scholarly journals Enhancing Learning Through Reflection– A Case Study of SEEU

SEEU Review ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brikena Xhaferi ◽  
Gezim Xhaferi

Abstract Learning through reflection is one of the most interesting experiences that students might have. It is considered a very good tool for self-assessing learning. It is believed that “teachers who promote reflective classrooms ensure that students are fully engaged in the process of making meaning” (Costa and Kallick, 2008, para.5). Dewey (1991) was among the first researchers who based his work and research on the positive roles that reflection plays in fostering self-reflection and critical thinking. He has defined it as an active, persistent and careful consideration of any belief. Reflections give students opportunities to think and reflect about their learning and note down the obstacles they might face during this process. The present study aims to investigate the impact of journal writing in promoting critical-thinking skills, and its impact on enhancing learning. The study uses two instruments, a student refection journal and an interview. Also, Marzano’s New Taxonomy of Educational Objectives developed in 2000 was used in the third phase of the study. This Taxonomy contains Three Systems: the Self-system, the Metacognitive system and the Cognitive system. The overall study results show that reflection journals help students to become more independent learners, reflect on their learning experiences and identify the most useful learning strategies. Most importantly, all study participants hold positive attitudes towards reflection and they consider it as a valuable tool which can increase learning.

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. ar39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie L. Styers ◽  
Peter A. Van Zandt ◽  
Katherine L. Hayden

Although development of critical thinking skills has emerged as an important issue in undergraduate education, implementation of pedagogies targeting these skills across different science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines has proved challenging. Our goal was to assess the impact of targeted interventions in 1) an introductory cell and molecular biology course, 2) an intermediate-level evolutionary ecology course, and 3) an upper-level biochemistry course. Each instructor used Web-based videos to flip some aspect of the course in order to implement active-learning exercises during class meetings. Activities included process-oriented guided-inquiry learning, model building, case studies, clicker-based think–pair–share strategies, and targeted critical thinking exercises. The proportion of time spent in active-learning activities relative to lecture varied among the courses, with increased active learning in intermediate/upper-level courses. Critical thinking was assessed via a pre/posttest design using the Critical Thinking Assessment Test. Students also assessed their own learning through a self-reported survey. Students in flipped courses exhibited gains in critical thinking, with the largest objective gains in intermediate and upper-level courses. Results from this study suggest that implementing active-learning strategies in the flipped classroom may benefit critical thinking and provide initial evidence suggesting that underrepresented and first-year students may experience a greater benefit.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 773-781
Author(s):  
Ayesha Kanwal ◽  
Intzar Hussain Butt

The study intention was to find the impact of critical thinking skills (CTS) on prospective teachers’ academic achievement. The method of the study was quantitative with correlation research design. The sample of the study was 113 prospective teachers using convenience sampling from three departments of teacher education institutions. To assess the Critical Thinking skills of prospective teachers, test was developed by the research comprised of five dimensions i.e. analyzing, assumption, deduction, inferences and interpreting information. Eight statements for each dimension required 40 minute to solve. Psychometric properties i.e. Reliability and validity of test was insured by applying Cronbach alpha which was 0.72. The study results reflect that level of critical thinking skills in prospective teachers were not up to mark (Mean=55.59%), the association amongst CTS and academic achievement was significant and moderate (r=0.365). It is recommended that administrators of teacher education programs should provide opportunities to educators to promote CT skills in prospective teachers.


2015 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 275-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
George R. Aldhizer

ABSTRACT This role play requires students to consider the complexities of a small CPA firm urgently attempting to replace the unique industry knowledge and experience possessed by a terminally ill audit partner. In this role play, students assume the position of either an existing partner or a former partner who is considering rejoining the firm. This role play includes two sections. First, in the planning stage, students brainstorm mutually equivalent options that satisfy their critical financial and nonfinancial interests to address the problem of replacing the terminally ill partner in their respective existing partner and former partner teams. Second, students engage in a “table” negotiation with their assigned counterpart to reach an amicable agreement to this firm crisis and participate in a debriefing session and prepare a debriefing document. The small firm context provides a unique opportunity to make contributions to the existing accounting and auditing literature related to enhancing students' critical thinking and negotiation skills. Distinctive small firm role play elements that should enhance critical thinking and negotiation skills include considering contingent agreements that dovetail differences in future legal liability forecasts, and dovetailing differences to take advantage of complementary skill sets to mitigate industry-specific auditor detection risks and related business risks.1 Critical thinking skills also should be strengthened through negotiating a package of interests and related options including the impact of various tradeoffs that are not fully known until the table negotiation commences so that the final agreement does not exceed the firm's non-negotiable budgetary constraints.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 346-356
Author(s):  
H. Lestari ◽  
W. Sopandi ◽  
U. S. Sa'ud ◽  
B. Musthafa ◽  
D. Budimansyah ◽  
...  

