Home⇛Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal⇛vol. 38 no. 2 (2025)

Strategies Used in Enhancing Critical Thinking Skills of Learners in Social Studies in a Private School in Gumaca, Quezon

Marc Edan Peña | Maria Celerina Oreta | Melchor Espiritu | Meldine Hutamares | Gil Segui

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

This study aimed to determine the strategies used in enhancing critical thinking skills of learners in Social Studies in a Private School in Gumaca, Quezon. It determined the profile of the learners in terms of age, sex, and grade level. It also revealed the effects of the following in enhancing critical thinking skills in teaching Social Studies in terms of using of essential question, fostering discussion and debate, integrating current events and issues, and assessing and reflecting. The researcher used descriptive method of research. This study employed quota sampling design. Under this procedure, the researcher considered to used one hundred (100) respondents from the selected Junior High School students in a Private School in Gumaca, Quezon to get the 100% of the respondents. The findings revealed that most of the respondents are within 14 to 15 years old. The female respondents outnumbered the male population. Respondents were Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9, and Grade 10. This study revealed that the average mean of 3.93 interpreted as Agree indicated that most of the respondents are agreed on the effects of strategies used in enhancing critical thinking skills in terms of using essential questions. Likewise, the average mean of 4.05 interpreted as Agree, indicated that most of the respondents agreed on the effects of strategies used in enhancing critical thinking skills in terms of fostering discussion and debate. In the average mean of 3.90 interpreted as Agree indicated that most of the respondents agreed on the effects of strategies used in enhancing critical thinking skills in terms of integrating current events and issues. The study also revealed that in the average of 4.05 interpreted as Agree, indicated the most of the respondents agreed on the effects of strategies used in enhancing critical thinking skills in terms of assessing and reflection. Based from the results of the Kruskal Wallis H-test all the null hypothesis of age is rejected which means there is a significant difference on the perceived effects of strategies used in enhancing critical thinking skills of learners in Araling Panlipunan when respondents are grouped according to age. Meanwhile in sex the null hypothesis is accepted which means there is no significant difference on the perceived effects of strategies used in enhancing critical thinking skills of learners in Araling Panlipunan according to sex. In terms of grade level, the null hypothesis is rejected which means there is a significant difference on the perceived effects of strategies used in enhancing critical thinking skills of learners in Araling Panlipunan when respondents are grouped by grade level. From the result of this study, the following were recommended: school administrators may conduct training and seminars for different intervention strategies to integrate current events and issues into the classroom for the learners, parents may monitor their children about using strategies to being aware on current events and issues to apply in the classroom, teacher may provide activities that will involve the learners on integrating current events and issues so that learners will be aware on the current events and issues happening in their surroundings to enhance their critical thinking skills, students may do some practices and be updated on the news aired on television and radio that will improve their awareness on current events and issues, future researchers, they may conduct a parallel study which gives more emphasis on strategies use in enhancing critical thinking skills of learners in Social Studies.



References:

