Discussion forums: Tool to increase critical thinking in higher education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32870/Ap.v8n2.887Keywords:
E-learning, computer assisted instruction, b-learning, cooperative learning, critical thinkingAbstract
This qualitative study uses the content analysis method of Newman, Webb, and Cochrane to analyze the contents of the interactions of 21 discussion forums; we succeeded in identifying different types of critical thinking. Carried out in a private institution in the north of México, we sampled three groups with a total of 74 students. Discussion forums were organized using the taxonomy of Socratic questions in order to increase critical thinking. We conclude with guidelines to design quality discussion forums to increase and develop critical thinking in virtual education.
References
Abbagnano, Nicola y Visalberghi, Aldo. (2014). Historia de la pedagogía. México: Fondo de Cultura Económica.
Ala-Mutka, Kristi. (2011). Mapping digital competence: Towards a conceptual understanding. JRC European Commission. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Recuperado de http://ftp.jrc.es/EURdoc/JRC67075_TN.pdf
Allen, I. Elaine & Seaman, Jeff. (2013). Changing course: Ten years of tracking online education in the United States. Babson Park, MA: Babson Survey Research Group. Recuperado de http://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/changingcourse.pdf
Balaji, M. S. & Chakrabarti, Diganta. (2010). Student interactions in online discussion forum: Empirical research from "media richness theory" perspective. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, vol. 9, núm. 1, pp. 1-22. Recuperado de http://www.ncolr.org/issues/jiol/v9/n1/student-interactions-in-online-discussion-forum-empirical-research-from-media-richness-theory-perspective
Bassham, Gregory; Irwin, William; Nardone, Henry; Wallace, James M. (2008). Critical thinking. A student’s introduction (3ra ed.). EUA: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Behar-Horenstein, Linda S. & Niu, Lian. (2011). Teaching critical thinking skills in higher education: A review of the literature. Journal of College Teaching & Learning, vol. 8, núm. 2, pp. 25-41. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.19030/tlc.v8i2.3554
Bloom’s and ICT tools. Educational Origami. (s.f.). Recuperado de http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+and+ICT+tools
Boghossian, Peter. (2006). Behaviorism, constructivism and Socratic pedagogy. Educational Philosophy and Theory, vol. 38, núm. 6, pp. 713-722. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-5812.2006.00226.x
Brouwer, Peter. (1997). Hold on a minute: What happened to critical thinking in the information age? Journal of Educational Technology Systems, vol. 25, núm. 2, pp. 189-197. Recuperado de https://www.researchgate.net/publication/234714055_Hold_on_a_Minute_Here_What_Happened_to_Critical_Thinking_in_the_Information_Age
Chapman, Alan. (s.f.). Benjamin bloom's taxonomy of learning domains –cognitive, affective, psychomotor domains– design and evaluation toolkit for training and learning. Recuperado de http://www.businessballs.com/bloomstaxonomyoflearningdomains.htm
Christopher, Mary M.; Thomas, Julie A.; Tallent-Runnels, Mary K. (2004). Raising the bar: Encouraging high level thinking in online discussion forums. Roeper Review, vol. 26, núm. 3, p. 166. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02783190409554262
Defining critical thinking. (s.f.). Recuperado de http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766
Enseñanza socrática. Fundación del pensamiento crítico. (s.f.). Recuperado de http://www.eduteka.org/pdfdir/PreguntasSocraticas.pdf
Goldin, Andrea P.; Pezzatti, Laura; Battro, Antonio; Sigman, Mariano. (2011). From ancient Greece to modern education: Universality and lack of generalization of the Socratic dialogue. Mind, Brain, and Education, vol. 5, núm. 4, pp. 180-185. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-228X.2011.01126.x
Gose, Michael. (2009). When Socratic dialogue is flagging: Questions and strategies for engaging students. College Teaching, vol. 57, núm. 1, pp. 45-50. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3200/CTCH.57.1.45-50
López García, Juan Carlos. (2014). La taxonomía de Bloom y sus dos actualizaciones. Recuperado de http://www.eduteka.org/TaxonomiaBloomCuadro.php3
Mason, Roger B. (2011). Student engagement with, and participation in, an e-Forum. Educational Technology & Society, vol. 14, núm. 2, pp. 258-268. Recuperado de http://www.ifets.info/journals/14_2/22.pdf
McCrae, Niall. (2011). Nurturing critical thinking and academic freedom in the 21st Century University. International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, vol. 23, núm. 1, pp. 128-134. Recuperado de http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ938588.pdf
Nandi, Dip; Hamilton, Margaret; Harland, James. (2012). Evaluating the quality of interaction in asynchronous discussion forums in fully online courses. Distance Education, vol. 33, núm. 1, pp. 5-30. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2012.667957
Newman, D. Robert; Webb, Brian; Cochrane, Clive. (1995). A content analysis method to measure critical thinking in face-to-face and computer supported group learning. Interpersonal Computing and Technology, vol. 3 núm. 2 pp. 56-77. Recuperado de http://umsl.edu/~wilmarthp/mrpc-web-resources/CA-analysis-method-to-measure-thinking-in-f2f.pdf
Ormrod, Jeanne. (2003). Educational Psychology. Developing learners. (4ta ed.). EUA: Pearson Education.
