Reflective learning model in improving student critical thinking skills

ABSTRACT: This study aims to investigate the effect of a reflective learning model on students’ critical thinking skills. The authors employed an experimental method and used a one group pre-test and post-test design. The participants were 32 randomly selected college students enrolling in the 2014 academic year, majoring in agrotechnology, and had completed their first semester. This study administered a critical thinking skill test to measure participants’ critical thinking skills. The skills involved a conceptual thinking skill, a concept application skill, an analytical skill, and a skill to synthesise and evaluate materials. The results showed a significant difference (p < 0.001) between the pre-test (M = 30.97) and the post-test (M = 36.06). This suggests that the reflective learning model was statistically effective in improving students’ critical thinking skills. Reflective learning is considered to be an appropriate learning method for engineering students in higher education, but little evidence has been published in scientific journals. Therefore, this research provides an early investigation of the effect of reflective learning on critical learning skills among engineering students