The Impact of Critical Thinking Strategies on the Formation of Students' Cognitive Independence

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to ascertain the efficacy of innovative pedagogical methods that foster the development of critical thinking and student independence. To achieve the goal, a comprehensive array of theoretical, empirical, and statistical methodologies was employed, including questionnaires, pedagogical experiments, as well as regression analysis. The findings revealed notable disparities between the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG). Notably, the indicators of the motivational criterion of cognitive independence demonstrated correlations with the components of critical thinking, yielding coefficients ranging from 0.42 to 0.51 (p < 0.001). The peculiarity of the study lies in its two-country design (Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan), which enables a comparison of the effectiveness of innovative critical thinking strategies across different cultural and educational contexts. It was found that in both samples, the experimental groups significantly outperformed the control groups by all indicators. The programme, which included case studies, project-based learning, and the theory of inventive problem solving, proved effective in both countries, albeit with some local adaptations. The scientific novelty of this study resides in its thorough examination of the interconnections between critical thinking and various facets of cognitive independence. Prospective avenues for future research encompass a more comprehensive exploration into the impact of critical thinking strategies on academic performance across diverse disciplines and contexts. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of implementing the proposed programme in higher education institutions, both within special courses and in the format of interdisciplinary integration of critical thinking into the educational process.