2025 IJRSE – Volume 14 Issue 1
Available Online: 1 February 2025
Author/s:
Popovska Nalevska, Gorica
Internacional Slavic University, St. Nikolas, Republic of Macedonia (popovska.g@gmail.com)
Abstract:
The importance of the development of critical thinking in a contemporary context stem from the demand for democratization of society, which implies active citizens who think, question, evaluate and make decisions. The general aim of this study is to identify students’ disposition towards critical thinking in the secondary school in the Republic of North Macedonia. Its contribution would help educators decide what areas of critical thinking need improvement in student education. The research sample consists of 114 randomly selected students. Students filled out Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory, based on seven dimensions of critical thinking: (1) truth-seeking, (2) open-mindedness, (3) analyticity, (4) systematicity, (5) CT self-confidence, (6) inquisitiveness and (7) cognitive maturity. The descriptions of each of the scales and sub-scales and the frequency of representation among students can be suggestions for possible teaching or assessment strategies. Teachers are seen as carriers of information rather than facilitators, mediators, and teaching strategies are also seen as conventional. In an educational context, critical thinking is a resource that allows students to adopt an analytical and evaluative attitude towards their learning, thus improving the quality of the learning process. Problem-based learning should be performed in today’s school to a higher level – from acquiring knowledge towards the development of students’ creative abilities, which means that the teaching process should to be a process of students’ thought activity.
Keywords: critical thinking, students, problem-based learning, secondary education
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2025.25006
Cite this article:
Popovska Nalevska, G. (2025). Critical thinking disposition as a factor in creating problem-based learning. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 14(1), 123-133. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2025.25006