The aim of this work is to verify the efficacy of a training program focused on the development of critical thinking skills by use of digital texts in reading. A fundamental goal to keep in mind at school, at various levels since it concerns the exercise of critical thinking. The spread of technologies among our young people causes a considerable amount of cognitive stimuli that require decoding, giving sense and constructive processing of information; the students have to enhance skills that are not only about the use of digital tools but they must learn how to select and interpret the data, manage and evaluate information found in quantity and instantly. Reading literacy can be considered an essential starting point to improve the skills of analysis, evaluation and synthesis interested in the enhancement of digital competence. The question we want to investigate is if and how reading a digital text encourages the students’ actions of interpretation, judgment and expression of original ideas. In the first part of the project, the objective of the study is presented; research studies in this field are examined through an analysis of experiences in the area of emerging technologies in education. To explain such cognitive resources organized when student reads a text, compares and connects knowledge data and if critical thinking was deepened. Reading comprehension is compared with the critical thinking skills, interacting with creative thinking skills, provided in a specific model. In the second part the research methodology is indicated; it puts into practice the scientific findings in a training session realized with a group of children between the age of 9 and 10 years, in a primary school of Palermo. The educational activities were conducted from February to June 2015. Action learning provided a didactic environment based on individual work and on pair work; we limited the teacher’s intervention. Between the reading skills of digital texts in comparison with print-based texts we chose those exercising critical thinking such as analyzing, connecting and evaluating. We also investigated the creative thinking skills (synthesizing, elaborating on information, imagining), the problem solving skills and decision making, involved in reading comprehension. The investigation was realized with an almost-experimental system with a single recurrent group in interrupted time series. Data collection was carried out through structured tests created ad hoc with the possibility to answer freely. In the third and final part, data are discussed. Pre- and post-test performances were compared in the same group of children who participated in the enhancement activities by use of digital text in reading. The results showed an appreciable increase of the critical thinking skills and these of the creative thinking skills.

Questo lavoro si propone di accertare la validità di un percorso formativo incentrato sull’uso della lettura del testo digitale in rapporto allo sviluppo del pensiero critico. Un obiettivo fondamentale da tenere presente nella scuola, a vari livelli, riguarda l’esercizio della capacità critica. La diffusione delle tecnologie tra i nostri giovani provoca una cospicua quantità di stimoli conoscitivi che necessitano di decodifica, attribuzione di senso ed elaborazione costruttiva delle informazioni; i ragazzi devono potenziare abilità che non riguardano soltanto l'uso degli strumenti digitali, ma devono imparare a selezionare ed interpretare i dati, a gestire e valutare le informazioni trovate in quantità e istantaneamente. La competenza di lettura è un punto di partenza imprescindibile per migliorare abilità di analisi, valutazione, sintesi, interessate pure nella promozione della competenza digitale. Ci si chiede soprattutto se e quanto leggere un testo in formato digitale favorisca nello studente attività di interpretazione, formulazione di giudizi ed espressione di idee originali. Nella prima parte del lavoro è presentato l’oggetto di studio; sono esaminate ricerche sul campo ed esperienze relative alle tecnologie emergenti. Il pensiero critico è approfondito per esplicitare quali risorse cognitive mobilita l’allievo quando legge un testo, confronta e mette in relazione dati di conoscenza. La comprensione è confrontata con le abilità di pensiero critico, interagenti con le abilità di pensiero creativo, previste in un modello particolare. Nella seconda parte è descritta la metodologia di ricerca, che mette in pratica le risultanze scientifiche in un percorso realizzato con un gruppo di bambini tra i 9 e 10 anni di una scuola primaria nella provincia di Palermo. Le attività formative si sono svolte da febbraio a giugno 2015. L’azione didattica ha previsto un contesto di apprendimento basato sul lavoro individuale e su quello in coppia; l’intervento dell’insegnante è stato ridotto. Tra le abilità di comprensione nella lettura del testo digitale in rapporto a quelle che si attivano nel testo tradizionale sono state scelte quelle implicate nel pensiero critico: analisi, connessione, valutazione. Sono state indagate inoltre le abilità di pensiero creativo (sintesi, elaborazione di informazioni, immaginazione) e le abilità di problem solving e di assunzione di decisioni. L’indagine è stata realizzata con un piano quasi sperimentale a serie temporali interrotte con gruppo unico ricorrente. La rilevazione dei dati è avvenuta con un prova con quesiti a risposta aperta, appositamente costruita. Nella terza e ultima parte, i dati emersi dall’indagine sono discussi. Le prestazioni pre e post-test sono state confrontate nello stesso gruppo di bambini che hanno partecipato alle attività di sviluppo con utilizzo della lettura del testo digitale. I risultati mostrano che sono migliorate significativamente le capacità di pensiero critico, come anche delle capacità di pensiero creativo.

