The Role of Critical Thinking Skills in Enhancing Problem-Solving Abilities among High School Students

This study investigates the role of critical thinking skills in enhancing problem-solving abilities among high school students. As education increasingly emphasizes the development of higher-order cognitive processes, understanding the interplay between critical thinking and problem-solving becomes essential. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected through standardized critical thinking assessments, problem-solving tasks, and in-depth interviews with students and educators across multiple high schools. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between students' critical thinking proficiency and their effectiveness in addressing complex, real-world problems. Moreover, instructional strategies that explicitly foster critical thinking—such as inquiry-based learning, Socratic questioning, and reflective discussions—were found to significantly enhance students' problem-solving performance. These results suggest that integrating critical thinking skill development into the high school curriculum is vital for preparing students to navigate academic challenges and broader societal issues. Implications for pedagogical practices and future research directions are discussed.