Moodle-based e-learning courses for introduction to critical thinking in a multidisciplinary perspective (original) (raw)
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Critical thinking in E-learning environments
Computers in Human Behavior, 2012
One of the primary aims of higher education in today's information technology enabled classroom is to make students more active in the learning process. The intended outcome of this increased IT-facilitated student engagement is to foster important skills such as critical thinking used in both academia and workplace environments. Critical thinking (CT) skills entails the ability(ies) of mental processes of discernment, analysis and evaluation to achieve a logical understanding. Critical thinking in the classroom as well as in the workplace is a central theme; however, with the dramatic increase of IT usage the mechanisms by which critical thinking is fostered and used has changed. This article presents the work and results of critical thinking in a virtual learning environment. We therefore present a web-based course and we assess in which parts of the course, and to what extent, critical thinking was perceived to occur. The course contained two categories of learning modules namely resources and interactive components. Critical thinking was measured subjectively using the ART scale. Results indicate the significance of ''interactivity'' in what students perceived to be critical-thinking-oriented versus online material as a resource. Results and opportunities that virtual environments present to foster critical thinking are discussed.
Exercising critical thinking in the online environment
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.
Cultivating Critical Thinking Through E-learning Environment and Tools: A Review
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2014
Critical thinking is one of the main goals of higher education to train dependant and reasonable thinker as an efficient citizenship in modern society. Researchers and instructors in the world attempt to assess the level of students' critical thinking in order to foster it as a vital ability. Also, researchers use different learning approaches and theories along with the technological progress to nurture critical thinking of students. On the other hand, the advent of e-learning in education facilitates the difficulties through the learning and teaching paths. Researchers provided models and strategies for developing critical thinking by e-learning tools with their specific characteristic and applications. This paper presents a review on e-learning approaches and models which are used to cultivate critical thinking with the aim of highlighting the importance of critical thinking and the role of e-learning. We also present a taxonomy of existing e-learning models based on their applications and efficiencies as well as presenting similarities and differences in such approaches and discuss open research issues.
Englisia: Journal of Language, Education, and Humanities
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...
Activities and Resources in Online Learning: From a Critical Thinking View
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?
Strategies to Encourage Critical Thinking in a Virtual Course for Online Tutors
EDULEARN proceedings, 2017
Critical thinking is now thought to be a skill needed to effectively solve most of the everyday problems that people face, to maintain and to get a job, and even though to sustain the economy of a country. In this project, it was analyzed if the module number two form four called "didactic strategies to foment the critical thinking in the virtual education" which belong to the course "didactic strategies for the virtual tutoring", promotes critical thinking. The course was carried out in a virtual way through the Moodle platform. The participants were ten virtual teachers, with one year of experience as virtual tutor. The course's tutor (teacher) generated reflection and discussion through questions of different types such as Socratic ones, ordinary and inquiry, encouraged individuals to ask questions or, to solve problematics in groups, encouraged them to read and discuss with the other participants. The tutor was the student's guide in the analysis to be carried out, as well as in the organizational field (to set delivery dates, dynamics to be done) and as the support for group conclusions. The instructional models used in this module were dialogic thinking (
International Journal of Online Pedagogy and Course Design, 2019
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.
2012
YouTube, in parallel with Moodle forums, emerge as new learning environments, fostering a multifaceted and integrated process consistent with young digital natives’ profile and the challenges demanded by a knowledge-based society. A case study was conducted in English as a second language (ESL), involving eleventh-grade secondary education students in formal and non-formal learning environments, offline and online. The research focussed on the educational value of digital video and Moodle forum discussions and their effective contribution to a meaningful and in-depth learning, aiming to develop critical thinking skills. First phase results showed that not only were a vast majority of learners not aware of many of the skills involved in critical thinking, but clear intellectual standards inherent to disciplined and critical thinking did not govern them as well. Final results showed major differences regarding learners’ achievements, indicating that YouTube and Moodle have promoted th...
The increased complexity of our world today calls for learners' active knowledge construction and collaboration in the learning process, as opposed to traditional approaches based on the assumption that knowledge is transmitted from teacher to student. Accordingly, YouTube, in parallel with Moodle forums, emerge as new learning environments, fostering a multifaceted and integrated process consistent with young digital natives' profile and the challenges demanded by a knowledge-based society. A case study was conducted in English as a second language (ESL), involving eleventh-grade secondary education students in formal and non-formal learning environments, offline and online. The research focussed on the educational value of digital video and Moodle forum discussions and their effective contribution to a meaningful and in-depth learning, aiming to develop critical thinking skills. First phase results showed that not only were a vast majority of learners not aware of many of the skills involved in critical thinking, but clear intellectual standards inherent to disciplined and critical thinking did not govern them as well. Final results showed major differences regarding learners' achievements, indicating that YouTube and Moodle have promoted the development of critical thinking in English (ESL). In this paper we present; a) theories that support the integration of digital videos for developing essential skills to the learning process; b) new insights into the way foreign language may be processed; c) methodologies with YouTube and Moodle in the educational context.
Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 2016
Background: 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. Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusion: 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.