Developing students' critical thinking through innovative methods in the educational process of higher education

Abstract

This article is devoted to the problem of developing critical thinking among students of higher educational institutions through the use of innovative methods in the educational process. Based on the analysis of current research, key trends in this field related to the use of problem-based learning, collaborative technologies and reflective practices are highlighted. A terminological analysis of the concept of "critical thinking" in the context of higher education is carried out, and an author's definition is proposed. Gaps in research have been identified regarding the evaluation of the effectiveness of specific techniques and their adaptation to the specifics of various training areas. The relevance of developing a holistic methodology for the development of critical thinking, integrating the achievements of pedagogy, psychology and information technology, is substantiated. The results of an empirical study are presented, during which the author's approach to the development of critical thinking based on a triad of methods is tested: project–based learning – discussion technologies - metacognitive strategies. 120 undergraduate and graduate students took part in the pedagogical experiment. Statistically significant differences in the level of critical thinking were obtained in the experimental and control groups (p<0.01). A qualitative analysis of the results confirmed the effectiveness of the developed methodology in terms of improving students' analytical, reflective and communicative abilities. The prospects of introducing the proposed approach into the practice of higher education are discussed, and directions for further research are outlined.