A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of. Critical thinking skills are essential factors that can be inculcated in students at any point in the educational hierarchy.
INTRODUCTION
- Overview of the Chapter
- Background and Motivation to the study
- Statement of the Problem
- Purpose and objectives of the Study
- Research Questions
- Rationale for the Study
- Structure of the Dissertation
To understand the impact of cooperative learning in the development of critical thinking among high school students in existing literature. What is the impact of cooperative learning in the development of critical thinking among high school students (in existing literature).
LITERATURE REVIEW
Chapter Overview
Conceptual Framework
- Definitions of Critical Thinking in Educational Context
- Competing Definitions of Critical Thinking
- Utilization of Techniques and Pedagogy to Enhance Critical Thinking in K-12
- The Educator’s Role in Developing Critical Thinking Skills
- Results of Increased Critical Thinking
- The Importance of Collaborative Learning
To begin with, it goes without saying that critical thinking is a trait that must be developed throughout life. In addition, educators have been aware of the importance of critical thinking skills as a learning outcome.
Theoretical Framework
- Critical Rationalism
- Piaget’s Cognitive Development and Language Learning
- Piaget’s Basic Concept
- Stages of Cognitive Development
- Why is Piaget’s Theory so Often Misrepresnted and Unjustly Critisized?
- Eight Basic Structures of Thinking
- Collaborative Learning and the Conversation of Mankind by Kenneth A. Bruffee
- Collaborative Learning in English Classroom
- Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences
- Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences in Relation to Collaborative Learning in English
- Critical Perspectives of Collaborative Learning
- The Importance of the Social Context to Learning
- The Constructivism Theory in Learning
- Vygotky’s Theory of Cognitive Development
- Vygotsky’s Three Social Development Theorem (1962)
- The Effectiveness of Vygotsky’s Theory
- Limitations of Vygotky’s Theory
- Anderson’s Phases of the Pracical Inquiry Model
The size of the group, on the other hand, can be determined by the planned activities and the expected result. To illustrate, collaborative learning is based on Vygotsky's idea of the zone of proximal development, which states that learning is inherently social.
Review of Related Literature
- The Importance of Critical Thinking
- Model of Critical Thinking and Its Modification
- Teaching for Critical Thinking
- Assessing Critical Thinking Outcomes
- Promoting Critical Thinking in the UAE
First, in the case of an argument, there is an affective tendency to use critical thinking. There may also be visualizations formed or remembered as part of the critical thinking process. Then there is an affective tendency to participate in the planning activities to be guided by critical thinking.
Summary
Critical thinking has become commonplace in the workplace to help improve the innovative skills of the employees. The importance of the social context for learning through the development of a research community important for the development of critical thinking skills. The practical research model reflects the critical thinking procedure and means of establishing cognitive existence.
METHODOLOGY
Overview of the Chapter
Research Approach
The main goal of the research is, for example, to show the effects of cooperative learning on the development of critical thinking of high school students. What are the perceptions of English teachers (in two private schools in Abu Dhabi) about the effects of cooperative learning on the development of critical thinking among high school students (investigated by a semi-structured interview). For example, Finn's report, as mentioned earlier, suggests that critical thinking is part of the core competency aspect of problem solving.
Data collection Plan
- Site, Population, Sampling & Participant Selection
- Instruments
- Quantitative Instrument
- Qualitative Instruments
On the other hand, the student sample was only included in the quantitative phase of the research (survey). The researcher in this study used Modify to serve the purpose of context nature. Half of the observed lessons (4 lessons) followed the Arabic teaching system in Abu Dhabi and the other half followed the American system (4 lessons).
Pilot Study
Again, the lesson observation checklist covered the main research questions and was divided into 25 checklist statements that later assisted the researcher in transcribing and analyzing the results after each lesson observation. The overall reliability of the questionnaire was measured by Cronbach's alpha coefficient (Cronbach, 1951) which was equal to 0.931, indicating excellent reliability, while the individual role (IR) factor had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.881 and the teacher's role (TR) Cronbach's alpha was equal to 0.8, and the group influence (GI) had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.819, indicating that all dimensions of the survey were highly reliable. The reported statistics indicate that the researcher can continue to collect more data and explore the main research questions.
Data Analysis Plan
Finally, the design of the questionnaire was verified, evaluated and approved by the researcher's research director, Professor Solomon David, who has long academic experience and is familiar with higher education policy. In addition, a preliminary random sample of students from the two participating schools was surveyed to use their responses to validate the questionnaire by measuring its internal consistency. The outcomes concluded from both analyzes were pooled to show how both research methods support the results of the study (Creswell 2009).
Scope of the Study
The validated questionnaire was then used in inferential analysis and the results were used to answer the research questions. On the other hand, data analysis for interviews and lesson observations pursued a thematic analysis method (Glesne, C., 2011). As an interview is a flexible and powerful instrument that can open up several new areas for research (Nicky Britten, 1995).
Ethical Considerations
Researcher Role
Additionally, the researcher collected data as an internal participant observer because one of the research settings was where she worked. The researcher explained before conducting the research and collecting information the nature of the study, objectives, sample and data collection methods. Later, the researcher agreed with both schools on the date, time, sample and methods of the research conducted.
Trustworthiness
- Realibility and Validity
- Questionnaire Validation: Factor Analysis
- Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)
- Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)
- Reliability Analysis
Reliability is the accuracy of scoring—the degree to which scores accurately reflect some psychological variable in a given sample. The researcher used EFA to explore and discover the main constructs or dimensions of the 40-item survey. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) model was used to assess the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, because the CFA model focuses on the relationships between factors and their measured variables, within the SEM framework, representing what is called a measurement model (Pandey , 2016).