This study aims to describe the impact of online mentoring activities in implementing the RADEC (Read, Answer, Discuss, Explain, and Create) learning model on the competence of elementary school teachers in training students’ critical thinking skills. The method was a pre-experiment with a one-group pretest-posttest design involving 25 elementary school teachers in Indonesia. The teachers received online mentoring in implementing RADEC learning model. The research instrument was a questionnaire to measure teachers’ knowledge and skills in training critical thinking. The data processing technique was carried out by calculating the mean and the percentage of each item to obtain a description of the teachers’ knowledge and skills in training students’ critical thinking before and after treatment. The data were analyzed inferentially with a paired sample t-test using SPSS version 22 software to see the impact of the treatment on teachers’ competence in training critical thinking. Based on the results of the paired-sample t-test, for both the knowledge and skills aspects, the probability value (sig) was 0.00 <0.05. This result means that there was a significant difference in the knowledge and skills of teachers in training students’ critical thinking skills before and after mentoring activities. The study results indicate that the online mentoring in implementing the RADEC learning model improved teachers’ competence in training elementary school students’ critical thinking skills. 


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-97
Author(s):  
Ade Febri ◽  
Sajidan Sajidan ◽  
Sarwanto Sarwanto ◽  
Dewanto Harjunowibowo

Learning trends in the 21st-century require students to have the ability to sort appropriate information from certain sources. To do this, students must have critical thinking skills. One of the learning models that can facilitate students to think critically is a guided-inquiry lab. Thus, the purpose of this study was to quantitatively analyze the impact of the implementation of the guided-inquiry lab model on students' critical thinking skills on mechanics material. A pre-experimental method employing one group pretest-posttest only design was applied to obtain students' critical thinking skills data before and after the implementation of the guided-inquiry lab model. A total of 32 students from a junior high school in the city of Karanganyar, Central Java, were involved as the samples in this study. The data obtained were then analyzed using N-gain calculations. Based on the data analysis, there are 81.25% of students have medium creative thinking skills after being taught with a guided-inquiry lab, meaning there is an increase in the average score of students after being taught using a guided-inquiry lab model. It can be concluded that the implementation of the guided-inquiry lab model is effective to improve students' critical thinking skills


Author(s):  
Şenol Orakcı ◽  
Mehmet Durnali ◽  
Osman Aktan

The aim of the chapter is to provide both theoretical and practical ideas about critical thinking development within English language teaching contexts. Encouraging language learners to be critical thinkers is important in teaching English as a foreign language. However, achieving the goal remains a challenge. Using various strategies together seem to be effective when properly implemented. Therefore this chapter outlines these strategies which include communicative language tasks, using authentic meaningful texts, using critical literacy, being aware of whole-brain learning, adopting a reflective teaching, enabling students to become autonomous, using explicit instruction, teacher questioning, using active and cooperative learning strategies, using literature in English classes, using creative drama, and adopting self-assessment. Teachers can enable learners to have critical thinking skills and more efficient English lessons by combining these strategies in a new way or by designing critical thinking activities in the classroom.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. e033214
Author(s):  
Frida Westerdahl ◽  
Elisabeth Carlson ◽  
Anne Wennick ◽  
Gunilla Borglin

