Boosting EFL Learners Critical Thinking through Guided Discovery: a Classroom- Oriented Research on First-Year Master Students

Abstract

Critical thinking is widely recognized as a necessary skill for growth and intellectual development due to a variety of factors, including globalization, the revolution of information technology, modernity, and connectivity. EFL teachers can lay the groundwork for their students to attain critical thinking through various methods, models, and strategies. The present investigation suggests that the teacher could promote EFL learners’ critical thinking through guided discovery model of instruction. Henceforth, the current paper endeavors to enlighten the adequacy of applying guided discovery for developing learners’ critical thinking skills. It is an experimental research that investigates: how may guided discovery contribute to the development of EFL learners’ critical thinking? It attempts to examine the utility of discovery learning in teaching students how to process and think critically about the education they receive where information has become readily available and accessible. To this aim, 40 EFL Master students who took educational psychology courses were nominated from the university center of Naama, Algeria. The researcher selected Peter Honey Critical Thinking test and focus group discussions to attain data on students’ critical thinking skills. The test results demonstrated that the experimental group outperformed the control group. The students become more autonomous, reflect on their learning experiences, and identify the most useful strategies. Furthermore, the analysis of focus group interviews revealed that the experimental group participants hold positive attitudes toward discovery learning. They perceive it as a precious method that can enhance their awareness about the value of thinking critically.

Critical thinking and hypothetic-deductive scheme for studying the elements of quantum theory

“…However, it is necessary to work hard so that to develop critical thinking, since students' notes and mechanical memorizing will not help students develop certain mental abilities [25]. Students must have a certain volume of knowledge [1], corresponding motivation [26], they must solve practical tasks of a high level [3], work independently or in a team depending on the learning task that was set.…”

“…The research [28] proves that the cooperation between the teacher and students have a positive influence on the development of critical thinking skills and team work. Owing to the supervised teaching, students learn how to assess the given information in a critical way, check its reliability, formulate an alternative point of view to solve the task [3]. The important condition for studying physics is testing the skills of critical thinking [29], including computer testing.…”

“…The open modern life is characterized by rapid development of information-communication technologies (ICT), by the variety of ways used to process and transfer information, by transformations in social and economic spheres, and by the necessity to adapt quickly to all these changes. Under these conditions, competencies in mathematics, physics, engineering, technologies [1], [2] alongside with critical thinking [3], [4] are considered to be the key ones in the 21st century. Knowledge of physics and mathematics is used in economics, agriculture [5], industry and many other fields.…”

“…Here, critical thinking takes the first place and it is considered the condition for the successful mastering of the learning material in physics [14], it is characterized by its complex nature and absence of algorithm [1], it favors intellectual and personal development. The structure of critical thinking includes a number of skills and personal abilities, such as an ability to assess the suggested proofs and reasons, to determine incorrectness of arguments, a desire to look for proofs while solving problems [3], to make decisions based on the analyzed proofs (evidences) and opinions [15], to process data and formulate new hypotheses [16].…”

“…For this, students need active thinking processes which make them demonstrate their mental activity and use methods of scientific cognition. The most effective methodologies for critical thinking development are analysis and generalization of resources, written and verbal argumentation and reflection, thematic research [18], discovery learning [3], and blended learning [19]. To develop the skills of critical thinking we can use such means as practical tasks on professional subjects, written creative works as a way to combine creativity and critical thinking [20], online courses on critical thinking development [21], communication, and discussion of issues with Facebook and Google Classroom [4].…”