup Indonesia

Sarwo Edy IAIN Curup Indonesia

Eka Apriani IAIN Curup Indonesia

Farida Esmianti Poltekkes Kemenkes Bengkulu Indonesia

Erfin Wijayanti IAIN Fattahul Muluk Papua Indonesia

Muthmainnah Muthmainnah Universitas Al Asyariah Mandar Indonesia

Alesa Durgayan Armenian State Pedagogical University after Kh. Abovyan Romania

• Focus and Scope
• Editorial Team
• Author Guidelines
• Publication Ethics

• Other Journals
• For Readers
• For Authors
• For Librarians

View My Stats:

ISSN 2549-9009 (PRINT)

ISSN 2579-7387 (ONLINE)

• Announcements
• SUBMISSIONS
• FOCUS AND SCOPE
• EDITORIAL TEAM

ENHANCING STUDENTS’ WRITING ACHIEVEMENT, CRITICAL THINKING, AND SELF EFFICACY THROUGH PROJECT BASED LEARNING (PBL) IN STATE ISLAMIC INSTITUTE OF CURUP

The purpose of this study is to find out how project-based learning may help students become more proficient writers, critical thinkers, and self-sufficient. The descriptive-quantitative method was used in this study. This approach focused on combining numerical data. Using a whole sample approach, the study focuses on sixty students enrolled in the Institute for Islamic Studies of Curup's English Study Programme. The study examined how students' writing proficiency, critical thinking, and self-efficacy in English—their target language—were affected by project-based learning (PBL). With a 14.46-point gain between the pre- and post-test writing achievement, the findings demonstrated a considerable improvement. The critical thinking essay writing score of fifth-semester students rose from 78.43 to 84.05, representing a 04.02 point gain from the start of the exam. Five categories of analysis were applied to the data: organisation, focus, reasoning, integrations, and conventions. According to the study's findings, PBL raised students' self-efficacy in writing classes.

Bandura, A. 1982. Self-Efficacy Mechanism in Human Agency. American Psychologist, vol. 37, No.2. retrieved on 7 th May 2019 from www.uky.edu/.../Bandura/ Bandura 1982AP.pdf

Bandura, A. 1994. Self-Efficacy. Journal of Encyclopedia of Human Behavior. Retrieved May 7 th 2019 from http://www.uky.edu/.../Bandura/Bandura1994EHB.pdf

Bell, S. Project-based Learning for 21 Century: Skill for the Future. Clearing House, A

Creswell, John W.2002. Educational Research Planning, Conducting and Evaluating Quantitative Research Fourth Edition. United States of America, Pearson Education Inc.

Duncan, T. G., & McKeachie, W. C. 2005. The making of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Educational Psychologist, 40.

Dunlap, J. C. 2005. Problem-based learning and self-efficacy: How a capstone course prepares students for a profession. Educational Technology Research and Development, 53(1),

Edward M. Glaser .1941. An Experiment in the Development of Critical Thinking New York: Colombia University. Teachers College

Fragoulis. 2009. Project-Based Learning in the Teaching of English as A Foreign Language in Greek Primary Schools: From Theory to Practice, CCSE, Vol. 2 No. 3.

Garside, C. 1996. Look who’s talking: a comparison of lecture and group discussion teaching strategies in developing critical thinking strategies. Communication Education, 45, 212-227.

Giddens, J., Hrabe, D., Carlson-Sabelli, L., Fogg, L., & North, S. 2012. The impact of a virtual community on student engagement and academic performance among baccalaureate nursing students. Journal of Professional Nursing, 28(5), 284-290. doi:10.1016/j.profnurs.2012.04.011

Herrington, Jan. Authentic learning environments in higher education. IGI Global, 2006.

Hirose, S. 1992. Critical thinking in community colleges. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Reports. The George Washington University, ED348128.

Huba, M. E., & Freed, J. E., 2000. Learner-Centered Assessment on College Campuses: Shifting the Focus from Teaching to Learning. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Kek, M. Y. C. A., & Huijser, H. 2011. The power of problem-based learning in developing critical thinking skills: Preparing students for tomorrow's digital futures in today's classrooms. Higher Education Research & Development, 30(3), 329–341. doi: 10.1080/07294360.2010.501074 Learning. The English Teacher Vol. XL: 1-10 Journal.

Markam, T. 2003. Project Based Learning Handbook. Canada: Buck Institute for Education, 2003.

Pajares, F. 2003. Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Motivation, and Achievement in Writing: A Pajares, M. F and Johnson, M. J. 1993. Confidence and Competence in Writing: The

Poonpon, Kornwipa. 2011. Enhancing English Skill through Project Based

Siahaan, Sanggam. 2008. The English Paragraph. Yogyakarta: Graha Ilmu.

