FOSTERING MARKETING STUDENTS’ CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS THROUGH CASE METHOD

Critical thinking is one of the most important skills that business students need to develop to survive the everchanging business environment but was given less attention in the higher education system in the Philippines Hence, a study using the case method was conducted to improve the critical thinking skills of business students enrolled in the Marketing Management subject during the second semester of the academic year 2022-2023. A descriptive mixed method, classroom action research design anchored on David Kolb’s experiential learning cycle theory was employed. With the use of two adopted survey questionnaires, data on students’ attitudes toward critical thinking and the perceived effects of the intervention on their critical thinking ability were collected. Results showed highly significant differences before and after the implementation of the intervention on the student's attitudes toward critical thinking (p-value= 0.000), the perceived effects on their critical thinking ability (p-value= 0.000), and their critical thinking test scores ((p-value= 0.000). A highly significant relationship (p-value= 0.006) between students’ attitudes towards critical thinking and its perceived effects on their critical thinking ability was also noted. Students’ attitude influences the perceived level of their critical thinking ability such that as their attitude increases, their perceived critical thinking ability also increases. Learning activities such as analyzing business cases and writing case material for existing businesses in the industry have the potential to improve the critical thinking skills of the students. Future researchers may also try to test the effectiveness of the case method in improving the critical thinking skills of students of other course programs. They may also try this case method as a teaching strategy in other subjects that require the development of the critical thinking skills of students. The concerned authority may opt to use the findings of this study in crafting a teaching-learning policy that aims to improve the critical thinking skills of undergraduate college business students.