Van den Broeck, laura ; De Wachter, Sara ; Sermeus, Jan ; De Schrijver, jelle

published in EAPRIL 2021 CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, pp. 206-215 (2022)

Abstract: Especially in times of fake news and populism, critical thinking is a key skill for students to master. In the ongoing “Redeneerling”-project, a cross-curricular teaching method is developed aiming to stimulate the critical thinking skills of students through dialogue, focusing on argumentation skills, recognition of logical fallacies, and analysis of sources. Following the principles of education-design research, the “Redeneerling”-teaching method is developed and evaluated in different cycles in cooperation with interdisciplinary Teacher Design Teams. The goal of this practical research project is to formulate the design principles of the cross-disciplinary critical thinking approach. In addition, we aim to identify the teacher’s attitude towards the teaching method. Interviews and observations allow us to discuss how some critical thinking skills are easier implemented into specific school subjects than others. The discussion includes the role of visualization and vocabulary necessary to link these skills across different subjects. Preliminary findings show how teachers appreciate the approach as it helps them to stimulate argumentation and reflection among students.