An Action Research of Issue-centered Approach to Enhance Junior High School Students’ Critical Thinking Abilities

• Main Authors: KUO, SZU-YU, 郭思妤
• Other Authors: CHEN, PI-CHI
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2017
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/ky8p99

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 教育學系 === 105 === The aim of this action research was to develop an issue-centered teaching program for junior high school students and to examine the difficulties in the program as well as the strategies for overcoming the difficulties. In addition, this action research aimed to evaluate the students ‘critical thinking abilities after the program. In this study, a class of ninth-graders taught by the research teacher in a junior high school in Kaohsiung were recruited. In order to explore important values of democracy, three models of issue-centered teaching approach were adopted in the program when talking about controversial news including, “Dapu land demolition”, "Sunflower movement ", and “death penalty debate.”, The teaching program was conducted in three models including inquiry model, two-side discussion, and structured controversy model to investigate different opinions on controversial issues, and to help students build up self-values. The research teacher's observation and reflection , co-teachers’classroom observation , the students ‘worksheet , interviews and other qualitative data were collected for triangulation analysis. Besides, critical thinking ability checklists were analyzed to investigate the students' improvement after this program. Based on the data analysis, the findings of the study are summarized as follows: 1. The development of issue-centered teaching program The issues chosen should be controversial, and the selected issue-centered models should be introduced to students from the easy to the difficult. 2. The implementation process, the difficulties as well as the possible solutions (1) Implementation process: Controversial issues trigger students to think critically, to explore issues and to clarify paradoxical values. Meanwhile, diverse teaching models can cultivate students’ abilities to analyze information, to respect different opinions , to cooperate with peers, and to express themselves. (2) Difficulties and possible solutions: It was challenging for the teacher to prepare discussion questions which can intrigue critical thinking, and to select issues which are in dispute. Moreover, the teacher should overcome the difficulty in limited time for students to discuss before read. Finally, some students have a hard time sympathizing with both the positive and negative agreement. 3. The students’ critical thinking performance after the issue-centered program The issue-centered program can not only effectively improve students’ critical thinking abilities, but also help students to develop rational thinking when facing dilemmas in their daily life. 4. The researcher’s professional growth and reflection The issue-centered program improved the research teacher’s professional abilities, while co-teachers help the research teacher to reflect on teaching and therefore to improve teaching. 5. Suggestions: (1) Curriculum : Make the best choice of controversial news as teaching material, and present teaching models step by step. (2) Implementation : Issues should be chosen according to the students’ grade. Allow students to collect information on their own . (3) Future research: Investigate students from different backgrounds. Conduct quantitative research. Take contemporary issues as teaching materials.