Critical Thinking in the Iranian EFL Context: A Systematic Review

Subject Areas : Research in English Language Pedagogy

Shaho Hoorijani ¹ , Hossein Heidari Tabrizi ²

1 - English Department, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan Branch, Isfahan, Iran
2 - English Department, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan Branch, Isfahan, Iran

Received: 2023-09-18 Accepted : 2024-09-17 Published : 2024-10-19

Keywords: Critical Thinking, Education, Iranian EFL Context, Systematic Review.,

Abstract :

Critical thinking has been studied within different educational and professional settings as one of the renowned learning and innovation skills of the 21st century. However, the degree to which it is operationally defined, taught, and assessed in Iran is poorly documented. This complicates efforts to develop critical thinking disposition studies and assessment tools in the Iranian EFL context. In today’s EFL contexts, it is a common belief that having critical thinking dispositions among learners and synthesizing them with action learning approaches provide them opportunities for better understanding and enhancing their new knowledge, especially in argumentative writing. Therefore, most educational programs put an effort into developing such potential among EFL learners. This paper aimed to systematically review critical thinking disposition studies in the Iranian EFL context. Firstly, a number of definitions, along with the dimensions of the concept from various scholars' viewpoints, are presented. Secondly, the typical features of critical thinkers and what resources they need are introduced. Finally, the issue from both theoretical and pedagogical standpoints was reviewed to understand the use of critical thinking in the education field in the Iranian EFL context. It is hoped that this systematic review sheds light on the gap between pedagogical rhetoric and classroom practices due to the lack of CT attention implications for future research for conducting CT-integrated pedagogies in the Iranian EFL context.

References:

