Neutrosophic Cognitive Maps to Analyze Barriers and Opportunities in the Development of Critical Thinking through Inquiry Strategies in Public Universities

The effective implementation of inquiry strategies in higher education is hampered by multiple interconnected factors, from institutional constraints to pedagogical barriers, creating a complex scenario that traditional analysis methods fail to fully capture. This problem takes on particular relevance in the current context, where the development of critical thinking has become a fundamental competency for facing the challenges of constantly changing societies. While numerous studies on active pedagogies exist, there remains a notable lack of approaches that can adequately manage the ambiguity, contradictions, and uncertainty inherent in real-life educational systems. To address this limitation, this research proposes an innovative analytical framework that combines cognitive maps with neutrosophic logic, allowing for the representation and evaluation of causal relationships through values of truth, falsity, and indeterminacy. Through a rigorous methodological design that includes systematic data collection and the use of specialized algorithms, the study seeks to uncover the hidden dynamics that affect the adoption of these pedagogical strategies. The implications of this work are both theoretical and practical, offering a new perspective for understanding complex educational systems, and providing managers and educators with more sophisticated tools for making informed decisions in contexts of high uncertainty.