  1. Abrami et. al, (2015). Strategies for Teaching Students to Think Critically: A Meta-Analysis. Rerived from https//journlals.sagepub.com
  2. Alsaleh, (2020). Teaching Critical Thinking Skills: Literature Review. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/pub;ication/350011067_Teaching_Critical_Thingking_Skills_Literature_Review/references
  3. Alsaleh, (2020); Servant-Miklos, (2019). Teaching Critical Thinking Skills: Literature Review. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/pub;ication/350011067_Teaching_Critical_Thingking_Skills_Literature_Review/references
  4. Azhar, (2023). 15 Reasons Why Social Studies Is Important? Curious Desire. Retrieved from https://curiousdesire.com/why-social-studies-is-important/
  5. Association for Psychological Science (2015). Cognitive Skills Peak at Different Ages Across Adulthood. Retrieved from https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/releases/cognitive-skills-peak-at-different-ages-across-adulthood.html
  6. Baylon Jr, D. M. (2014). Effects of classroom assessment on the critical thinking and academic performance of students. Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 2(1). pp. 205-208
  7. BiteSize, (2023). Critical thinking and problem solving. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zcjhfcw/revision/1
  8. Bouygues, (2019). The Importance of Critical Thinking for Students of All Ages, Scholastic Education Learning. Retrieved from https://edublog.scholastic.com/post/importance-critical-thinking-students-all-ages
  9. Cornell University Foundation (2023). Using Effective Questions. Center for Teaching Innovation. Retrieved from https://teaching.cornell.edu/fall-2020-course-preparation/engaging-students/using-effective-questions
  10. Chun-Lok, et. al, (2013). The influence of collaborative group work on students’ development of critical thinking: the teacher’s role in facilitating group discussions. Retrieved from https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1554480X.2016.1159965
  11. Dhamayanti, (2022). Teaching Critical Thinking Skills: Literature Review. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/pub;ication/350011067_Teaching_Critical_Thingking_Skills_Literature_Review/references
  12. Dwyer, (2017). Age and Critical Thinking, Observing mature students in educational settings. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/thoughts-thinking/201708/age-and-critical-thinking
  13. Elder & Paul, (2017). Teaching Critical Thinking Skills: Literature Review. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/pub;ication/350011067_Teaching_Critical_Thingking_Skills_Literature_Review/references
  14. Elkoca, A. (2019). Critical thinking skills of nursing candidates. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 12(3), 1600-1606
  15. Emman, E. (2023). Profile of Critical Thinking Results Analyzed from Facione Indicators and Gender of Learners. Retrieved from: IjORER: https://journal
  16. Fecher, B., et. al, (2021). Understanding the Societal Impact of the Social Sciences and Humanities: Remarks on Roles, Challenges, and Expectations. Frontiers. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frma.2021.696804/full
  17. Garcia, L. C. (2015). Environmental science issues for higher-order thinking skills (hots) development: A case study in the Philippines. In Biology Education and Research in a Changing Planet: Selected Papers from the 25th Biennial Asian Association for Biology Education Conference (pp. 45-54). Springer Singapore.
  18. Guertin, (2020). Current event literacy with science news stories. GeoEd. Retrieved from https://blogs.agu.org/geoedtrek/2020/08/25/current-event-literacy/
  19. Himmatussolihah, et. Al, (2019). Critical Thinking Skills of 10th Grade Students and the Effect on Learning Achievement. Research Gate. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/339223851_Critical_Thinking_Skills_of_10th_Grade_Students_and_the_Effect_on_Learning_Achievement
  20. Jones, (2014). Discussion Group Effectiveness is Related to Critical Thinking through Interest and Engagement. Queen Mary University of London, United Kingdom. Retrieved from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.2304/plat.2014.13.1.12
  21. Kayaalp, F., Meral, E., Şimşek, U., & Şahin, İ. F. (2020). A search for a method to improve critical thinking skills in social studies teaching: Writing-to-learn. Review of International Geographical Education Online, 10(3), 400-430.
  22. Kelly, (2023). 7 Good Reasons to Start Keeping up with Current Events. LifeStyle. Retrieved from https://lifestyle.allwomenstalk.com/good-reasons-to-start-keeping-up-with-current-events/
  23. Manurung et al., (2023). Teaching Critical Thinking Skills: Literature Review. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/pub;ication/350011067_Teaching_Critical_Thingking_Skills_Literature_Review/references
  24. Marquez, L. P. (2017). Critical Thinking in Philippine Education: What We Have and What We Need. Journal for Critical Education Policy Studies (JCEPS), 15(2). pp.273-300
  25. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, (2018). Talking With Your Children Is Important for Their Brain Development. Retrieved from https://www.aau.edu/research-scholarship/featured-research-topics/talking-your-children-important-their-brain
  26. McCombes, S. (2023). Descriptive Research: Definition,Types,Methods & Examples. Retrieved June 22,2023 from, https:www.sribbr.com
  27. Merriam Webster, (2023). Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/social%20studies