Alsaleh, N. J. (2020). Teaching critical thinking skills: literature review. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology-TOJET, 19(1), 21-39.
Bloom, B. S., Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., & Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Handbook I: cognitive domain. New York: David McKay.
Coleman, B. J., Mason, P., & Steagall, J. W. (2012). Does a business curriculum develop or filter critical thinking? American Journal of Business Education (AJBE), 5(4), 409-416.
https://doi.org/10.19030/ajbe.v5i4.7118
Davies, W., & Stevens, M. (2019). The importance of critical thinking and how to measure it. Retrieved from Pearson Talent Lens website: https://www. talentlens. co. uk/wpcontent/uploads/sites/5/The-Importance-of-Critical-Thinking-and-How-to-Measure-It_UK_Final. pdf.
Dewey, J. (1933). How we think. A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to the educative process (DC Heath and Company) 1933.
Duron, R., Limbach, B., & Waugh, W. (2006). Critical thinking framework for any discipline. International Journal of teaching and learning in higher education, 17(2), 160-166.
Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2020). Critical thinking: Tools for taking charge of your learning and your life. Foundation for Critical Thinking.
Ennis, R. H. (1985). A logical basis for measuring critical thinking skills. Educational leadership, 43(2), 44-48.
Ennis, R. H. (1987). Critical thinking and the curriculum. Thinking skills instruction: Concepts and techniques, 40-48.
Ennis, R. (2013). Critical thinking across the curriculum: The Wisdom CTAC Program. Inquiry: Critical thinking across the disciplines, 28(2), 25-45.
https://doi.org/10.5840/inquiryct20132828
Ennis, R. (2011). Critical thinking: Reflection and perspective Part II. Inquiry: Critical thinking across the Disciplines, 26(2), 5-19. https://doi.org/10.5840/inquiryctnews201126215
Facione, P. A. (1990). Critical thinking: A statement of expert consensus for purposes of educational assessment and instruction (The Delphi Report).
Facione, P. A. (2011). Critical thinking: What it is and why it counts. Insight assessment, 1(1), 1-23.
Facione, P. A., Sanchez, C. A., Facione, N. C., & Gainen, J. (1995). The disposition toward critical thinking. The Journal of general education, 44(1), 1-25.
Fahim, M., & Rezanejad, A. (2014). Critical Thinking in the EFL Context of Iran. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 3(4), 128-135.
Fisher, R. (2001). Philosophy in primary schools: fostering thinking skills and literacy. Reading, 35(2), 67-73. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9345.00164
Judge, B., Jones, P., & McCreery, E. (2009). Study Skills in Education: Critical Thinking Skills for Education Students. Learning Matters Ltd, 1-58.
Kuhn, D. (1999). A developmental model of critical thinking. Educational researcher, 28(2), 16-46. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X028002016
Khan, K. S., Kunz, R., Kleijnen, J., & Antes, G. (2003). Five steps to conducting a systematic review. Journal of the royal society of medicine, 96(3), 118-121.
https://doi.org/10.1177/014107680309600304
Lachat, C., Hodge, A., Vandevijvere, S., Villamor, E., & Tseng, M. (2015). Introducing PRISMA as a requirement. Public Health Nutrition, 18(14), 2509-2510. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1368980015002670
Lai, E. R. (2011). Critical thinking: A literature review. Pearson's Research Reports, 6(1), 40-41.
Liberati, A., Altman, D. G., Tetzlaff, J., Mulrow, C., Gøtzsche, P. C., Ioannidis, J. P., & Moher, D. (2009). The PRISMA statement for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses of studies that evaluate health care interventions: explanation and elaboration. Annals of internal medicine, 151(4), W-65. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-151-4-200908180-00136
Lin, M., & Xiang, X. (2019). Integrating critical thinking into an EFL writing curriculum. Thinking skills and creativity in second language education: Case studies from international perspectives, 95-130. http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315098920-6
Lipman, M. (1985). Thinking skills fostered by philosophy for children. Thinking and Learning Skill Vol. 1: Relating Instruction to Research, 83-108. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315060149
Marin, L. M., & Halpern, D. F. (2011). Pedagogy for developing critical thinking in adolescents: Explicit instruction produces greatest gains. Thinking skills and creativity, 6(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2010.08.002
McCormick, N. J., Clark, L. M., & Raines, J. M. (2015). Engaging students in critical thinking and problem solving: A brief review of the literature. Journal of Studies in Education, 5(4), 100-113. http://dx.doi.org/10.5296/jse.v5i4.8249
Nardi, P. M. (2017). Critical thinking: Tools for evaluating research. University of California Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/9780520965478
Newman, M., & Gough, D. (2020). Systematic reviews in educational research: Methodology, perspectives and application. Systematic reviews in educational research: Methodology, perspectives and application, 3-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-27602-7_1
Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P. M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., ... & Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. International journal of surgery, 88, 105906.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijsu.2021.105906
Paul, R. (2005). The state of critical thinking today. New directions for community colleges, 2005(130), 27-38. https://doi.org/10.1002/cc.193
Paul, R., Niewoehner, R., & Elder, L. (2019). The thinker's guide to engineering reasoning: Based on critical thinking concepts and tools. Rowman & Littlefield.
Pithers, R. T., & Soden, R. (2000). Critical thinking in education: A review. Educational research, 42(3), 237-249. https://doi.org/10.1080/001318800440579
Saban, A. (2009). Content analysis of Turkish studies about the multiple intelligences theory. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 9(2), 859-876.
Pithers, R. T., & Soden, R. (2001). Teaching vocational undergraduates in a further education college: case study of practice. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Vocational Education Research, 9(1), 85-106.
Snyder, L. G., & Snyder, M. J. (2008). Teaching critical thinking and problem-solving skills. The Journal of Research in Business Education, 50(2), 90.
Scriven, M., & Paul, R. (1987). Critical thinking. The 8th Annual International Conference on Critical Thinking and Education Reform, CA (Vol. 7, No. 9).
Siegel, H. (1985). Educating reason: Critical thinking, informal logic, and the philosophy of education. Informal Logic, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.22329/il.v7i2.2706
Sternberg, R. J. (1986). Critical Thinking: Its Nature, Measurement, and Improvement.
Thompson, C. (2011). Critical thinking across the curriculum: Process over output. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 1(9), 1-7.
Willingham, D. T. (2007). Critical thinking: Why it is so hard to teach? American federation of teachers summer 2007, p. 8-19. http://doi.org/10.3200/AEPR.109.4.21-32