Sparrow, L., Sparrow, H., & Swan, P. (2000). Student-centered learning: Is it possible? In A. Hermann & M. M. Kulski (Eds). Flexible Futures in Tertiary Teaching. Proceedings of the 9th Annual Teaching Learning Forum. Perth: Curtin University of Technology.

Stoller, Frederica. Project-Work: A Means to Promote Language and Content. In Richards J. C. &Renandya W. A. (eds.). Methodology in language teaching: An anthology of current practice (pp. 107-120). Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Sulaiman, F. (2011). The effectiveness of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) online on students’ creative and critical thinking in physics at tertiary level in Malaysia (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Waikato, Malaysia.

Tiwari, A., Lai, P., So, M., & Yuen, K. (2006). A comparison of the effects of problem-based learning and lecturing on the development of students’ critical thinking. Medical Education, 40(6), 547–554.

Bilgin, I., Karakuyu, Y., & Ay, Y. (2015). The effects of project based learning on undergraduate students’ achievement and self-efficacy beliefs towards science teaching. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 11 (3), 469-477. doi: 10.12973/eurasia.2014.1015a

Tamim, S. R. & Grant, M. M. (2013). Definitions and uses: Case study of teachers implementing project-based learning. Interdisciplinary Journal of ProblemBased Learning, 7 (2), 72-101. doi: 10.7771/1541-5015.1323

Artini, L. P., Ratminingsih, N. M., & Padmadewi, N. N. (2018). Project based learning in EFL classes: Material development and impact of implementation. Dutch Journal of Applied Linguistics,7(1), 26-44. doi:10.1075/dujal.17014.art

Anazifa, R. D., & Djukri, D. (2017). Project-Based Learning and Problem-Based Learning: Are They Effective to Improve Student's Thinking Skills?. Jurnal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia, 6(2), 346-355.

Praba, L.T., Artini, L.P., & Ramendra, D.P. (2018). Project-based learning and writing skill in EFL: Are they related? SHS Web of Conferences, 42 (1), 1- 6. doi: 10.1051/shsconf/20184200059

Sadeghi, H., Biniaz, M., & Soleimani, H. (2016). The Impact of project-based language learning on Iranian EFL learners comparison/contrast paragraph writing skills. International Journal of Asian Social Science, 6 (9), 510-524. doi: 10.18488/journal.1/2016.6.9/1.9.510.524

Bulut, P. (2017). The effect of primary school students’ writing attitudes and writing self-efficacy beliefs on their summary writing achievement. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 10(2), 281-285.

Affandi, A., & Sukyadi, D. (2016). Project-based learning and problem-based learning for EFL students’ writing achievement at the tertiary level. Rangsit Journal of Educational Studies, 3(1), 23-40.

• There are currently no refbacks.

The Departement of English Education, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Muhammadiyah Palembang

Jl. Jenderal A. Yani 13 Ulu, Seberang Ulu II, Palembang (30263), Indonesia .

Indexed by :

English Community Journal has been listed in :

The Importance of Personalized Approaches, Critical Thinking, and Creativity in Research

• Posted by by Sierra-Nicole E. DeBinion
• August 2, 2024

Two new Individualized Master of Arts program courses provide a foundation in research and personalized learning, emphasizing the potential of new methods and tools within research.

Individualized Master of Arts faculty member Michael Maser, PhD,  couldn’t help but notice that enrollment in graduate studies across North America was reported as declining, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“People had serious issues and additional stresses coming out of the pandemic,” he said.“And not everyone can commit to three to seven years of graduate studies for various reasons.” Maser thought there must be another way to provide opportunities for people to do research that doesn’t involve a three to seven-year commitment. 

Maser conceptualized a framework for this, and starting this coming term, he will teach two new courses:  “Introduction to Research Fundamentals”  and  “The Advanced Research Project”  within Antioch’s  Individualized Master of Arts Program . Together, the courses comprise the Individualized Research Project.

The first course, “Introduction to Research Fundamentals,” is designed to provide students with a background in research fundamentals. Built into the course is a consideration of some issues researchers grapple with, including ethics, data collection, how to make an analysis, and how AI may influence their research. The goal is to develop a research proposal and a sense of direction with their project. 

The second course, “The Advanced Research Project,” is to enliven that research and to put the ideas from the introduction course into practice. It complements the foundational skills course and enables students to immediately channel their skills into a research project of their design that will hopefully serve as a valuable outcome and potential stepping stone to future research. 

Maser sees both these courses as helping students from different backgrounds develop a proposal, conceptualize a research plan, and then actualize it. 

Students will critically review and combine relevant literature to guide their research. They will learn to identify gaps in existing knowledge and establish a foundation for their work. They must then create a research proposal that includes a coherent framework, research questions, and an appropriate research design. The focus will be on developing a feasible and ethical plan for investigation.