IntroductionApplying critical thinking is essential for nursing students both in an academic and clinical context. Particularly, as critical thinking is a vital part of nurses’ everyday problem-solving and decision-making processes. Therefore, regardless of the topic taught or the setting in which it is taught, it requires teaching strategies especially targeting students’ critical thinking skills and abilities. One challenge with the latter is the difficulties to assess and evaluate the impact of such teaching strategies on the students’ critical thinking disposition. Hence, our objective will be to review published literature on; existing teaching strategies and outcomes assessments targeting nursing students’ critical thinking skills and abilities.Methods and analysisOur scoping review will be conducted in accordance with Arksey and O’Malley’s framework for scoping studies. Search strategies will be developed in cooperation with an experienced librarian, and adjusted to each individual database for example, CINAHL, PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC and ERC. A preliminary search in CINAHL was conducted on the 17thof July 2019. Peer-reviewed published studies conducted with a qualitative, quantitative or mixed method design and focussing our objectives, will be eligible for inclusion. Included studies will be quality assessed in accordance with their study design. Data will be charted using a standardised extraction form. The qualitative data will be presented through a thematic analyses, and the quantitative data by descriptive numerical analysis. Lastly, nurse educators and nursing students will be consulted for validation of the findings from the scoping review.Ethics and disseminationUnder the Swedish Ethical Review Act (2003:460) this study does not need ethical clearance by a Regional Ethical Review Authority as it not includes any primary empirical data on biological material or sensitive information. The findings will be used to inform the design of a future study aiming to develop an, and subsequently evaluate it, educational intervention targeting teaching strategies focussing on nursing students’ critical thinking skills and abilities.


2013 ◽  
Vol 1583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Day ◽  
Cindy Guo ◽  
Nicole Ferrari ◽  
Heather Edgecumbe ◽  
Christine Broadbridge

ABSTRACTThis multi-phased study investigates the learning outcomes of courses taught in the K-14 classroom. Specifically, the methods and practices teachers use to develop and encourage 21st Century Skills including critical thinking skills and technological fluency in all subject areas, STEM and non-STEM related, are of great interest. Currently, these skills are in high demand in fields which develop advanced materials and are the backbone of the National Academiesdeveloped Frameworks for K-12 Science Education. Phase I participants in this study included high school and college educators while Phase II of the study will involve K-14 students. In this study, educators were asked to rate their teaching self-efficacy in two primary areas: critical thinking skills and technological fluency. This included questions related to components in their current curriculum as well as methods of assessment [e.g., rubrics]. The instrument created to measure self-efficacy was based on a modified ‘Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument' (STEBI). All participants were from Connecticut. Results indicate that both STEM and non-STEM related subject areas offer an equally rich array of opportunities to effectively teach critical thinking and technological fluency at a variety of educational levels. The impact of Professional Development on teacher self-efficacy was of particular importance, especially in K-12 education.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 72
Author(s):  
Dr. Jehad .Abed Rabbo

This study aims to examine the impact of using some of the skills of the (CoRT) program on the development of critical thinking skills among a sample of talented students in King Abdullah II School of Excellence in Tafila Governorate. The sample consisted of 60 male and female students randomly selected. They were divided into two groups: an experimental group that consisted of 30 students exposed to the acquisition of the skills of the CoRT program and the control group that consisted of 30 students who did not study the program. The Watson Glaser critical thinking test was also applied. The results shows a statistically significant effect, at (α≤ 0.05), in improving the critical thinking skills of the students of the experimental group and shows a statistically significant effect on the test of critical thinking skills due to the variable of educational level and for the favor of the ninth grade. The study also reveals that there were no statistically significant differences in the test of critical thinking skills in relation to the the gender variable. The researcher recommends developing the teacher competencies to teach the skills of thinking in general and critical thinking skills, in particular, through the conducting of courses, seminars, and workshops in the CoRT program.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 1869 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lotfollah Karimi ◽  
Farshad Veisi

the purpose of the present study was to investigate the impact of teaching critical thinking skills on reading comprehension of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. A sample of 50 students from Arshia Language Institute in Ilam, Iran participated in this study. They were both male and female students who were selected among 80 students based on their performances on PET. The participants were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. First, the two groups were exposed to the pre-test of reading comprehension in order to evaluate their knowledge on reading before the treatment. Based on scores obtained from the Pre-test, no significance differences were observed between two groups. After that the treatment was started and the experimental group was exposed to teaching critical thinking skills. Meanwhile, traditional methods of teaching reading comprehension were used for teaching reading comprehension to the control group. Finally, post-test of reading comprehension was delivered to both groups at the end of treatment to check possible differences.  To analyze the collected data, ANCOVA was run using SPSS Software Version 16. The results showed that teaching critical thinking skills positively affect reading comprehension of intermediate EFL learners, but the interaction of gender and teaching critical thinking was not significant.


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