Humanism-Focused Educational Approaches for Improving Critical Thinking Skills

This research explores humanism-focused educational approaches as a means to enhance critical thinking skills in contemporary learning environments. Traditional educational methods often emphasize knowledge retention over analytical skills, leaving students ill-equipped for complex societal challenges. This study examines the potential of humanistic education, which centers on holistic learner development—intellectually, socially, and emotionally—to bridge this gap. Using a library research methodology, the study synthesizes findings from existing literature on key pedagogical strategies, such as inquiry-based and problem-based learning, within a humanistic framework. Results indicate that these approaches significantly boost critical thinking by promoting autonomy, empathy, and reflective engagement. Furthermore, the role of educators is shown to be pivotal, as teachers who adopt humanistic methods foster environments conducive to inquiry and dialogue. The integration of technology into humanistic education is also highlighted as a means to engage students and enhance digital literacy. This research suggests that educational systems should consider comprehensive, humanism-focused frameworks to cultivate critical, engaged learners prepared for 21st-century challenges. Future studies are recommended to test these frameworks across diverse educational and cultural contexts to better understand their long-term impact on critical thinking skills.