Statistical Limitation of the Study
The researcher used Cronbach's alpha coefficient (Cronbach, 1951), also known as Cronbach's alpha or Cronbach's α, as a measure of reliability, specifically internal consistency reliability or item relatedness, of a scale or test (e.g. questionnaire) (Andrew, Pedersen and McEvoy, 2011). Andrew, Pedersen, and McEvoy (2011) also stated that Cronbach's alpha measures how well a set of variables or items measures a single, unidimensional latent construct. The researcher calculated Cronbach's alpha for the four factors extracted from the EFA, and for the three factors she hypothesized.
RESULTS, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
Overview of the Chapter
Analysis of the Quantitative Data (Survey)
Questionnaire Validity and Reliability
- Exploratory Factor Analysis
- Descriptive Analysis of the EFA Extracted Four Factors of the “Impacts of Collaborative
- Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA)
- Measurement Model Psychometric Evaluation
- The Measurement Model: CFA Model Fit
- Descriptive Statistics of Questionnaire Factors Proposed by the Researcher
The role of the teacher"; which were considered subscales "Impact of collaborative learning in connection with critical thinking". Descriptive statistics for the four factors of the "Impact of Cooperative Learning in Connection with Critical Thinking" scale. The second-order model consisted of three factors related to the main latent variable (Collaborative Learning).
Answering Research Question II
- Independent-samples t Test: Gender
- Independent-samples t Test: Nationality
- One-sample t Tests
- Group Differences in Students’ Perceptions about the Role of Collaborative Learning in
- Gender
- Nationality
I question the way other team members in my group act. and try to think of a better way. I respect / accept every team member in my group who is from different culture and background. I question the way other team members in my group do things and try to think of a better way.
Summary of Quantitative Data Analysis
CL was seen as having a significant impact on improving communication skills and creating better learning opportunities. However, the researcher compared the different student groups in terms of the CL factors and their items, and found small significant differences based on the average perception of students.
Analysis of the Qualitative Data
- Interview Analysis
- Participants
- Interviews Data Analysis Strategy
- The Interview Data Thematic Analysis Process
- Findings and Results of Interview Thematic Analysis
- Analysis of Lesson Observation Data
- Findings of Observation Checklist Analysis
- Observer Reflections
- Analysis Summary
- Summary of Interview Data Analysis
- Summary of Observation Data Analysis
The researcher noted that the teacher shared students' work at the end of the task. The researcher noticed that students seemed to have learned a lot by the end of the lesson. In terms of the second subtheme "student preferences", the majority of students preferred to work together.
Triangulation of Findings
Results were similar for all student groups; i.e. whether male and female or Emiratis and expatriates. They all know its importance and the necessity of its effective implementation in classrooms to improve students' critical thinking.
CONCLUSION
Overview of the Chapter
Summary of the Study
The quantitative and qualitative data analysis emphasized the importance of collaborative learning to strengthen students' critical thinking. This suggests the importance of collaborative learning in the classroom to improve students' critical thinking skills. This would help explore the impact on students' development of critical thinking through collaborative learning.
Key Findings
Cooperative learning is seen by teachers as effective for all students, as it helps to increase students' thinking ability due to the exchange of ideas and thoughts, although it is accompanied by some challenges such as difficult tasks and inappropriate for some with low success. This chapter presents the results and conclusions drawn from the analysis of the data collected using the quantitative method through the survey questionnaire and the qualitative methods through interviews and lesson observations. The researcher tries in this chapter to focus on the results drawn from the findings of the survey questionnaires that show the perspectives of the students and the findings of the interviews with the teachers and the observations of the lesson regarding the impact of cooperative learning in increasing critical thinking skills. addressed in both quantitative and qualitative methods of study, referring to the research questions of the thesis presented in the first chapter by linking the concepts of cooperative learning and critical thinking found in the theoretical framework.
Discussion of Key Findings
- Research Question 1
- Research Question 2
- Research Question 3
- Teachers’ Perceptions on Critical Thinking
- Teachers’ Perceptions on Collaborative Learning
- Learning Environment
- Impact of Collaborative Learning on Developing Critical Thinking
- Collaborative Learning Challenges
- Recommendations to Improve Collaborative Learning
- Research Question 4
A number of studies have shown that collaborative learning activities induce critical thinking (Bonk & Smith, 1998; Thayer-Bacon, 2000; Heyman, 2008). They believe they play an important role in collaborative learning to be effective in developing their critical thinking skills. Finally, the students demonstrated the importance of collaborative learning and its significant impact on the development of their critical thinking skills.
Recommendations
As mentioned in chapter two, it is recommended to pay more attention to involving students in collaborative learning in the English classroom to improve their critical thinking skills, which became the main concern of the UAE Ministry of Education to improve critical thinking skills in the promote English language. in schools. Critical thinking is usually ignored in elementary, middle, and high school, where students are taught how to learn and how to analyze data. Also, a study reported that deep concentration on improving critical thinking skills in K-12 can increase academic strength and improve outcomes in the standardized way.
Implications
In addition, testing the impact of cooperative learning on the development of students' critical thinking in the UAE schools will be of significant role. It would be valuable to investigate the impact of different variables, including gender, age, location and qualifications, on collaborative learning applications in different schools. The present study did not focus on specific skills, rather only on critical thinking as a comprehensive intellectual skill.
Limitations
The study could be repeated focusing on specific skills such as: reading, writing, listening and speaking.
Scope for Further Study
Concluding Note
Classroom debate: An evaluation of a critical thinking learning technique within a rehabilitation counseling course. Public schools in UAE promote critical thinking as one of the main objectives of education, British University in Dubai.
HISTOGRAMS OF EFA FOUR FACTORS
