Methods for Supporting the Development of Students' Critical Thinking Skills: An Experiment

In the era of globalization and evolving education, one of the primary objectives of higher education institutions is to ensure student success by developing their critical thinking skills. Academics and employers in higher education have identified critical thinking as one of the most essential competencies for students, emphasizing the need to pay greater attention to its development. According to the findings of a study examining the conditions for identifying students' critical thinking skills, 28 students (82.3%) conducted surface-level analysis and made general observations in assignments involving reports and essays, while 6 students (17.6%) demonstrated the ability to express their own understanding, take notes, and identify challenges. Since this skill occupies a critical role in modern education, it can be developed through specialized methods and exercises in instructional activities. Based on this, experimental lessons were conducted, and the results were evaluated. To assess changes in students' critical thinking skills, enthusiasm, and self-confidence, 9 criteria were selected for self-assessment before and after the experiment. The average score before the experiment was 0.72, while the average score after the experiment increased to 0.82, indicating a positive improvement.