Critical thinking and cooperative learning in teaching essay writing to EFL university students

Other Title(s)

استخدام مهارة التفكير الناقد و التعلم التعاوني في تدريس كتابة المقالة باللغة الإنجليزية كلغة أجنبية لطلبة الجامعات

Dissertant

Rufaydi, Tina Jabir

Thesis advisor

Assaf, Azim

Comitee Members

Abd al-Raziq, Anwar Husayn
Makkawi, Ibrahim

University

Birzeit University

Faculty

Faculy of Education

University Country

Palestine (West Bank)

Degree

Master

Degree Date

2013

English Abstract

Acknowledging the complexity of teaching writing and the constant need to search for supportive methods and activities, this study attempts to investigate the teaching of essay writing to upper-intermediate Palestinian students learning English as a second / foreign language in a cooperative-learning setting as a learner-centered approach and aided by critical thinking strategies at Birzeit University, Palestine.

Explored as well are pedagogical implications and students’ attitudes towards cooperative learning.

The theoretical framework for this research is based on Vygotsky’s social constructivist theory which emphasizes student cognitive development as being intimately linked to construction of knowledge within a social context.

Within this learning context, students reflect and internalize and re-construct new knowledge as part of a constructive process.

Vygotsky points out that higher cognitive functions such as analysis and synthesis, seem to develop most fully only with the support system of verbal language- particularly of written language (Vygotsky, 1962).

Students as readers and writers build internal representations ofvarious texts; engage in problem solving through reasoning and critique; and, consequently, become confident in the task of putting their thoughts into written words to produce a cleartext.

The study design is a mixed method research that combines qualitative and quantitativetools, each of which is used to examine relevant aspects.

It is an experimental study in whichtwo groups (experimental and control) are randomly selected.

Qualitatively, the study uses anin-depth analysis of student essays (pre, midterm, and final) collected on three differentintervals throughout the second semester of academic year 2011-12, and they are analyzed forclear writing and critical thinking.

The purpose is to document the development of students’writing and thinking.

These essays are also analyzed quantitatively using SPSS and T-test inorder to measure students’ performance.

In addition, an attitude questionnaire is used to studystudents’ attitudes towards cooperative learning.

Both groups are exposed to five criticalthinking strategies : Instructional scaffolding, De Bono’s PMI (Plus, minus, interesting), Socratic questioning, Problem-posing, and the Hegelian dialectic.

However, one majorXIIIvariation is that the experimental group is taught in a cooperative learning method whereasthe control section is taught using a conventional method.

The Findings provide evidence that cooperative learning facilitates the execution ofcritical thinking strategies to promote growth in writing.

The infusion and assimilation of thefive critical thinking strategies in a cooperative learning environment significantly impactsstudents’ performance in writing essays that are clear and effective.

Results from thecollection of students’ essays indicate that the control group learners slightly developed inwriting clear essays and witnessed noticeable signs of critical thinking in their essays usingthe conventional method whereas the experimental group learners outperformed the controlgroup as they produced clear and effective persuasive/argumentative essays that reflectednoticeable and strong signs of critical thought.

Further, analysis of the attitude questionnairefor the experimental group regarding the execution of cooperative learning in the writing classalso indicates that students have a very positive attitude towards cooperative learning as ateaching paradigm.

In conclusion, this study emphasizes that teaching essay writing is significantly enhancedthrough the infusion of critical thinking strategies within the cooperative learning framework.

Main Subjects

Educational Sciences

Topics

• Education
• Higher education
• Learning
• Second language learning
• Report writing
• Palestine
• English language

No. of Pages

187

Table of Contents

• APA
• MLA
• AMA

Language

English

Data Type

Arab Theses

Record ID

BIM-358208