Cultivating students’ critical thinking in K–12 schools: A scoping review of experimental studies

Abstract Critical thinking is crucial in the twenty-first century, fundamental to cultivating capable, adaptive, and socially responsible individuals, particularly in the context of rapid advancement in artificial intelligence and the global imperative to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It is widely incorporated into curriculum frameworks globally, leading to a significant increase in experimental studies on teaching and learning strategies for promoting critical thinking. However, an overview of the research landscape on cultivating critical thinking in K–12 schools remains underdeveloped. This scoping review examined experimental studies on teaching and learning interventions aimed at cultivating critical thinking among K–12 students. Our review included 378 studies conducted in 51 countries over the past decade. Nearly half of these studies were conducted in four grade levels and primarily in science-related learning areas. Seventy per cent of the studies were conducted in Asia with a significant proportion in Indonesia, followed by the Middle East. Three critical thinking frameworks were commonly used and nearly 70 tools were used to measure critical thinking. The findings highlight the need for rigorous studies from diverse countries, learning areas, and grade levels. This review provides a comprehensive overview of critical thinking research in K–12 schools and identifies areas for future research to support teachers in cultivating critical thinking in school-aged children.