Critical thinking

The aim of present study was to explore the comparative effect of direct corrective feedback and recast on EFL learners’ reading comprehension in a critical thinking (CT) context. Sixty female EFL learners were selected from a larger group of 85 learners through convenience sampling and were given a Preliminary English Test (PET) to assess their proficiency levels. As the next step, the participants formed two random experimental groups. The reading comprehension abilities of both groups were measured before and after the treatment through administration of reading section of two separate versions of PET. Both groups received 12 sessions of the treatment. Two paired samples t-tests were utilized, both of which proved significant improvement for both groups from pretest to posttest. Then, the posttest scores of the two groups using an independent samples t-test were compared. Based on the results, the difference between the two groups turned out to be significant indicating superiority of the effect of the recast. This study can have important implications for the stakeholders in foreign language (FL) education.

The aim of this research was to devise a framework for fostering critical thinking skills among students within high school environments in Kermanshah. Employing a practical approach, the study adopted qualitative methods to attain its objectives. Participants consisted of experts, practitioners, and researchers familiar with the subject area. Utilizing purposive sampling, 23 individuals were selected based on theoretical saturation principles. Through a combination of document analysis and semi-structured interviews, data were meticulously analyzed using coding techniques, with Grounded Theory emerging as the primary method for theory generation. Results underscored the pivotal role of cultivating thinking management in the pedagogy of critical thinking within high school contexts. Moreover, findings highlighted the significance of facilitators' and students' professional competencies and personality traits, thoughtful planning, and familial influences as key determinants. Contextual factors impacting thinking management education encompassed supportive frameworks for managerial development, emotional dynamics within the classroom, strategies for teacher engagement, and adherence to authoritative guidelines.

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to develop and validate a structural model of marital satisfaction among married women, based on self-differentiation, critical thinking, and emotional self-regulation, with happiness as a mediating variable. Methods and Materials: This study utilized a quantitative, descriptive-correlational design with a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. The sample comprised married women who visited the counseling centers at the University of Tehran between January 2023 and August 2023. A total of 330 participants were selected using convenience sampling. Data were collected using validated questionnaires, including the Self-Differentiation Scale, Critical Thinking Questionnaire, Emotional Self-Regulation Scale, Oxford Happiness Questionnaire, and ENRICH Marital Satisfaction Scale. The data were analyzed using SEM to assess the model's fit and test the hypothesized relationships between variables. Findings: The results indicated that the proposed structural model fit the data well, with satisfactory model fit indices (χ²/df = 3.618, RMSEA = .061, CFI = .923). Self-differentiation (β = .217, p = .033), critical thinking (β = .230, p = .01), and emotional self-regulation (β = .201, p = .01) had significant direct effects on marital satisfaction. Additionally, happiness significantly mediated the relationships between self-differentiation (β = .229, p = .01), critical thinking (β = .178, p = .01), and emotional self-regulation (β = .200, p = .01) with marital satisfaction. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of self-differentiation, critical thinking, and emotional self-regulation as key factors influencing marital satisfaction among married women. The mediating role of happiness highlights its significance in enhancing marital satisfaction by fostering positive emotions and reducing stress.

This study compares the effectiveness of schema therapy and compassion-focused therapy on emotional self-awareness, hostile attribution, and critical thinking in adolescents with binge eating disorder. The aim of this research was to evaluate the impact of these two therapies on improving the cognitive and emotional aspects of individuals. The research method was a semi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest and control group. The statistical population consists of adolescents with binge eating disorder in Azarshahr. The samples that were selected as available were randomly divided into two therapy groups (n=15). The first group received schema therapy, while the second group received compassion-focused therapy. To collect data, the Hostile Attribution Questionnaire (Arntz et al., 2003), the Self-Reflection and Insight Scale (Grant et al., 2002), and the Critical Thinking Questionnaire (Ricketts, 2003) were used. The results indicated that both therapies had a significant effect on increasing emotional self-awareness and reducing hostile attribution and critical thinking. However, compassion-focused therapy demonstrated a greater impact on reducing hostile attribution and improving critical thinking. The findings suggested that both approaches can be effective interventions for treating binge eating disorder in adolescents, with compassion-focused therapy being more effective in some aspects.

The increasing integration of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in children's lives necessitates a continuous emphasis on media literacy. As digital environments become intrinsic to education, entertainment, and social interaction, children are exposed to vast amounts of content, unfiltered, complex, and often harmful. This paper explores the imperative role of media literacy in equipping children with critical thinking skills to experience the digital landscape responsibly. By analyzing contemporary challenges, including misinformation, cyberbullying, and digital addiction, this study highlights how media literacy fosters cognitive resilience and ethical engagement online. Furthermore, the paper emphasizes the role of educators, parents, and policymakers in furthering a collaborative approach to digital education. Media literacy is positioned not as a singular skill but as an evolving competency, integral to ensuring children's empowerment and safety. The findings show that there is an urgent need for structured media literacy programs, tailored to the cognitive and emotional development of children, to mitigate risks and harness the opportunities presented by ICT. We also recommend that children’s use of ICT should be kept as minimal as possible.

