The Influence on Undergraduate Students' Critical Thinking Skills through the Integration of Outside-In Blended Learning Activities in Problem-Based Learning Environment

Abstract

<p>As one of the indispensable 21st-century skills, critical thinking can enhance logical judgment and decision-making and convey rational and independent personal standpoints. Although previous scholarly studies have indicated that problem-based learning (PBL) and blended learning positively correlate with the development of critical thinking, the literature review conducted for this study found that there are only limited studies directly investigating whether outside-in blended learning impacts students' development of critical thinking skills in Mainland China. Besides, some instructors are hesitant and apprehensive about adopting newly invented technology-associated teaching tools (e.g., e-learning platforms). To confront these issues, this study seeks to examine whether e-learning online platforms contribute to students' critical thinking development through a quantitative research. The California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) was adopted as the assessment tool, and 84 third-year undergraduate students participated in the study. The control group (N=30) only experienced PBL scenarios, while the experimental group (N=54) underwent the intervention using online platforms for 6 weeks. The intervention was designed based on the 5E framework, with Bloom's Taxonomy as the guiding principle for the incorporated activities. The data analysis mainly employed the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and the Wilcoxon 2-sample rank-sum test, demonstrating that outside-in blended learning has enhanced students' critical thinking skills development. The second stage of this project emphasized how students' thinking skills were influenced, and the related findings will be presented in another paper. Recommendations for future studies are to conduct lengthier interventions and recruit participants with a higher degree of voluntary willingness to undergo transformative experiences.<br></p>