Enhancing students' critical thinking skills through project-based learning

Critical thinking is among four crucial skills of 21st century learners, and thus should be integrated in the curriculum of the tertiary level, which is expected to prepare students with fundamental skills to thrive in a highly competitive world. However, there have been many concerns regarding approaches to introduce and develop critical thinking skills among students, and one of the most widely adopted approaches is through the implementation of Project-based learning. This instructional method provides students the opportunity to engage in meaningful real-world projects, allowing them to apply concepts of critical thinking under teachers’ close guidance. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of such approach in deepening students’ understanding about critical thinking and its helpful application in real-life tasks and their future jobs. Semi-structured interviews are used to identify students’ perception towards the relationship between these projects and their improvement in critical thinking skills. Findings indicate students’ positive feedback in many aspects of critical thinking skills, especially in analysing and problem-solving.