While gamification has been extensively examined as an innovative teaching strategy, its potential to strengthen reading comprehension, critical thinking, and self-directed learning (SDL) in Islamic higher education has not been fully explored. Much of the existing research focuses primarily on its motivational impact, with less attention given to how gamified learning management system (LMS) environments can simultaneously support cognitive and metacognitive development. To address this gap, the present study evaluated the effectiveness of an LMS-based gamified reading comprehension course on undergraduate students’ learning outcomes at STAI Diponegoro Tulungagung, Indonesia. A quasi-experimental design was applied, involving 70 students who were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 35) and a control group (n = 35). Data were collected through pretest and posttest on reading comprehension and critical thinking, a structured SDL questionnaire based on Garrison’s (1997) framework (self-management, self-motivation, and self-monitoring), and follow-up interviews with six purposively selected students from the experimental group. Results indicated that students exposed to the gamified LMS course showed significantly higher gains in comprehension, critical thinking, and SDL than those in the control group. Qualitative findings further suggested that gamification fostered continuous engagement and sustained motivation, though certain challenges, including technological constraints and external distractions. Overall, the study underscores the promise of integrating gamification into LMS-based reading courses to support cognitive, affective, and metacognitive advancement in Islamic higher education.

Critical pedagogy places a significant emphasis on dialogue due to its transformative potential within educational settings. This approach fosters critical thinking, self-reflection, and empowerment among students, encouraging them to engage deeply with the material and question underlying assumptions. While research in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts has delved into the application of critical dialogue, there has been a notable gap in understanding how teachers perceive and implement this approach in their classrooms. This study seeks to address this gap by collecting data through ethnographic interviews with 22 teachers over three months. Data analysis was then conducted using a constructivist grounded theory methodology. Results showed that for critical dialogic teaching to be effective, two essential conditions should be met: (1) the presence of a critical dialogical teacher who embodies characteristics such as openness, mediation, and the ability to create a supportive environment, and (2) the use of specific strategies, such as authentic tasks, group work, and technology, to foster engagement and diverse perspectives. These findings have significant implications for language education, highlighting the need for teacher training that supports the development of dialogical teaching practices, promotes inclusive classroom environments, and empowers students to engage critically with both language and content. The study also underscores the importance of addressing the cultural and contextual factors that influence how critical dialogue is perceived and implemented by teachers in EFL settings.

The incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into language development has garnered considerable interest, especially within the realm of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education. Psychological flow is regarded as a pivotal element that affects learning outcomes; however, its significance in the context of AI-assisted language learning has yet to be thoroughly investigated. This study examines the relationship between psychological flow induced by AI, tendencies of fortitude, mental health, and critical thinking among 214 university students enrolled in EFL programs who utilized AI-integrated language learning aids. Data were gathered via structured online surveys, and the relationships among the variables were examined utilizing Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings suggest that the psychological flow induced by AI has a substantial impact on learners' levels of fortitude, mental well-being, and critical thinking. The findings indicate that when learners engage in AI-assisted language learning and experience a state of flow, they exhibit elevated levels of perseverance, improved mental well-being, and enhanced critical thinking. These outcomes underscore the dual function of flow in AI-assisted language learning, as it not only augments learners' cognitive engagement but also fosters positive emotional states that are conducive to improved mental health and enhanced problem-solving abilities. The findings of the study possess significant pedagogical implications, indicating that AI-based platforms ought to be developed to promote a state of fluidity by integrating personalized learning trajectories, real-time feedback mechanisms, and engaging features.

EFL learners have major difficulties in developing critical thinking skills to enhance language learning. The present study examined the impact of the International Baccalaureate (IB) program on promoting critical thinking skills, disposition, and critical reading among a cohort of EFL learners in grade 11 and 12 in an Iranian high school that offers both IB and non-IB curriculum. The research method was quasi-experimental with a pre-test/post-test design and control group. In so doing, sixty students were randomly assigned in experimental and control group based on the results of a proficiency test. Thirty participants who studied in the IB program participated as the experimental group, and the other 30 participants from a non-IB program were selected and assigned as the control group. The results of a series of one-way ANCOVA tests revealed that the mean of critical thinking skills of the experimental group increased from 67.23 to 109.76, indicating that IB program learners significantly outperformed the control group in terms of critical thinking skill, disposition, and critical reading ability. The pedagogical implications for EFL contexts are discussed.