Guiding instruction for developing students’ key affective dimensions of critical thinking : in a computer-supported collaborative learning context

Abstract

Affective dimensions of critical thinking (ADCT) are considered one of the key elements in measuring students’ performance in critical thinking, which is an important objective in education worldwide. Despite its importance, by reviewing literature, this study finds that currently the development of and research on instruction of nurturing students’ ADCT are inchoate. There is an important need for formulating a theoretical model of developing students’ ADCT for guiding its instruction systematically and effectively. However, by reviewing literature, this study finds that formulating such kind of theoretical model encounters some challenges. Synthesizing insights from recent studies, a theoretical model of developing students’ Key ADCT for guiding its instruction is formulated in this study and addresses these challenges. Considering that the features of computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) theoretically give it potential to address these hurdles in order to contribute developing students’ ADCT, CSCL thus is recommended to be applied simultaneously as another intervention for facilitating developing students’ Key ADCT. In the research field, a module in the subject of Liberal Studies was enriched by the formulated theoretical model with a view to developing students’ Key ADCT, becoming model-guided instruction (MGI). To attain an in-depth and balanced understanding of the research questions, mixed methods design of quantitative (quasi-experimental design) and qualitative research were adopted. There were three groups of students: the 1) Experimental Group One (one class with MGI), 2) Experimental Group Two (two classes with both MGI and CSCL, which was in the form of online discussion) and 3) Control Group (no intervention). The participants were four teachers and 164 students at Grade 10 at a mainstream high school in Hong Kong. Based on the above arguments, the three research questions of this study are: 1) Does the formulated theoretical model actually work as it is claimed? 2) In what way does learning through the MGI, with or without using CSCL, contribute to improving students’ Key ADCT? 3) If so, a) are there any hurdles affecting the effectiveness of developing students' Key ADCT and b) does using CSCL contribute to overcome the found hurdles affecting the effectiveness of developing students' Key ADCT? Concerning the investigation about the workability of the formulated theoretical model, through think-aloud clinical interviews, this study found that, when students thought critically, their train of thought generally flowed aligning with various processes stated in the formulated theoretical model. Regarding the investigation about the effectiveness of the MGI contributing to developing students’ Key ADCT, with and without CSCL, after learning through the MGI for six months, this study found that the MGI, with or without using CSCL, did contribute to improving students’ Key ADCT, especially those learning with CSCL. Such difference might be because of the existence of some found hurdles especially affecting the students learning without CSCL while developing their Key ADCT. Meanwhile, it was found that the features of CSCL had contributed to overcome these hurdles, especially through building up an inspiring and thought-provoking learning environment.