Maser explains that a project can be as personal as a memoir. “Maybe their research is genealogy, maybe it’s a professional interest they have carried throughout their careers, or maybe they’re retired and they’ve still got this interest area that they want to explore.” He can picture recent grads to retirees finding the two courses beneficial for whatever area of interest they want to pursue. 

Maser himself often uses images to evoke metaphor. The poppy images in the header to this article, for instance, were photographed by Maser to evoke transformation and emergence, which are course themes.

Research as a Gateway to Genius

Understanding how to conduct critical research in a world saturated with misinformation is a crucial and cogent project with many individuals struggling to identify what constitutes valid research. Maser aims to bring clarity to this issue so that his students can feel more confident in the information they engage with. A significant part of these courses involves critically evaluating sources.

“Hopefully people will develop a critical perspective on their research,” Maser says, “including discerning that the unicorn they perceive in the clouds is not a real entity.” With these courses, Maser will provide some guidelines to help students distinguish fact from fiction. 

The two courses comprising the Individualized Research Project provide students with the opportunity to research a topic of their genuine interest and achieve tangible results. It will be a space where students, with the help of the instructor, can nurture their ideas as they pursue their research endeavors. 

Within the two courses, research projects can flex from the traditional text format. “That text-only way of doing research projects can be, in many cases, a limiting way to present information,” says Maser. In this project, students will be enfranchised to personalize their projects and discover the most appropriate way to convey their research project and engage a potential audience. Accordingly, a student research project could comprise an interpretive dance, music, or a web-based project, among endless possibilities. 

Project completion may lead to future research or broader exploration. Ultimately, the direction of the research path is determined by the student. Maser says the experience can be likened to entering Aladdin’s cave—wherever you direct your focus, there is a treasure. “This is the essence of all research! It should elicit a sense of excitement about generating knowledge.” 

For students about to enter the courses, Maser hopes they enter with a sense of excitement that the course is there to support their research interests. “With the new tools we have today, it’s a very exciting time to carry out research, shed the constraints of conventional research, and embrace the new forms of research and knowledge creation.”

There is a clear need to modernize and innovate traditional research methods to make them more inclusive and engaging. These courses emphasize the importance of personalized approaches, critical thinking, and creativity in research. As well, they enable individuals from diverse backgrounds to appreciate research as a means to explore the world and human ingenuity.

As Maser says, “That’s the ethos of the project, that research is a gateway to genius.”

Learn more about the Introduction to Research Fundamentals course which begins on August 26, 2024, and The Advanced Research Project which starts on October 21, 2024.

Sierra-Nicole E. DeBinion

Sierra-Nicole is an MFA student of fiction writing at Antioch University Los Angeles. Her passions lay in historical fiction, her mixed Hawaiian and Irish culture, and plants and animals. This writer is based in Palm Desert, CA. where she lives with her two dogs, Ricky and Lucy, and two turtles, Fred and Ethel.

Post navigation

Cool Course: Real World Sustainability 

Dissertation Watch: Cultivating Abolitionist Praxis through Healing-Centered Engagement in Social Justice Youth Arts Programs

Related posts.

Teaching Community Engagement and Encouraging Unapologetic Self-Care

• June 20, 2019
• 2 minute read

Three years after Yolande “Falami” Devoe earned her master’s in educational leadership from Antioch University Midwest, she suffered two mini-strokes. “I started on a self-care trek as a result of…

Reggio Conference held at AUM

• March 28, 2019
• 1 minute read

The Ohio Voices for Learning: A Reggio Inspired Forum (OVL) held its spring statewide conference at AUM on Saturday, March 16, 2019. OVL is a network of study groups from…

• Counseling, Psychology, & Therapy

Antioch University Midwest and Antioch University Online Celebrate Commencement

• May 17, 2019

Antioch University Midwest and Antioch University Online congratulate the graduating class of 2019! This year we had the honor of watching 68 students from five-degree programs walk across the stage…

Certificate Validation

Supported by the following organizations.

This is to certify that Kyle Vanderburg successfully completed and received a passing grade in NDT21C3.00 : Teaching Critical Thinking & Self-Regulated Learning Skills a course of study offered by WisconsinX, an online learning initiative of The University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Jeffrey S. Russell

Vice Provost for Lifelong Learning & Dean of Continuing Studies University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Verified Certificate Issued August 5, 2024
• Valid Certificate ID eb2b4bf0b7a84774b7501b9ab6e37ca3

edX offers interactive online classes and MOOCs from the world’s best universities, including MIT, Harvard, Berkeley, University of Texas, and many others. edX is a mission driven initiative created by founding partners Harvard and MIT.

About edX Verified Certificates

An edX Verified Certificate signifies that the learner has agreed to abide by the edX honor code and completed all of the required tasks of this course under its guidelines, as well as having their photo ID checked to verify their identity.