Anello, F. (2016). EXCERCISING CRITICAL THINKING THROUGH READING: AN EDUCATIONAL USE OF DIGITAL TEXTS. In EDULEARN16 8th annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies (pp. 1164-1174). Barcelona : IATED Academy, International Association of Technology Education and Development [10.21125/edulearn.2016.1241].

EXCERCISING CRITICAL THINKING THROUGH READING: AN EDUCATIONAL USE OF DIGITAL TEXTS

ANELLO, Francesca
2016-01-01

Abstract

The aim of this work is to verify the efficacy of a training program focused on the development of critical thinking skills by use of digital texts in reading. A fundamental goal to keep in mind at school, at various levels since it concerns the exercise of critical thinking. The spread of technologies among our young people causes a considerable amount of cognitive stimuli that require decoding, giving sense and constructive processing of information; the students have to enhance skills that are not only about the use of digital tools but they must learn how to select and interpret the data, manage and evaluate information found in quantity and instantly. Reading literacy can be considered an essential starting point to improve the skills of analysis, evaluation and synthesis interested in the enhancement of digital competence. The question we want to investigate is if and how reading a digital text encourages the students’ actions of interpretation, judgment and expression of original ideas. In the first part of the project, the objective of the study is presented; research studies in this field are examined through an analysis of experiences in the area of emerging technologies in education. To explain such cognitive resources organized when student reads a text, compares and connects knowledge data and if critical thinking was deepened. Reading comprehension is compared with the critical thinking skills, interacting with creative thinking skills, provided in a specific model. In the second part the research methodology is indicated; it puts into practice the scientific findings in a training session realized with a group of children between the age of 9 and 10 years, in a primary school of Palermo. The educational activities were conducted from February to June 2015. Action learning provided a didactic environment based on individual work and on pair work; we limited the teacher’s intervention. Between the reading skills of digital texts in comparison with print-based texts we chose those exercising critical thinking such as analyzing, connecting and evaluating. We also investigated the creative thinking skills (synthesizing, elaborating on information, imagining), the problem solving skills and decision making, involved in reading comprehension. The investigation was realized with an almost-experimental system with a single recurrent group in interrupted time series. Data collection was carried out through structured tests created ad hoc with the possibility to answer freely. In the third and final part, data are discussed. Pre- and post-test performances were compared in the same group of children who participated in the enhancement activities by use of digital text in reading. The results showed an appreciable increase of the critical thinking skills and these of the creative thinking skills.
2016
Settore M-PED/03 - Didattica E Pedagogia Speciale
Settore M-PED/04 - Pedagogia Sperimentale
Anello, F. (2016). EXCERCISING CRITICAL THINKING THROUGH READING: AN EDUCATIONAL USE OF DIGITAL TEXTS. In EDULEARN16 8th annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies (pp. 1164-1174). Barcelona : IATED Academy, International Association of Technology Education and Development [10.21125/edulearn.2016.1241].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10447/207287
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