  28. Montero and Arizmendiarrieta, (2017). Rrl- Review of related literature- Learning strategies are defines as a set of approaches that - Studocu.  Retrieved from https://www.stodocu.com/ph/documents/st-marys-college/understanding-culture-society-and-politics/rrl-review-of-related-literature
  29. Muelas & Navarro (2015). Rrl- Review of related literature- Learning strategies are defines as a set of approaches that - Studocu.  Retrieved from https://www.stodocu.com/ph/documents/st-marys-college/understanding-culture-society-and-politics/rrl-review-of-related-literature
  30. NIH News in Health (2021). Mindfulness for Your Health, The Benefits of Living Moment by Moment. Retrieved from https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/06/mindfulness-your-health
  31. Oliver, et. al, (2021). Relevance of Social Studies in the 21st -Century Society: Students’ Perspectives. International Journal of Didactical Studies. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.org/publication/351264534_Relevance_of_Social_Studies_in_the_21st_Century_Society_Students'_Perspectives
  32. Pahilanga, L. L. V., Bual, J. M., & Madrigal, D. V. (2023). Life skills of Filipino emerging adults of a Catholic higher education institution in Central Philippines. Indonesian Journal Of Educational Research and Review, 6(1). pp. 541-585
  33. Panda (2020). Does Group Discussion Improve Critical Thinking Skills? Retrieved from https://ivypanda.com/essays/does-group-discussion-improve-critical-thinking-skills/ 
  34. Pilande, (2023). Level Of Critical Thinking Skills Among Senior High School Students Of Alfredo Parilla Nationa High School: A correlational Study SY 2022-2023. Research Gate. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/374629436_Level_Of_Critical_Thinking_Skills_Among_Senior_High_School_ Students _Of_Alfredo_Parilla_National_High_School_A_Correllational_Study_SY_2022-2023
  35. Pektas & Demirkya, (2020). The Role and Importance of Social Studies in The Education of Gifted Students. Journal of History Culture and Art Research. Retrieved from, https://www.researchgate.org/publication/342823007_The_Role_and_Importance_of_Social_Studies_in_The_Education_of_Gifted_Students
  36. PISA (2021). How socio-economics plays into students learning on their own. Retrieved from https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/why-is-social-studies-important/
  37. Provenzano, (2023). Helping Students Hone Their Critical Thinking Skills. GEORGE LUCAS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION. Retrieved from https://www.edutopia.org/article/teaching-critical-thinking-middle-high-school
  38. Simkus, J. (2023), Quota Sampling Method in Research: Definition, Method & Example, Retrieved July 31, 2023, from https://www.simplypyschology.org/quota-sampling.html
  39. Southworth, (2022). Bridging critical thinking and transformative learning: The role of perspective-taking. Theory and Research in Education, 20(1), 44-63. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1177/14778785221090853 from, https://www.researchgate.org/publication/342823007_The_Role_and_Importance_of_Social_Studies_in_The_Education_of_Gifted_Students Strategies for Encouraging Critical Thinking Skills in Students, (2023). Education
  40. Sunbantu, S. (2021). Are Students Critical Thinking Skills in Problem Solving Influenced Gender, Retrieved from teguhsaryanto@student.uns.ac.id World. Retrieved from https://www.educationworld.com/teachers/strategies-enc
  41. Tapung, M. M., Maryani, E., & Supriatna, N. (2018). Improving Students’ Critical Thinking Skills in Controlling Social Problems through the Development of Emancipatory Learning Model for Junior High School Social Studies in Ruteng City. Journal of Social Studies Education Research, 9(3), 162-176.ouraging-critical-thinking-skills-students#google_vignette
  42. TeachThought Staff, (2023). Why You Should Be Asking More Questions In Your Classroom. Teach Thought. Retrieved from https://www.teachthought.com/critical-thinking/why-you-should-be-asking-more-questions-in-your-classroom/
  43. University of Calgary, (2023). Enhancing Critical Thinking through Class Discussion. Retrieved from https://taylorinstitute.ucalgary.ca/resources/enhancing-critical-thinking-through-class-discussion-guide-using-discussion-based pedagogy
  44. University of the People, (2023). Why Is Social Studies Important? 8 Reasons To Study. Retrieved from https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/why-is-social-studies-important/
  45. Vega-Hernandez et al. (2017). Rrl- Review of related literature- Learning strategies are defines as a set of approaches that - Studocu.  Retrieved from https://www.stodocu.com/ph/documents/st-marys-college/understanding-culture-society-and-politics/rrl-review-of-related-literature
  46. Vong, S. A., & Kaewurai, W. (2017). Instructional model development to enhance critical thinking and critical thinking teaching ability of trainee students at regional teaching training center in Takeo province, Cambodia. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 38(1), 88-95.
  47. Well Ph.D. (2023). How to Improve Your Critical Thinking Skills. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/the-clarity/202309/how-to-improve-your-critical-thinking-skills- Yao, Y. (2024). Gender Differences in Critical Thinking and Strategy. Retrieved from: www.sciencedirect.com

Tools


Copyright © 2025  KITE Digital Educational Solutions |  Exclusively distributed by CE-Logic