Our concept and definition of critical thinking. (s.f.). Recuperado de http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/our-concept-and-definition-of-critical-thinking/411
Redford, Robert. (Productor y director). (2007). Leones por corderos. (Película). EUA: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer y United Artists.
Schellens, Tammy; Van Keer, Hilde; De Wever, Bram; Valcke, Martin. (2009). Tagging thinking types in asynchronous discussion groups: Effects on critical thinking. Interactive Learning Environments. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, vol. 17, núm. 1, pp. 77-94. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10494820701651757
Sternberg, Robert & Williams, Wendy. (2002). Educational Psychology. EUA: Pearson Education.
Strang, Kenneth David. (2011). How can discussion forum questions be effective in online MBA courses? Campus-Wide Information Systems, vol. 28, núm. 2, pp. 80-92. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/10650741111117789
Tella, Adeyinka & Adu, Emmanuel Olusola. (2014). An assessment of the undergraduates’ participation in the online discussion forum. Mediterranean Journal of Social Science, vol. 5, núm. 7, pp. 333-345. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n7p333
The role of questions in teaching, thinking and learning. (s.f.). Recuperado de http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/the-role-of-questions-in-teaching-thinking-and-learning/524
Vaughn, Lewis. (2008). The power of critical thinking. Effective reasoning about ordinary and extraordinary claims. Londres: Oxford University Press, Inc.
Yukselturk, Erman. (2010). An investigation of factors affecting student participation level in an online discussion forum. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology -TOJET, vol. 9, núm. 2, pp. 24-32. Recuperado de http://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ897999
Published
Issue
Section
License
The copyright belongs to the authors of the text. In case the manuscript is accepted for publication, the Sistema de Universidad Virtual of the Universidad de Guadalajara (UDGVirtual) is authorized to modify the text in the correction of style, translate, fix, disseminate, reproduce, publish and market with this. Likewise, the Universidad de Guadalajara is authorized to carry out the above described jointly or through possible third parties. (See the detailed authorization in the copyright letter.)
The authors guarantee to Apertura the right to be the first means of publication of the work. The reproduction of the texts published in the Apertura is authorized, in whole or in part, as long as it is non-profit, the source is cited and the content or design is not modified. Authors may exclusively distribute the final editorial or postprint version in any medium and at any time.
Apertura, its editors and UDGVirtual dissociate themselves from the information provided by collaborators or advertisers. The articles of the contributors do not necessarily represent the point of view of the publisher or UDGVirtual and the content of the advertisements are the sole responsibility of the contractors.
Apertura is registered in the National Institute of Copyright with the ISSN number: 1665-6180 (printed version) and e-ISSN 2007-1094 (electronic version), and with the Certificate of Reservation of Rights to the Exclusive Use of the Title: 04 -2005-120212472000-102.
It is also certified by the Qualifying Commission for Illustrated Publications and Journals of the Ministry of the Interior with the Licensed Certificates of Title number: 13449; and Content Legality: 11022.