The Application of Critical Thinking to Short Story Analysis: An Experiment on a New Teaching Process

Abstract

Attempts have been made to integrate critical thinking into many disciplines to improve thinking quality and enhance learning outcomes. Although many studies have indicated positive effects when applying critical thinking to teaching literary works in varied ways, further research is needed to develop practical approaches that solve the problems of students’ passive learning and low interest in literature courses. The author of the study developed a process named R.A.I.S.E-U.P, transforming critical thinking qualities into a practical procedure for teaching short stories at the tertiary level. The aim of the current study is to measure the effects of the experiment on this teaching process conducted in a literature class of 35 English major students at Nong Lam University. Qualitative data were collected through interviews for content analysis. The results showed positive feedback on the experiment both in students’ engagement in class activities and improvement of critical thinking quality. The findings consolidate the teaching approach to apply critical thinking to literary analysis.